Blue Lake · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in Blue Lake
Blue Lake sets a general fence limit, with lower limits in front of the building and at corners. The city limits accessory buildings in the rear yard setback and requires a permit and business license for home businesses.
Key points
- Fence height: Blue Lake limits fences, walls and hedges to 7 feet, and to 4 feet above the curb between the front building line and street.
- Rear-yard buildings: In the rear yard setback, Blue Lake limits detached accessory buildings to 256 square feet and 7 feet, rising with more setback to 16.
- Home business: Blue Lake home businesses may use 25% of the lot's floor space and employ 1 person outside the family, with a permit and license.
Each rule below is marked Blue Lake code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Fences and walls
Blue Lake code Blue Lake limits fences, walls and hedges to 7 feet, and to 4 feet above the curb between the front building line and street.
All 3 Blue Lake rules on fences and walls, with the code text →
Sheds, garages and other accessory structures
Blue Lake code In the rear yard setback, Blue Lake limits detached accessory buildings to 256 square feet and 7 feet, rising with more setback to 16.
All 7 Blue Lake rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →
Running a business from home
Blue Lake code Blue Lake home businesses may use 25% of the lot's floor space and employ 1 person outside the family, with a permit and license.
All 7 Blue Lake rules on running a business from home, with the code text →
Swimming pools
Blue Lake code No openings larger than 4 inches, except self-closing, self-latching gates. A wall or fence at least 6 feet high must fully enclose the pool or property.
All 7 Blue Lake rules on swimming pools, with the code text →
Grading and erosion control
| Steepest cut or fill slope |
|
|---|---|
| Grading without a permit |
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Family child care homes
| Zoning | A small or large family child care home is a residential use and a use by right under all local ordinances, including zoning |
|---|---|
| Business license or fee | A city or county may not charge a business license, fee or tax to run a family child care home |
| Local rules | Local limits on height, setbacks, lot size, health and safety must be the same as for every other home in the same zone |
| Small home | Up to eight children, counting the provider's own children under 10 who live there |
| Large home | 7 to 14 children, counting the provider's own children under 10 who live there |
Home alarm permits and false alarms
| When a permit can be revoked |
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Other Blue Lake rules on this
Blue Lake's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.
- Parking trailers and boat trailers on streets (§ 10.04.020) — public streets only
- Floodplain management (Ch. 13.20)
- Noise standards (§ 17.24.280)
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
What are the grading rules in Blue Lake?
Blue Lake's code: Clearing 1,000 sq ft max; excavation 4 feet deep or fill 3 feet high max, each 200 sq ft max. (Also wells, tunnels, utilities, and permitted basement or footing excavation (not its fill). Not in geologic, slope stability or liquefaction hazard areas.) (§ 15.12.050); No steeper than 2:1 (2 run to 1 rise). (Cut and fill slopes, unless a geological and engineering analysis shows steeper slopes are safe.) (§ 15.12.070).
Can I run a family child care home in Blue Lake?
California law sets this for every city, including Blue Lake: Zoning: A small or large family child care home is a residential use and a use by right under all local ordinances, including zoning (Health & Safety Code § 1597.45(a)); Business license or fee: A city or county may not charge a business license, fee or tax to run a family child care home (Health & Safety Code § 1597.45(b)); Local rules: Local limits on height, setbacks, lot size, health and safety must be the same as for every other home in the same zone (Health & Safety Code § 1597.45(e)); Small home: Up to eight children, counting the provider's own children under 10 who live there (Health & Safety Code § 1596.78(c)); Large home: 7 to 14 children, counting the provider's own children under 10 who live there (Health & Safety Code § 1596.78(b)).
Do I need a permit for a home alarm in Blue Lake?
Blue Lake's code: Revoked, on the Chief of Police's recommendation, after more than 12 false alarms in any 6-month period. (Any alarm system, silent or audible.) (§ 8.32.060).
General information, not legal advice.
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