Williams · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Williams

Williams limits fence height by yard, with lower fences toward the street and fence setbacks at corner intersections. Detached accessory buildings have height, size and setback limits.

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Key points

Front fences: City rule: fences between the front building line and the street are limited to 3 feet; in street side yards, 4 feet.
Side and rear: City rule: fences in interior side and rear yards are limited to 6 feet; 10 feet next to an arterial or collector street.
Corner lots: City rule: on corner lots, fences and walls must be set back at least 20 feet from street and alley lot-line intersections.
Accessory height: City rule: detached accessory buildings, except small sheds, are limited to 1 story or 17 feet, whichever is lower.
Accessory size: City rule: outside R-E, accessory buildings except small sheds are limited to 25% of required rear yard or 600 sq ft, whichever is less.
Setbacks: City rule: detached accessory buildings must be at least 3 feet from interior side and rear lot lines and 6 feet from other buildings.

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

Fences and walls

Williams code What Williams's code adds
Corner visibility	Fences must be set back 20 feet from the corner where street lot lines meet. Applies: At the intersection of street lot lines. The residential standards set the same setback. § 17.01.060.2 · code text Intersection of street lot lines: Twenty feet. Fences and walls must be set back at least 20 feet from street and alley lot-line intersections. Applies: Corner lots at a street or alley intersection. § 17.01.050.4 · code text Intersection of street lot lines: Twenty feet.
Side and rear yard height	Fences may be no more than 4 feet tall. Applies: Street side yards. The residential standards set the same limit. § 17.01.060.2 · code text Street side yards: Four feet. Fences may be no more than 6 feet tall. Applies: Interior side and rear yards. The residential standards set the same limit. § 17.01.060.2 · code text Interior side and rear yards: Six feet. Fences may be no more than 10 feet tall. Applies: Side or rear yards next to an arterial or collector street. § 17.01.050.4 · code text In side or rear yard abutting an arterial or collector: Ten feet
Front yard height	Fences may be no more than 3 feet tall. Applies: Between the front building line and the street. The residential standards set the same limit. § 17.01.060.2 · code text Area between front building line and street: Three feet.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Williams code What Williams's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 1 story or 17 feet, whichever is lower. Applies: Detached accessory buildings and structures, except small sheds. § 17.01.050.3 · code text Height: One story or seventeen feet, whichever is lower.
Size or lot coverage	No more than 25% of the required rear yard or 600 square feet, whichever is less. Applies: Detached accessory buildings, except small sheds. Also no larger than the main building's footprint. The R-E district has a different limit. § 17.01.050.3 · code text In addition, no detached accessory building or buildings shall cover an area that is larger than that covered by the principal building, nor cover more than twenty-five percent of the required rear yard or six hundred square feet, whichever is less, except that: No more than 50% of the main building's footprint or 1,800 square feet, whichever is smaller. Applies: Detached accessory buildings and structures in the R-E district. § 17.01.050.3 · code text In the R-E district, no detached accessory building or buildings shall cover an area that is larger than the smaller of: Fifty percent of the footprint of the principal building; or one thousand eight hundred square feet.
Side and rear setback	At least 3 feet from the interior side lot line. Applies: Detached accessory buildings and structures. § 17.01.050.3 · code text Interior side: Three feet from the lot line. At least 3 feet from the rear lot line. Applies: Detached accessory buildings and structures in general. § 17.01.050.3 · code text Rear: Generally: Three feet. Garage with door facing alley: Twenty feet. At least 20 feet from the rear lot line. Applies: A garage with its door facing an alley. § 17.01.050.3 · code text Garage with door facing alley: Twenty feet. At least 2 feet from side and rear lot lines. Applies: Small sheds under 8 feet tall to the roof peak and under 100 square feet of floor area. § 17.01.050.3 · code text Located closer than two feet to a side or rear lot line;
Distance from the house	At least 6 feet from any other building. Applies: Detached accessory buildings and structures. § 17.01.050.3 · code text Building separation: Six feet.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Williams code What Williams's code adds
Solar height and setbacks	Panels more than 6 feet above grade must meet detached accessory building setbacks. Applies: Solar arrays not mounted on a roof, on residential lots. § 17.01.050.9 · code text If the highest point on the panels is more than six feet above grade, the panels shall be set back as if they were detached accessory buildings.

Tree removal

Williams code What Williams's code adds
Exemptions	Replacement is optional if a newly approved landscape plan does not require it. Applies: Trees required by a development approval. § 17.02.120.8 · code text replacement is optional if: 1. A new landscape plan is approved that does not require their replacement Replacement is optional. Applies: A tree required by a development approval, planted on a single-family or duplex lot and removed by a later owner. § 17.02.120.8 · code text or 2. The tree was installed on a single-family detached or duplex lot and then removed by a subsequent owner.
Replacement trees	Replace it with a tree that has a similar canopy at maturity. Applies: Any tree required by a development approval. § 17.02.120.8 · code text Any tree that is required by a development approval shall be replaced with a tree that has a comparable canopy at maturity

Swimming pools

Williams code What Williams's code adds
Setback from property lines	At least 6 feet from the rear property line, or outside any rear utility easement if that is greater. Applies: Measured from the outside wall of the pool. § 17.01.050.6 · code text Rear: The greater of: Six feet, measured from the outside wall of the pool.

Pets, chickens and bees

Williams code What Williams's code adds
Bees	Hives must be at least 500 feet from any building where people or animals live or are kept. § 6.48.080 · code text Bees shall be kept at least five hundred feet from any building or structure in which persons or animals normally live or are kept.
Chickens	Yes, with an annual chicken permit and a permitted coop. § 6.48.015 · code text Each property keeping chickens MUST have a permit. Chicken permits are twenty-five dollars annually.
Permit	An annual chicken permit ($25) and a one-time coop permit ($40). Applies: Properties that keep chickens. § 6.48.015 · code text Each property keeping chickens MUST have a permit. Chicken permits are twenty-five dollars annually.

Other Williams rules on this

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

Parking RVs on the street (§ 10.32.340) — on public streets

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Williams?

City rule: fences between the front building line and the street are limited to 3 feet; in street side yards, 4 feet. City rule: fences in interior side and rear yards are limited to 6 feet; 10 feet next to an arterial or collector street. City rule: on corner lots, fences and walls must be set back at least 20 feet from street and alley lot-line intersections.

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

City rule: detached accessory buildings, except small sheds, are limited to 1 story or 17 feet, whichever is lower. City rule: outside R-E, accessory buildings except small sheds are limited to 25% of required rear yard or 600 sq ft, whichever is less. City rule: detached accessory buildings must be at least 3 feet from interior side and rear lot lines and 6 feet from other buildings.

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

Williams's code: Panels more than 6 feet above grade must meet detached accessory building setbacks. (Solar arrays not mounted on a roof, on residential lots.) (§ 17.01.050.9).

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Williams?

Williams's code: Replacement is optional if a newly approved landscape plan does not require it. (Trees required by a development approval.) (§ 17.02.120.8); Replacement is optional. (A tree required by a development approval, planted on a single-family or duplex lot and removed by a later owner.) (§ 17.02.120.8).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Williams?

Williams's code: At least 6 feet from the rear property line, or outside any rear utility easement if that is greater. (Measured from the outside wall of the pool.) (§ 17.01.050.6).

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

Williams's code: Hives must be at least 500 feet from any building where people or animals live or are kept. (§ 6.48.080); Yes, with an annual chicken permit and a permitted coop. (§ 6.48.015).

General information, not legal advice.

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