San Juan Bautista · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in San Juan Bautista
San Juan Bautista sets its own limits on fences, accessory buildings and home businesses. Many home business uses, such as client visits or use of an accessory structure, need a conditional use permit.
Key points
- Fence height: Fences are limited to 3 feet in the required front yard and 8 feet in required rear or side yards (city rule).
- Accessory buildings: A detached garage or accessory building in a rear yard: at most 15 feet and 30% of the rear yard; all together, 40%.
- Home businesses: A home business may use at most 200 square feet and have at most 2 off-site workers; more needs a conditional use permit.
Each rule below is marked San Juan Bautista code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Fences and walls
San Juan Bautista code Fences are limited to 3 feet in the required front yard and 8 feet in required rear or side yards (city rule).
All 5 San Juan Bautista rules on fences and walls, with the code text →
Sheds, garages and other accessory structures
San Juan Bautista code A detached garage or accessory building in a rear yard: at most 15 feet and 30% of the rear yard; all together, 40%.
All 5 San Juan Bautista rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →
Running a business from home
San Juan Bautista code A home business may use at most 200 square feet and have at most 2 off-site workers; more needs a conditional use permit.
All 9 San Juan Bautista rules on running a business from home, with the code text →
RV and boat parking
San Juan Bautista code At the rear or side of the home. Completely inside a garage that belongs to the home.
All 6 San Juan Bautista rules on RV and boat parking, with the code text →
Pets, chickens and bees
San Juan Bautista code Yes, no more than 6 live poultry over 4 months old. At least 5 feet from all side and rear property lines.
All 6 San Juan Bautista rules on pets, chickens and bees, with the code text →
Building in a flood zone
| Floodplain permit |
|
|---|---|
| Building in a floodway |
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| Height of the lowest floor |
|
Building on a hillside
| Soils or geology report |
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|---|---|
| When hillside rules apply |
|
Park and impact fees for new homes
San Juan Bautista code Park in-lieu fees apply only to new subdivisions with homes; other projects do not pay them. The fee is park area per home, times the number of homes, times the market value of the buildable acreage.
All 4 San Juan Bautista rules on park and impact fees for new homes, with the code text →
Garage and yard sales
| Permit |
|
|---|
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 |
Affordable units in new housing (inclusionary)
San Juan Bautista code Resale restrictions last at least 55 years. The rent restriction lasts at least 55 years.
Parking spaces required for homes
San Juan Bautista code Planning Commission may waive the covered parking requirement; uncovered parking must then be screened by an earth berm and/or landscaping 1/2 space per unit
All 8 San Juan Bautista rules on parking spaces required for homes, with the code text →
Signs on homes
San Juan Bautista code 6 square feet maximum Remove within 10 days after the election
All 6 San Juan Bautista rules on signs on homes, with the code text →
Historic homes
San Juan Bautista code More than 45 years old Site plan and design review permit
All 11 San Juan Bautista rules on historic homes, with the code text →
Other San Juan Bautista rules on this
San Juan Bautista's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.
- Fast permits for home rooftop solar (Ch. 10-7)
- Fast permits for EV chargers (Ch. 10-8)
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
What are the rules for building in a San Juan Bautista flood zone?
San Juan Bautista's code: You need a development permit before any grading, fill, construction or development in a special flood hazard area. (§ 12-1-300); The lowest floor must be above the highest nearby ground, at least as high as the FIRM depth number. (New or substantially improved homes in an AO zone with a depth number on the FIRM.) (§ 12-1-400).
What extra rules apply to a hillside lot in San Juan Bautista?
San Juan Bautista's code: Hillside rules apply on all sites with a slope of 20% or greater. (New homes, new buildings, additions over 55% of the floor area, or other work needing a building permit.) (§ 11-08-030); A geotechnical report is required. (Hillside site development permit applications in the hillside overlay district.) (§ 11-08-060).
What are the garage sale rules in San Juan Bautista?
San Juan Bautista's code: A permit is required. (§ 5-13-100).
Can I run a family child care home in San Juan Bautista?
California law sets this for every city, including San Juan Bautista: 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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