Point Arena · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Point Arena

Point Arena sets fence heights by yard, up to 15 feet within the buildable part of a lot. A home occupation needs a coastal development permit where it counts as development, and hazardous materials work is not allowed.

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Key points

Fence heights: Fences are limited to 4 feet in required front yards and street side yards, and 8 feet in required interior side and rear yards.
Accessory buildings: Point Arena sets a 15-foot standard for accessory buildings in the MR, SR and UR zones.
Home businesses: Home occupations are allowed with any dwelling under listed conditions, with at most 2 employees outside the resident family.

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

Fences and walls

Point Arena code What Point Arena's code adds
Height anywhere on the lot	No more than 15 feet high. Applies: Fences and freestanding walls in the buildable part of a lot. § 18.25.110 · code text Fences and freestanding walls located within the buildable portion of a lot shall not exceed 15 feet in height.
Front yard height	No more than 4 feet high. Applies: Fences in a required front yard or a side yard next to a street. § 18.25.110 · code text Fences located within a required front yard, or side yard adjacent to a street, shall not exceed four feet in height.
Side and rear yard height	No more than 8 feet high. Applies: Fences and freestanding walls in a required interior side yard or rear yard. § 18.25.110 · code text Fences and freestanding walls located within a required interior side yard or required rear yard shall not exceed eight feet in height.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Point Arena code What Point Arena's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 15 feet high. Applies: Accessory buildings in the MR, SR and UR zones. § 18.25.090 · code text Accessory buildings in MR, SR, and UR zones shall not exceed 15 feet in height.
Side and rear setback	At least 15 feet from a side lot line next to a street. § 18.25.090 · code text Accessory structures shall not be closer than 10 feet to any on-site building and not closer than 15 feet to any side lot line abutting a street.
Distance from the house	At least 10 feet from any other building on the lot. § 18.25.090 · code text Accessory structures shall not be closer than 10 feet to any on-site building and not closer than 15 feet to any side lot line abutting a street.

Running a business from home

Point Arena code Home occupations are allowed with any dwelling under listed conditions, with at most 2 employees outside the resident family.

All 3 Point Arena rules on running a business from home, with the code text →

Swimming pools

Point Arena code What Point Arena's code adds
Pool barrier	No openings larger than 4 inches. Applies: Self-closing and self-latching gates are excepted. § 18.25.120 · code text containing no openings greater than four inches except for self-closing and self-latching gates
Barrier height	At least four and one-half feet § 18.25.120 · code text Such pool or the property on which it is located shall be completely enclosed by a wall or fence at least four and one-half feet in height, containing no openings greater than four inches except for self-closing and self-latching gates
Equipment and alarms	Filter and heating systems must be at least 10 feet from any lot line. Applies: Applies to filter and heating systems. § 18.25.120 · code text Filter and heating systems shall not be located within 10 feet of any lot line.
Gates	Self-closing and self-latching, with the latch at least 4 feet above ground. § 18.25.120 · code text except for self-closing and self-latching gates on which the latch is at least four feet above ground level in order that full control of access by children may be maintained.
Setback from property lines	At least 50 feet from the front lot line. Applies: The pool must also be on the rear half of the lot. § 18.25.120 · code text Such pool shall be located on the rear one-half of the lot and in any case at least 50 feet from the front lot line At least 5 feet from a side or rear lot line. Applies: Applies to side and rear lot lines. § 18.25.120 · code text nor closer than five feet to a side or rear lot line.

Building in a flood zone

Point Arena code What Point Arena's code adds
Floodplain permit	A development permit is needed before any construction or other development begins. Applies: In any area of special flood hazard. § 16.10.130 · code text A development permit shall be obtained before any construction or other development begins within any area of special flood hazard established in PAMC 16.10.070.
Building in a floodway	No new construction or development, including fill, unless all development combined raises base flood level no more than 1 foot. Applies: In Zones A1-A30 and AE, until a regulatory floodway is adopted; the 1-foot limit applies at any point in the city. § 16.10.220 · code text Until a regulatory floodway is adopted, no new construction, substantial development, or other development (including fill) shall be permitted within Zones A1-A30 and AE, unless it is demonstrated that the cumulative effect of the proposed development, when combined with all other development, will not increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one foot at any point within the city of Point Arena. No fill, new construction, substantial improvements or other development unless a registered civil engineer certifies no flood level increase. Applies: Within an adopted regulatory floodway, during the base flood discharge. § 16.10.220 · code text Within an adopted regulatory floodway, the city of Point Arena shall prohibit encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements, and other development, unless certification by a registered civil engineer is provided demonstrating that the proposed encroachment shall not result in any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
Height of the lowest floor	At least 2 feet above the base flood elevation. Applies: New or substantially improved homes in AE, AH and A1-A30 zones. § 16.10.170 · code text In AE, AH, A1-A30 Zones, elevated to at least two feet above the base flood elevation. 2 feet above the flood map depth number, measured from the highest adjacent grade. Applies: New or substantially improved homes in an AO zone when a depth number is given. § 16.10.170 · code text In an AO Zone, elevated above the highest adjacent grade to a height two feet above the depth number specified on the FIRM, or elevated at least four feet above the highest adjacent grade if no depth number is specified; At least 4 feet above the highest adjacent grade. Applies: New or substantially improved homes in an AO zone when no depth number is given. § 16.10.170 · code text In an AO Zone, elevated above the highest adjacent grade to a height two feet above the depth number specified on the FIRM, or elevated at least four feet above the highest adjacent grade if no depth number is specified; At least 2 feet above the base flood elevation. Applies: New or substantially improved homes in an A zone. § 16.10.170 · code text In an A Zone, elevated at least two feet above the base flood elevation; said base flood elevation shall be determined by one of the methods in PAMC 16.10.150(2); At least 2 feet above the minimum required base flood elevation. Applies: New or substantially improved homes in all other zones. § 16.10.170 · code text In all other zones, elevated at least two feet above the minimum required base flood elevation.

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)

Other Point Arena rules on this

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

Number of household pets allowed (§ 18.25.040) — residential zones
Citywide noise limits (Ch. 9.35)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Point Arena?

Fences are limited to 4 feet in required front yards and street side yards, and 8 feet in required interior side and rear yards.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Point Arena?

Point Arena sets a 15-foot standard for accessory buildings in the MR, SR and UR zones.

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Point Arena?

Point Arena's code: At least four and one-half feet (§ 18.25.120); At least 50 feet from the front lot line. (The pool must also be on the rear half of the lot.) (§ 18.25.120).

What are the rules for building in a Point Arena flood zone?

Point Arena's code: A development permit is needed before any construction or other development begins. (In any area of special flood hazard.) (§ 16.10.130); At least 2 feet above the base flood elevation. (New or substantially improved homes in AE, AH and A1-A30 zones.) (§ 16.10.170).

Can I run a family child care home in Point Arena?

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

General information, not legal advice.

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