Yucaipa · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Yucaipa

Yucaipa requires Planning Commission approval for large or tall new detached accessory buildings. Home businesses need a permit and must be run by resident family members, with more allowed for cottage industries on large lots.

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Key points

Large buildings: In Yucaipa, a new detached garage, carport, barn, workshop or similar building over 20 feet or 1,200 square feet needs a Special Use Permit.
Home business: Yucaipa home businesses need a permit, and all employees must be resident family members living on the premises; motor vehicle repair is not allowed.

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

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Yucaipa code What Yucaipa's code adds
Maximum height	More than 20 feet tall needs Planning Commission approval of a Special Use Permit. Applies: New detached carports, private garages, accessory structures, barns, workshops or guest housing. § 84.0645 · code text Any newly constructed detached carport or private garage as defined in Division 12 of the Development Code that is greater than 1,200 square feet in area, or more than 20 feet in height, or of an unconventional design (commercial or industrial) that may be incompatible with the surrounding residential area shall be subject to Planning Commission review and approval of a Special Use Permit prior to the issuance of building permits.
Size or lot coverage	More than 1,200 square feet needs Planning Commission approval of a Special Use Permit. Applies: New detached carports, private garages, accessory structures, barns, workshops or guest housing. § 84.0645 · code text Any newly constructed detached carport or private garage as defined in Division 12 of the Development Code that is greater than 1,200 square feet in area, or more than 20 feet in height, or of an unconventional design (commercial or industrial) that may be incompatible with the surrounding residential area shall be subject to Planning Commission review and approval of a Special Use Permit prior to the issuance of building permits.

Running a business from home

Yucaipa code What Yucaipa's code adds
Space used	Up to 25% of the floor area of the home and accessory structures, or 250 square feet, whichever is greater. Applies: Storage of materials and supplies for a home occupation. § 84.0615 · code text Up to 25% or 250 square feet, whichever is greater, of the total floor area of the dwelling unit and related accessory structures, may be used for storage of materials and supplies related to the home occupation. Up to 35% of the floor area of the home and accessory structures, or 500 square feet, whichever is greater. Applies: Cottage industries on lots of at least 1 acre in districts requiring at least 2.5-acre lots; storage of materials, supplies and equipment. § 84.0615 · code text Up to 35% of the total floor area of the dwelling unit and related accessory structures or 500 square feet, whichever is greater, of the home may be used for storage of materials, supplies, and equipment related to the cottage industry.
Customer visits	Direct sales are limited to 7 customers per week. Applies: Cottage industries on lots of at least 1 acre in districts requiring at least 2.5-acre lots. § 84.0615 · code text Direct sales of products or merchandise shall be limited to seven customers per week.
Employees	All employees, partners and operators must be resident family members living on the premises. Applies: Home occupations in land use districts that allow residential uses. § 84.0615 · code text All employees, partners, or operators of the home occupation shall be members of the resident family and shall reside on the premises. All employees, partners and operators except 2 must be resident family members living on the premises. Applies: Cottage industries on lots of at least 1 acre in residential districts with a minimum lot area of 2.5 acres or more. § 84.0615 · code text All employees, partners, or operators of the home occupation, except two, shall be members of the resident family and shall reside on the premises.
Permit	A Home Occupation Permit is required. § 84.0615 · code text Home occupations and cottage industries shall be permitted as accessory uses to a residential land use, subject to a Home Occupation Permit and to the following conditions.
Businesses not allowed	Motor vehicle repair or service § 84.0615 · code text Motor vehicle repair or service will not be allowed as a home occupation use.

Tree removal

Yucaipa code What Yucaipa's code adds
Exemptions	Exempt: trees damaged by storms, floods, earthquakes, fires or other natural disasters that the Planning Agency finds dangerous. Applies: No oak tree permit is needed; Community Development must be promptly told of the emergency and the action taken. § 89.0515 · code text Trees damaged by thunderstorms, windstorms, floods, earthquakes, fires or other natural disasters and determined to be dangerous by the Planning Agency. The Department of Community Development shall be promptly notified of the nature of the emergency and action taken. Exempt: removal the fire department finds necessary. § 89.0515 · code text When removal is determined necessary by fire department.
Permit to remove	Yes, an oak tree permit is needed to cut, remove, relocate or encroach into the protected zone. Applies: Oak trees on public or private property. § 89.0515 · code text No person shall cut, remove, encroach into the protected zone, or relocate any oak tree on any public or private property within the City unless a valid oak tree permit has been issued by the City pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and the Oak Tree Conservation and Protection Guidelines.
Protected trees	Oak trees more than 2 inches in diameter, measured 4½ feet above natural grade. § 89.0515 · code text Trees that do not exceed two inches (2”) in diameter when measured at a point four and half feet (4 1/2') above the tree’s natural grade.
Replacement trees	Replacement or added trees may be required as a permit condition. Applies: To offset the loss of a tree or limbs, or encroachment into an oak's protected zone. § 89.0525 · code text A condition requiring the replacement or placement of additional trees on the subject property to offset the impacts associated with the loss of a tree, limbs or encroachment into the protected zone of an oak tree; Moving the tree, or planting a new tree elsewhere in the City, may be required as a permit condition. Applies: To offset the loss of a tree. § 89.0525 · code text The relocating of a tree on-site or off-site, or the planting of a new tree off-site within the City to offset the loss of a tree; A fee equal to the tree's replacement cost, or donating a boxed tree to the City or another public agency. Applies: When no suitable replacement spot exists on or off site. § 89.0525 · code text Payment of a fee equal to the replacement cost of the tree or donation of a boxed tree to the City or other public agency to be used elsewhere in the community should a suitable replacement location of the tree not be possible on-site or off-site.

Other Yucaipa rules on this

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

Keeping animals at a single-family home (§ 84.0560)
Where beehives may be kept (§ 6.18.025)
Two-unit homes and urban lot splits (SB 9) (§ 88.01701 and following) — single-family lots

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

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

In Yucaipa, a new detached garage, carport, barn, workshop or similar building over 20 feet or 1,200 square feet needs a Special Use Permit.

Can I run a business from my home in Yucaipa?

Yucaipa home businesses need a permit, and all employees must be resident family members living on the premises; motor vehicle repair is not allowed.

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

Yucaipa's code: Exempt: trees damaged by storms, floods, earthquakes, fires or other natural disasters that the Planning Agency finds dangerous. (No oak tree permit is needed; Community Development must be promptly told of the emergency and the action taken.) (§ 89.0515); Exempt: removal the fire department finds necessary. (§ 89.0515).

General information, not legal advice.

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