New Construction & Building Information

Block Wall Construction
To replace or construct a new block wall in the city, the following requirements must be met:

• From your front property line back 20 feet, the block wall cannot exceed a height limit of 3 feet tall.
• Behind the 20 foot front setback requirement, the block wall can be 6 feet tall.
• For lots that back up to arterial roads, block walls may be extended to a height of 8 feet.

Note: Any block wall over 6 feet in height may need special requirements from the Building Department. Contact the Building Department for requirements and for building permits at 714-593-4429.

Garage or Outbuilding Construction
Are you building a garage, gazebo, greenhouse, patio cover, detached storage shed, workshop or similar accessory structure? Please be sure to pay attention to the following specifications:
All Structure Specifications

• Side and rear setback requirement is 5 feet from the property line
• Street side setback requirement is 10 feet from the property line

Garages
Garages on corner or reverse corner lots shall not be built closer than 20 feet to any street side property line.

Patio Covers
For attached patio covers and patio enclosures, the minimum required setbacks are:

• 20 feet from the front property line
• 5 feet from the side property line
• 20% of the lot depth or 25 feet, whichever is less from the rear property line
• Exception: Patio covers with a width less than 50% of the total lot width may have a 10-foot minimum rear setback

For detached patio covers and patio enclosures, the minimum required setbacks are:

• 20 feet from the front property line
• 10 feet from the house
• 5 feet from the side and rear property lines

Detached Sheds
For detached storage sheds the following setback requirements apply: 

• Sheds under 6 feet in height - setback of 5 feet from the property line
• Sheds 6-10 feet in height - setback of 10 feet from the property line
• Sheds 10-15 feet in height - setback of 15 feet from the property line

More Information
For building permit information, please call 714-593-4429. 

Building a Swimming Pool or Permanent Outdoor Equipment
For All Equipment

• Side and rear setback requirement is 5 feet to the property line
• Street side setback requirement is 10 feet to the property line

Swimming Pool or Spa
Swimming pools and spas must maintain a 5-foot setback from the house structure to the water line.

Fish Pond
Ponds less than 18 inches in depth shall be allowed within the front setback area.

More Information
For building or pool permit information, please call 714-593-4429.

Building a Second Unit on a Single-Family Residential Lot
Secondary dwelling units are allowed and must comply with the following requirements:

Site Requirements

• The parcel shall have a minimum area of 7,200 square feet.
• The parcel shall be developed with only one existing single-family detached main dwelling.

Location of Secondary Unit
The secondary unit may be within, attached to, or detached from the existing main dwelling. If detached, the secondary unit shall be separated from the main dwelling a minimum of 10 feet. 

Development Standards
The secondary unit shall:

• Have a minimum gross floor area of 400 square feet
• Have a maximum floor area of 30 percent of the existing living area of the main dwelling for an attached unit or 1,200 square feet of floor area for a detached unit
• Match the existing unit's exterior materials, colors, roof materials, and windows and be architecturally compatible with the main dwelling
• Comply with height and setback requirements for the main dwelling
• Contain separate kitchen and bathroom facilities and have a separate entrance from the main dwelling
• Have a minimum of 1,000 square feet of open space remaining in the rear yard
• Be provided with one off-street enclosed parking space, in addition to that required for the main dwelling
• Not be sold independently of the main dwelling on the parcel
• Have all new utility hook-ups be underground

Landscaping in the Front Yard
Within the required front yard setback, 50% must be landscaped with live plant materials. Crushed rock, redwood chips, pebbles, stone and similar materials shall be allowed up to 15% of the total required landscape area.

New Air Conditioning Equipment
Are you putting in new air conditioning equipment or new pool/spa equipment? Be sure to follow these guidelines:

• The side setback requirement is 3 feet or 18 inches if located behind main structure.
• The street side setback requirement is 5 feet from property line.
• The rear setback requirement is 18 inches from property line.

For building or mechanical permit information, please call 714-593-4429.