Tiburon · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Tiburon

Tiburon sets its own limits on fences, accessory buildings and home businesses. Taller fences need design review, and fences may not impair safe vision for drivers or pedestrians.

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Key points

Fence height: Tiburon limits fences in any setback to 6 feet; fences or walls over three and one-half feet need site plan and architectural review approval.
Accessory buildings: Tiburon limits detached accessory buildings in a rear setback to 12 feet and 25% of the rear setback area.
Home businesses: Tiburon allows one nonresident person in a home business and requires a home occupation permit and a town business license.

Each rule below is marked Tiburon code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Fences and walls

Tiburon code What Tiburon's code adds
Corner visibility	Fences and walls must not block safe vision from vehicles or of pedestrians. § 16-30.040 · code text Fences (including walls used as fences) shall not be located, designed, or constructed so as to impair safe vision from vehicles or of pedestrians.
Height anywhere on the lot	No more than 6 feet in any setback. Applies: A fence or wall over 3.5 feet needs site plan and architectural review approval. § 16-30.040 · code text A fence, wall, or retaining wall shall not exceed six feet in height in any setback, with the following exceptions: Lower side: 6 feet plus the grade difference, never over 9 feet. Upper side: 6 feet. Applies: Fence or wall on a shared residential property line with a grade difference, if the review authority approves. § 16-30.040 · code text The fence and/or wall would have a maximum height of six feet on the upper side of the structure; and a maximum height on the lower side of the structure of six feet plus the difference in surface elevation between the adjoining property at the property line, but in no instance more than nine feet;
Permit	Yes. Site plan and architectural review approval is required. Applies: Fences, walls or retaining walls over 3.5 feet tall. § 16-30.040 · code text A fence, wall, or retaining wall greater than three and one-half feet in height shall not be erected without site plan and architectural review approval as provided in section 16-52.020 (site plan and architectural review).

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Tiburon code What Tiburon's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 12 feet. Applies: Detached accessory buildings in a rear setback; they may cover no more than 25% of it. § 16-30.030 · code text Detached accessory buildings not exceeding twelve feet in height may be located on a rear setback, provided that such buildings do not occupy more than twenty-five percent of the area of the rear setback.
Size or lot coverage	No more than 25% of the rear setback area. Applies: Detached accessory buildings up to 12 feet tall in a rear setback. § 16-30.030 · code text Detached accessory buildings not exceeding twelve feet in height may be located on a rear setback, provided that such buildings do not occupy more than twenty-five percent of the area of the rear setback.

Running a business from home

Tiburon code What Tiburon's code adds
Employees	No more than 1 nonresident employee. Applies: If there is one, 1 more off-street parking space is required. § 16-52.110 · code text No more than one nonresident person shall be employed, at which time an additional off-street parking space shall be required beyond that required by subsection C.2 above;
Permit	Yes. A home occupation permit is required. § 16-52.110 · code text A home occupation permit is required for any use defined as a home occupation. A valid town business license is required. § 16-52.110 · code text All persons conducting businesses from their homes are required to have a valid business license from the town.
Businesses not allowed	firearms sales § 16-52.110 · code text Firearms sales, as defined in article X (Definitions) of this chapter, are not permitted as a home occupation.

Lot splits under SB 9

Tiburon code Neither new parcel may be smaller than 40% of the original lot area. Standards that would block 2 units on either parcel, or force a unit under 800 square feet, do not apply.

All 15 Tiburon rules on lot splits under sb 9, with the code text and the state law underneath →

RV and boat parking

Tiburon code What Tiburon's code adds
Parking on the street	Not allowed from sunset to sunrise. Applies: Oversized vehicles (20 feet or longer, including RVs and trailers) on public roads, rights-of-way or public property. § 23-35A · code text It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to park any oversized vehicle on any public roadway or right-of-way thereof, or on public property, within the Town of Tiburon between the hours of sunset of one day to sunrise of the next day.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Tiburon code What Tiburon's code adds
EV charger permit	A permit from the building official is required to install an EV charging station. § 13-14 · code text All electric vehicle charging stations shall require a permit issued in accordance with section 13-14 of this article. Administrative, nondiscretionary review; complete applications are approved and a permit is issued. Applies: Applies when the application meets the checklist and the article. § 13-16 · code text An application that satisfies the information requirements of the application checklist and this article, as determined by the building official, shall be deemed complete. Upon confirmation by the building official that the application and supporting documents are complete and that they meet the requirements of the application checklist and this article, the building official shall approve the application and issue a charging station permit.
Review time	A nondiscretionary building permit is issued the same day. Applies: Complete over-the-counter small rooftop solar applications that meet the approved checklist and standard plan. § 13-29 · code text The building division shall issue a building permit, the issuance of which is nondiscretionary, on the same day for over-the-counter applications The permit is issued within 1 to 3 business days. Applies: Applies to electronic applications for small residential rooftop solar systems. § 13-29 · code text or within one to three business days for electronic applications upon receipt of a complete application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan.

Pets, chickens and bees

Tiburon code What Tiburon's code adds
Bees	Allowed with a beekeeping permit from the director of community development. Applies: As an accessory use to a single-family home in certain residential zones; town council sets the standards. § 16-40.070 · code text This section provides for establishment and reasonable regulation of beekeeping and/or chicken keeping as an accessory use to a single-family dwelling in certain residential zones while ensuring the public health, safety and welfare.
Chickens	Allowed with a chicken keeping permit from the director of community development. Applies: As an accessory use to a single-family home in certain residential zones; town council sets the standards. § 16-40.070 · code text This section provides for establishment and reasonable regulation of beekeeping and/or chicken keeping as an accessory use to a single-family dwelling in certain residential zones while ensuring the public health, safety and welfare.
Permit	A conditional use permit is required. Applies: Applies to keeping poultry, except where the code provides otherwise for chickens. § 20-1.003 · code text The keeping of poultry shall require a conditional use permit pursuant to title IV, chapter 16 of the Code, except as may otherwise be provided therein for the keeping of chickens.

Other Tiburon rules on this

Tiburon's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.

Permit to remove or alter protected trees (Ch. 15A)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Tiburon?

Tiburon limits fences in any setback to 6 feet; fences or walls over three and one-half feet need site plan and architectural review approval.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Tiburon?

Tiburon limits detached accessory buildings in a rear setback to 12 feet and 25% of the rear setback area.

Can I run a business from my home in Tiburon?

Tiburon allows one nonresident person in a home business and requires a home occupation permit and a town business license.

Can I park an RV or boat at my home in Tiburon?

Tiburon's code: Not allowed from sunset to sunrise. (Oversized vehicles (20 feet or longer, including RVs and trailers) on public roads, rights-of-way or public property.) (§ 23-35A).

Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in Tiburon?

Tiburon's code: A permit from the building official is required to install an EV charging station. (§ 13-14); Administrative, nondiscretionary review; complete applications are approved and a permit is issued. (Applies when the application meets the checklist and the article.) (§ 13-16).

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Tiburon?

Tiburon's code: Allowed with a beekeeping permit from the director of community development. (As an accessory use to a single-family home in certain residential zones; town council sets the standards.) (§ 16-40.070); Allowed with a chicken keeping permit from the director of community development. (As an accessory use to a single-family home in certain residential zones; town council sets the standards.) (§ 16-40.070).

General information, not legal advice.

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