Yountville · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Yountville

Yountville sets fence heights by yard, with lower limits in front yards and at corners, and allows taller open screens with approval. Moderate and major home businesses need a permit, and some uses are not allowed.

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Key points

Fence height: Yountville limits fences to 3 feet at the front property line or in the front yard, and 6 feet along rear or side lines.
Home business: Yountville moderate home businesses need an administrative use permit, major ones a use permit; welding and repair of non-residents' vehicles are not allowed.

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

Fences and walls

Yountville code What Yountville's code adds
Corner visibility	Walls, fences or landscape screening may be no more than 3 feet tall within 35 feet of the street corner. Applies: Corner lots. A setback from the property line may also be required for public safety. § 17.136.020 · code text On corner lots, the height of any wall, fence, or landscape screening within 35 feet of the corner of the lot at the street intersection shall not exceed three feet in height and may be required to be set back from the property line when the Planning Officer deems it necessary for public safety;
Front yard height	Walls, fences and landscape screening may be no more than 3 feet tall. Applies: Along the front property line, or within the front yard or setback. § 17.136.020 · code text The height of a wall, fence or landscape screening along the front property line shall not exceed three feet and the height of a wall or fence within the front yard or setback shall not exceed three feet;
Side and rear yard height	Walls or fences may be no more than 6 feet tall. Applies: Along a rear or side property line. § 17.136.020 · code text The height of a wall or fence along a rear or side property line shall not exceed six feet; With screen extensions, the total height may be no more than 8 feet. Applies: Rear and side yard setbacks only, not front or street-facing yards. Extensions at least 35% open. Administrative approval needed. § 17.136.020 · code text Fence, wall, and landscape screen extensions shall not exceed a total height of eight feet.
Permit	A building permit is required for walls and fences over 6 feet and masonry walls over 4 feet. Applies: Measured from the bottom of the footer, or as the current building code requires. § 17.136.020 · code text Walls and fences over six feet in height and masonry walls over four feet in height (measured from the bottom of footer) are required to secure a building permit or as required by current building code.

Running a business from home

Yountville code What Yountville's code adds
Permit	An administrative use permit is required. Applies: Moderate home occupations. § 17.164.050 · code text The Planning Officer may administratively approve applications for moderate home occupations through issuance of an administrative use permit as regulated by Chapter 17.196 of this title if they comply with all the applicable conditions set forth in this chapter. A use permit from the Town Council is required. Applies: Major home occupations. § 17.164.050 · code text Major home occupations are subject to the approval of a use permit by the Town Council as regulated by Chapter 17.200 of this title.
Businesses not allowed	Adult entertainment § 17.164.040 · code text A. Adult entertainment, Animal hospitals or boarding § 17.164.040 · code text B. Animal hospitals or boarding, Automotive and other vehicle repair and service Applies: except for vehicles owned by residents of the dwelling § 17.164.040 · code text C. Automotive and other vehicle repair and service, except for vehicles owned by residents of the dwelling, Commercial cabinetry, carpentry, or furniture-making § 17.164.040 · code text D. Commercial cabinetry, carpentry, or furniture-making, Welding and machine shop § 17.164.040 · code text E. Welding and machine shop, Contractor's storage § 17.164.040 · code text F. Contractor's storage, Nightclubs and similar entertainment venues § 17.164.040 · code text G. Nightclubs and similar entertainment venues, On-site meal service § 17.164.040 · code text H. On-site meal service, and

Solar panels and EV chargers

Yountville code What Yountville's code adds
EV charger permit	Administrative, nondiscretionary review; the Building Official approves when the application meets health and safety rules and the checklist. Applies: Applies to electric vehicle charging stations. § 15.43.060 · code text The Director shall adopt an administrative, nondiscretionary review process to expedite approval of permit applications for electric vehicle charging stations. Apply in person, by mail or electronically. Applies: Applies to electric vehicle charging stations. § 15.43.050 · code text The applicant may submit the permit application and associated documentation by personal, mailed, or electronic submittal.
Review time	The permit is issued within 5 business days. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar, after a complete application is found to meet the checklist and standard plan. § 15.45.060 · code text The Planning and Building Department shall issue a building permit within five business days of determining that an application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan is complete.

Tree removal

Yountville code What Yountville's code adds
Exemptions	No permit needed for: a dead tree (the Town consulting arborist confirms it and the Planning Officer approves); removal approved in an earlier development entitlement; routine maintenance for tree health or property protection; or a tree the Planning Officer finds before removal to be a hazard because it is dying, diseased or damaged (verified in writing by a certified arborist or licensed tree surgeon), is a pyrophyte such as Monterey pine, Bishop pine, acacia or eucalyptus, or is damaging a utility that cannot be relocated where mitigation is not feasible Applies: protected trees on private property § 17.128.040 · code text B. Exceptions. A tree removal permit is not required under subsection A if:
Permit to remove	Yes, a tree removal permit is required before removing any protected tree from private property. § 17.128.040 · code text no person may destroy or remove any of the following protected trees from any private property without first obtaining a tree removal permit, in accordance with this chapter:
Protected trees	A heritage tree listed in the Heritage Tree Survey. § 17.128.040 · code text A heritage tree identified in the Heritage Tree Survey; Any native oak with a trunk 10 inches or more in diameter at breast height (31-inch circumference). § 17.128.040 · code text Any native oak tree with a trunk that measures 10 inches diameter at breast height (DBH) (equal to 31 inches in circumference) or more; Any tree with a trunk 12 inches or more DBH (38-inch circumference). § 17.128.040 · code text Any tree with a trunk that measures 12 inches DBH (equal to 38 inches in circumference) or more or a multi-stemmed perennial plant having an aggregate DBH of 20 inches (equal to 63 inches in circumference) or more; A multi-stemmed perennial plant with stems totaling 20 inches or more DBH (63-inch circumference). § 17.128.040 · code text Any tree with a trunk that measures 12 inches DBH (equal to 38 inches in circumference) or more or a multi-stemmed perennial plant having an aggregate DBH of 20 inches (equal to 63 inches in circumference) or more; A tree shown as preserved in an approved development, or required to be kept as a condition of approval. § 17.128.040 · code text A tree shown to be preserved on an approved development entitlement or specifically required by the Town Council or Zoning and Design Review Board to be retained as a condition of approval of an entitlement; A tree that had to be planted as a replacement tree. § 17.128.040 · code text A tree required to be planted as a replacement tree.
Replacement trees	On-site replacement trees, an in-lieu fee, or both may be required. Applies: Where mitigation is needed for a removal. § 17.128.060 · code text Where mitigation is deemed necessary, the Town shall require the planting of on-site replacement tree(s), the payment of an in-lieu fee, or any combination of the two.

Pets, chickens and bees

Yountville code What Yountville's code adds
Bees	Up to 2 hives of honeybees (Apis mellifera), or keeping Osmia bees. Applies: Residential lots; hives not in the front setback or within 10 feet of a public right-of-way. § 6.04.090 · code text No more than two hives hosting colonies of honeybees of the species Apis mellifera or the keeping of bees of the genus Osmia may be allowed on residentially zoned properties and no more than 10 hives may be allowed on agriculturally zoned properties, subject to the following regulations. Up to 10 hives. Applies: Agricultural lots; hives not in the front setback or within 10 feet of a public right-of-way. § 6.04.090 · code text No more than two hives hosting colonies of honeybees of the species Apis mellifera or the keeping of bees of the genus Osmia may be allowed on residentially zoned properties and no more than 10 hives may be allowed on agriculturally zoned properties, subject to the following regulations.
Chickens	Up to 4 adult chickens, plus 2 more per 1,000 square feet over 5,000, up to 8 total. Applies: Residential lots of 5,000 square feet or more; no roosters or other crowing fowl. § 6.04.080 · code text No more than four adult chickens shall be kept or maintained on residentially zoned property 5,000 square feet or greater and no more than two additional adult chickens for each 1,000 square feet of area in excess of 5,000 square feet, up to a maximum of eight animals. Up to 1 adult chicken per 1,000 square feet of lot. Applies: Agricultural lots; non-commercial keeping. § 6.04.080 · code text On agriculturally zoned property non-commercial keeping of up to one adult chicken per 1,000 square feet of lot size is allowed.
Coop setback	At least 5 feet from the property line. Applies: Chickens kept in an enclosed or fenced side or back yard. § 6.04.080 · code text Chickens shall be kept in an enclosed or fenced side or back yard area that is no closer than five feet to property line; animals shall not roam at-large.
Permit	A Home Occupation Permit is needed. Applies: Selling honey produced on site. § 6.04.090 · code text Ancillary sale of honey produced on site may be allowed, subject to issuance of a Home Occupation Permit as regulated by Chapter 17.164 of this code. A Home Occupation Permit is needed. Applies: Selling eggs produced on site. § 6.04.080 · code text Ancillary sales of eggs produced on site may be allowed, subject to issuance of a Home Occupation Permit as regulated by Chapter 17.164 of this code.

Other Yountville rules on this

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

SB 9 two-unit projects and urban lot splits (Ch. 17.158)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Yountville?

Yountville limits fences to 3 feet at the front property line or in the front yard, and 6 feet along rear or side lines.

Can I run a business from my home in Yountville?

Yountville moderate home businesses need an administrative use permit, major ones a use permit; welding and repair of non-residents' vehicles are not allowed.

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

Yountville's code: Administrative, nondiscretionary review; the Building Official approves when the application meets health and safety rules and the checklist. (Applies to electric vehicle charging stations.) (§ 15.43.060); Apply in person, by mail or electronically. (Applies to electric vehicle charging stations.) (§ 15.43.050).

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

Yountville's code: No permit needed for: a dead tree (the Town consulting arborist confirms it and the Planning Officer approves); removal approved in an earlier development entitlement; routine maintenance for tree health or property protection; or a tree the Planning Officer finds before removal to be a hazard because it is dying, diseased or damaged (verified in writing by a certified arborist or licensed tree surgeon), is a pyrophyte such as Monterey pine, Bishop pine, acacia or eucalyptus, or is damaging a utility that cannot be relocated where mitigation is not feasible (protected trees on private property) (§ 17.128.040); Yes, a tree removal permit is required before removing any protected tree from private property. (§ 17.128.040).

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

Yountville's code: Up to 2 hives of honeybees (Apis mellifera), or keeping Osmia bees. (Residential lots; hives not in the front setback or within 10 feet of a public right-of-way.) (§ 6.04.090); Up to 10 hives. (Agricultural lots; hives not in the front setback or within 10 feet of a public right-of-way.) (§ 6.04.090).

General information, not legal advice.

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