Orinda · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Orinda

Orinda's rules cover animal shelters and other accessory structures, and limit home businesses in size and staffing. Barber shops, beauty parlors, medical offices, kennels, on-site auto repair and pickup retail sales are not allowed as home businesses.

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Key points

Animal structures: Orinda sets a 40-foot standard for small-animal coops and hutches and a 50-foot standard for large-animal barns and stables.
Home business size: Home businesses: 1 room, or 20 percent of floor area if 1 room is larger; no employees or independent contractors.

Each rule below is marked Orinda 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

Orinda code Orinda sets a 40-foot standard for small-animal coops and hutches and a 50-foot standard for large-animal barns and stables.

All 3 Orinda rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →

Running a business from home

Orinda code Home businesses: 1 room, or 20 percent of floor area if 1 room is larger; no employees or independent contractors.

All 9 Orinda rules on running a business from home, with the code text →

Solar panels and EV chargers

Orinda code Infrastructure for future installation and use of EV chargers is required. EV charging spaces with fully working EV chargers.

All 4 Orinda rules on solar panels and EV chargers, with the code text →

Tree removal

Orinda code No permit is required. No permit is required.

All 14 Orinda rules on tree removal, with the code text →

Swimming pools

Orinda code No openings, holes or gaps larger than 4 inches, measured horizontally. No openings, holes or gaps larger than 4 inches, measured horizontally.

All 9 Orinda rules on swimming pools, with the code text →

Pets, chickens and bees

Orinda code What Orinda's code adds
Chickens	Yes; no number is stated. Applies: Applies to residential lots of 20,000 net square feet or more. § 17.3.8 · code text Keeping small animals such as chickens, rabbits and mink is permitted on residential lots of twenty thousand (20,000) net square feet or more.
Large animals	1 large animal per 20,000 square feet of net lot area, on lots of at least 40,000 net square feet. § 17.3.8 · code text Large animals such as horses and cattle may only be kept on lots of forty thousand (40,000) net square feet or more, allowing one large animal for each twenty thousand (20,000) square feet of net lot size.
Permit	A use permit is required. Applies: Applies to keeping exotic animals. § 17.3.8 · code text Keeping exotic animals is subject to obtaining a use permit under Chapter 17.31.

Building in a flood zone

Orinda code You need a development permit before construction or development starts in a special flood hazard area. No new building or fill is allowed unless a professional engineer certifies no base flood rise and code compliance.

All 5 Orinda rules on building in a flood zone, with the code text →

Grading and erosion control

Orinda code What Orinda's code adds
Steepest cut or fill slope	Cuts may be no steeper than 2 horizontal to 1 vertical. Applies: Unless a soil engineering or engineering geology report shows a steeper cut will be stable. § 15.36.800 · code text Cuts shall not be steeper in slope than two horizontal to one vertical unless the applicant furnishes a soil engineering or an engineering geology report, or both, certifying that the site has been investigated and giving an opinion that a cut at a steeper slope will be stable and not create a hazard to public or private property.

Building on a hillside

Orinda code What Orinda's code adds
Grading and retaining walls	Without approval, grading must be outside setbacks, within 30 feet of the house, and within 12 feet of existing grade. Applies: Developed parcels with an average slope over 15%, or on a significant ridgeline or hilltop. § 17.7.7 · code text no more than thirty (30) feet from the footprint of the primary residence
When hillside rules apply	Hillside grading rules apply at an average slope of more than 15%. Applies: Developed parcels need Zoning Administrator approval to grade; the same applies on a significant ridgeline or hilltop at any slope. § 17.7.7 · code text Any developed parcel of land with an average slope of more than fifteen (15) percent or a significant ridgeline and hilltop regardless of the slope, or both, shall not be graded without the specific authorization of the Zoning Administrator

Park and impact fees for new homes

Orinda code What Orinda's code adds
How the park fee is set	The fee is the required acres times Orinda's average land value at final map approval, plus 20% for improvements. Applies: Subdivisions, new homes or multi-unit projects paying instead of land; base value $760,500 per acre (May 2005), adjusted annually. § 3.28.080 · code text When fees are being paid instead of the dedication of land, the fee for a subdivision, new single-family residence or multi-unit project shall be the product of the acreage requirement for the project as determined under Section 3.28.070 of this chapter times the average fair market value of property in Orinda at the time of the approval of the final map plus twenty (20) percent for the costs of improvements specified in this section.
Parkland per 1,000 residents	The park standard is 5 acres for each 1,000 residents. § 3.28.060 · code text It is found and determined that the public interest, convenience, health, welfare and safety require that five acres of property for each one thousand (1,000) persons residing within the city be devoted to local park and recreational purposes.

Noise and construction hours

Orinda code Construction is allowed only from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Construction is allowed only from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All 5 Orinda rules on noise and construction hours, with the code text →

Family child care homes

CA state law California law
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)

Parking spaces required for homes

Orinda code What Orinda's code adds
Spaces for a single-family home	At least 2 enclosed and 2 unenclosed paved parking spaces. Applies: Applies to each new single-family residence. § 17.16.2 · code text At least two enclosed and two unenclosed paved parking spaces outside of the right-of-way which comply with Section 17.16.8 shall be provided for each new single-family residence.

Home alarm permits and false alarms

Orinda code What Orinda's code adds
How long an alarm may sound	Audible alarms must turn off automatically no more than 20 minutes after they start. § 8.12.030 · code text All audible alarms shall be designed and/or equipped to automatically turn off no more than twenty (20) minutes after activated.
False alarm fees	The fee is set by City Council resolution. Applies: Applies to each police response to a false alarm in excess of 2 during any 90-day period. § 8.12.070 · code text The false alarm fee shall be established by City Council resolution.
False alarms before a fee	2 false alarms in any 90-day period are free. § 8.12.070 · code text For every Orinda Police Department response to a false alarm in excess of two during any ninety (90) day period, the subscriber of the errant alarm shall pay a false alarm fee.

Historic homes

Orinda code What Orinda's code adds
Changing a historic home	The Zoning Administrator may grant landmark improvement plan approval. Applies: Applies only to minor changes to the landmark that do not materially affect the features meant to be preserved. § 17.25.16 · code text The Zoning Administrator may grant landmark improvement plan approval where the application involves only minor changes to the landmark which do not materially affect the particular features intended to be preserved. The Planning Commission reviews it at a public hearing. Its decision may be appealed to the City Council. Applies: Applies to applications the Zoning Administrator does not decide. § 17.25.16 · code text The Planning Commission is the reviewing body for applications not decided by the Zoning Administrator under Section 17.25.16(A).
Mills Act tax incentive	Owners of a designated historic landmark may use the Mills Act property tax relief program. § 17.25.22 · code text A qualifying property is one which is designated an historic landmark pursuant to this chapter.

Other Orinda rules on this

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

Parking RVs, boats and trailers at home (§ 17.4.29)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

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

Orinda's code: Yes; no number is stated. (Applies to residential lots of 20,000 net square feet or more.) (§ 17.3.8).

What are the grading rules in Orinda?

Orinda's code: Cuts may be no steeper than 2 horizontal to 1 vertical. (Unless a soil engineering or engineering geology report shows a steeper cut will be stable.) (§ 15.36.800).

What extra rules apply to a hillside lot in Orinda?

Orinda's code: Hillside grading rules apply at an average slope of more than 15%. (Developed parcels need Zoning Administrator approval to grade; the same applies on a significant ridgeline or hilltop at any slope.) (§ 17.7.7); Without approval, grading must be outside setbacks, within 30 feet of the house, and within 12 feet of existing grade. (Developed parcels with an average slope over 15%, or on a significant ridgeline or hilltop.) (§ 17.7.7).

What park or impact fees apply to a new home in Orinda?

Orinda's code: The fee is the required acres times Orinda's average land value at final map approval, plus 20% for improvements. (Subdivisions, new homes or multi-unit projects paying instead of land; base value $760,500 per acre (May 2005), adjusted annually.) (§ 3.28.080); The park standard is 5 acres for each 1,000 residents. (§ 3.28.060).

Can I run a family child care home in Orinda?

California law sets this for every city, including Orinda: 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)).

How many parking spaces does a home need in Orinda?

Orinda's code: At least 2 enclosed and 2 unenclosed paved parking spaces. (Applies to each new single-family residence.) (§ 17.16.2).

Do I need a permit for a home alarm in Orinda?

Orinda's code: Audible alarms must turn off automatically no more than 20 minutes after they start. (§ 8.12.030); The fee is set by City Council resolution. (Applies to each police response to a false alarm in excess of 2 during any 90-day period.) (§ 8.12.070).

What rules apply to a historic home in Orinda?

Orinda's code: The Zoning Administrator may grant landmark improvement plan approval. (Applies only to minor changes to the landmark that do not materially affect the features meant to be preserved.) (§ 17.25.16); The Planning Commission reviews it at a public hearing. Its decision may be appealed to the City Council. (Applies to applications the Zoning Administrator does not decide.) (§ 17.25.16).

General information, not legal advice.

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