Winters · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Winters

Winters sets residential fence heights by setback, with lower limits in front and near street corners, and building permits for taller fences. The city limits accessory structure coverage and height, and home businesses need zoning administrator approval.

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Key points

Fence height: Winters limits residential fences to 3 feet 6 inches in front setbacks and near street corners, and 6 feet elsewhere.
Accessory structures: Winters limits accessory structures to 30% of the required rear yard; free-standing ones within R-district side and rear setbacks, 15 feet.
Home business: Winters home businesses: 15% of the home, at most 400 sq ft; no more than an average of 4 customers or deliveries daily.

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

Fences and walls

Winters code What Winters's code adds
Corner visibility	No more than 3 feet, 6 inches tall within 45 feet of a street corner. Applies: Street side setbacks in residential zones. § 17.64.010 · code text In residential zones in street side setbacks within forty-five (45) feet of a street corner;
Height anywhere on the lot	Fences, walls or hedges may be up to 6 feet tall. Applies: Outside the areas limited to 3 feet, 6 inches: front and secondary front setbacks, and street side setbacks within 45 feet of a corner. § 17.64.010 · code text Fences, walls or hedges not regulated by subsection A, may be permitted on a lot up to six feet in height.
Front yard height	Fences may be no more than 3 feet, 6 inches tall. Applies: Front or secondary front yard setbacks in residential zones. § 17.64.010 · code text In residential zones in front or secondary front yard setbacks, except as allowed elsewhere in this title;
Side and rear yard height	Fences may be raised to at most 8 feet. Applies: Interior side and rear yards in residential zones, with written agreement of both owners and at least 50% open material above 6 feet. § 17.64.010 · code text Fence heights regulated in subsection B, may be permanently increased by two feet to a maximum height of eight feet on interior side and rear yards in residential zones if:
Permit	A building permit is required for any fence or wall over 6 feet tall. § 17.64.020 · code text A building permit is required for any fence or wall over six feet in height, and any retaining wall over three feet in height. A building permit is required for any retaining wall over 3 feet tall. § 17.64.020 · code text A building permit is required for any fence or wall over six feet in height, and any retaining wall over three feet in height. An encroachment permit is required. Applies: Fences or walls built in a utility easement or public right-of-way. § 17.64.030 · code text An encroachment permit is required for a fence or wall that is constructed within a utility easement or public right-of-way.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Winters code What Winters's code adds
Maximum height	Free-standing accessory structures may be no more than 15 feet tall. Applies: R districts, between the 5-foot setback line and the zone's full side and rear setback. § 17.56.020 · code text A maximum fifteen (15) foot height limit shall apply to any free-standing accessory structure or building located in the area between the five-foot setback line and the standard full side and rear yard setback required of the zone.
Size or lot coverage	Accessory structures may cover no more than 30% of a required rear yard. Applies: Applies to the required rear yard. § 17.56.020 · code text No more than thirty (30) percent of a required rear yard may be covered by accessory structures.
Side and rear setback	At least 5 feet from side and rear lot lines. Applies: Garages and carports in required side and rear yards. § 17.56.020 · code text A minimum five-foot setback shall be required for garages and carports; At least 3 feet from side and rear lot lines. Applies: The part of any free-standing accessory structure taller than 8 feet. § 17.56.020 · code text A minimum three-foot setback shall be required for that portion of an any free-standing accessory building or structure exceeding a height of eight feet; At least 5 feet from side and rear lot lines. Applies: The part of any free-standing accessory structure taller than 10 feet. § 17.56.020 · code text A five-foot setback shall be required for that portion of any free-standing accessory building or structure exceeding a height of ten (10) feet;

Running a business from home

Winters code What Winters's code adds
Space used	No more than 15% of the home's gross floor area. Applies: Up to a maximum of 400 square feet. § 17.60.080 · code text No more than fifteen (15) percent of the dwelling's gross floor area, to a maximum of four hundred (400) square feet, may be used in connection with the home occupation.
Customer visits	On average no more than 4 customers or deliveries a day, and no more than 6 on any one day. § 17.60.080 · code text a home occupation may have no more than an average of four customers and/or deliveries to the residence per day, not to exceed a maximum of six customers and/or deliveries to the residence on any one day.
Employees	Only residents of the home may be employed. § 17.60.080 · code text Only the residents of the dwelling may be employed by the home occupation.
Permit	The zoning administrator may conditionally approve a home business. § 17.60.080 · code text A use which is clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use of the dwelling may be conditionally approved by the zoning administrator, provided that: A business license fee must be paid. Applies: Home businesses with gross receipts over $1,000. § 5.04.330 · code text Home occupations whose gross receipts exceed one thousand ($1,000.00) dollars shall pay a license fee as, provided in Section 5.04.220.
Businesses not allowed	repair, manufacturing, or processing (not including handicraft, millinery and laundering); food handling, processing, or packing; harboring, training, or raising of dogs, cats, birds, or other animals; automobile and/or body and fender repairing; barber shops, beauty parlors, music schools, dancing schools, business schools, or schools of any kind with organized classes; uses hazardous to public health and safety or creating objectionable noise or odors § 17.60.080 · code text The following uses are not permitted as home occupations:

Solar panels and EV chargers

Winters code What Winters's code adds
EV charger permit	Reviewed administratively as a nondiscretionary permit; the permit can issue once the application meets all checklist requirements. Applies: Applies to a complete application. § 15.110.060 · code text An application for an electric vehicle charging station shall be deemed complete and the permit available for issuance, when the Chief Building Official determines that the application satisfies all requirements found in the checklist. Electronic submittal of the application is allowed. § 15.110.050 · code text The Chief Building Official shall allow the electronic submittal of the electric vehicle charging station application. Routine operation, maintenance or like-kind replacements do not need a permit. Applies: Applies to systems legally set up or permitted before the chapter took effect. § 15.110.030 · code text Routine operation and maintenance or like-kind replacements shall not require a permit.

Pets, chickens and bees

Winters code What Winters's code adds
Large animals	1 large animal for each 20,000 gross square feet of lot. Applies: Lots of at least 1 acre; animals kept in a fenced area with a shed. § 17.84.010 · code text One large domestic animal may be kept on a lot for each twenty thousand (20,000) gross square feet of lot size. Enclosures at least 50 feet from neighbors' homes and 20 feet from side or rear lines; not in front setback. § 17.84.010 · code text No part of the large animal enclosure shall be located within fifty (50) feet of any neighboring dwelling, within the front yard setback, or within twenty (20) feet of a side or rear property line.
Permit	Zoning administrator approval is required. Applies: Applies to exotic animals, allowed only in A-1 and R-R districts. § 17.84.010 · code text Exotic animals may only be permitted in A-1 (general agriculture) and R-R (rural residential) districts subject to obtaining approval of the zoning administrator.
Pet limit	Up to 4 small domestic animals. Applies: On any parcel; small pets kept indoors at all times are not limited. § 17.84.010 · code text Up to four small domestic animals may be kept on any parcel.

Other Winters rules on this

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

Draining a pool (§ 13.08.200)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Winters?

Winters limits residential fences to 3 feet 6 inches in front setbacks and near street corners, and 6 feet elsewhere.

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

Winters limits accessory structures to 30% of the required rear yard; free-standing ones within R-district side and rear setbacks, 15 feet.

Can I run a business from my home in Winters?

Winters home businesses: 15% of the home, at most 400 sq ft; no more than an average of 4 customers or deliveries daily.

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

Winters's code: Reviewed administratively as a nondiscretionary permit; the permit can issue once the application meets all checklist requirements. (Applies to a complete application.) (§ 15.110.060); Electronic submittal of the application is allowed. (§ 15.110.050).

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

Winters's code: 1 large animal for each 20,000 gross square feet of lot. (Lots of at least 1 acre; animals kept in a fenced area with a shed.) (§ 17.84.010); Enclosures at least 50 feet from neighbors' homes and 20 feet from side or rear lines; not in front setback. (§ 17.84.010).

General information, not legal advice.

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