Etna · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in Etna
Etna sets its own rules for fences and home businesses. Fences need a permit, and fence height depends on the yard and corner sight lines.
Key points
- Fence height: Etna requires a fence permit and limits fences to 4 feet in the front yard setback and 6 feet in rear and side setbacks.
- Home businesses: Etna limits home businesses to 25% of the home or 400 square feet, whichever is less, with no non-resident employees.
Each rule below is marked Etna code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Fences and walls
Etna code Etna requires a fence permit and limits fences to 4 feet in the front yard setback and 6 feet in rear and side setbacks.
Running a business from home
Etna code Etna limits home businesses to 25% of the home or 400 square feet, whichever is less, with no non-resident employees.
All 7 Etna rules on running a business from home, with the code text →
Solar panels and EV chargers
| EV charger permit |
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|---|
Pets, chickens and bees
| Pet limit |
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Building in a flood zone
| Floodplain permit |
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|---|---|
| Height of the lowest floor |
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Building on a hillside
| When hillside rules apply |
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Noise and construction hours
| Quiet hours |
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Outdoor lighting
| Shielding |
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Garage and yard sales
| Hours |
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|---|---|
| How long a sale may last |
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| Permit |
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| Sales per year |
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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 |
Parking spaces required for homes
Etna code At least 1 space must be in a covered garage or carport outside required setbacks. At least 1 space must be in a covered garage or carport outside required setbacks.
All 10 Etna rules on parking spaces required for homes, with the code text →
Home alarm permits and false alarms
| False alarms before a fee |
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|---|
Signs on homes
Etna code Maximum 4 square feet per sign; total may not exceed 1 square foot per 5 linear feet of street frontage. At most 12 square feet cumulative display area.
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in Etna?
Etna's code: Reviewed administratively as a nondiscretionary permit. (§ 15.14.060).
What are the rules for building in an Etna flood zone?
Etna's code: A development permit is needed before any construction or other development, including manufactured homes, in a special flood hazard area. (§ 14.08.030); At or above the base flood elevation. (New or substantially improved homes in AE, AH and A1-30 flood zones.) (§ 14.10.010).
What extra rules apply to a hillside lot in Etna?
Etna's code: An average slope of 15% or more. (Subdivisions: hillside lot-size and street standards apply; cross slopes of 40% or more are limited to lot Types III and IV.) (§ 16.08.120).
What are the noise rules and construction hours in Etna?
Etna's code: 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. (No machine or device noise above the local ambient level.) (§ 9.05.030).
What are the outdoor lighting rules for homes in Etna?
Etna's code: Lights aimed downward or toward buildings on the same property. (Only multifamily, commercial, industrial, public or institutional properties, not single-family homes.) (§ 17.76.130); Full cut-off fixtures, downcast and fully shielded, with no light above the horizontal plane. (New outdoor lighting on multifamily, commercial, industrial, public or institutional properties, not single-family homes.) (§ 17.76.130).
What are the garage sale rules in Etna?
Etna's code: At most 2 sales per calendar year, and no more than 1 within 30 calendar days. (Per address.) (§ 17.76.180); No permit is stated; notify the city before the sale with your name, address, sale location and dates. (§ 17.76.180).
Can I run a family child care home in Etna?
California law sets this for every city, including Etna: 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 Etna?
Etna's code: A fee applies to a user with 3 or more false alarms in a consecutive 365-day period. (Counted in a consecutive 365-day period.) (§ 9.10.040).
General information, not legal advice.
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