Sheds, garages and other accessory structures in Saratoga

Each rule below links to the section of the Saratoga Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Saratoga's code says

Saratoga code What Saratoga's code adds
Maximum height	8 feet, plus 1 foot per 3 feet of rear setback beyond 6 feet, up to 10 feet. Applies: For cabanas, garages, carports, recreation rooms, hobby shops and similar enclosed structures in the required rear setback, with a use permit. § 15-80.030 · code text shall not exceed eight feet in height, plus one additional foot in height for each three feet of setback from the rear property line in excess of six feet, up to a maximum height of ten feet if the structure is still located within the required rear setback area. 6 feet, plus 1 foot per foot of rear setback beyond 6 feet, up to 10 feet. Applies: For garden sheds, pool equipment structures and similar enclosed structures of 250 square feet or less in the required rear setback. § 15-80.030 · code text shall not exceed six feet in height, plus one additional foot in height for each additional foot of setback from the rear property line in excess of six feet, up to a maximum height of ten feet if the structure is still located within the required rear setback area. 8 feet, plus 1 foot per foot of side and rear setback beyond 6 feet, up to 10 feet. Applies: For open garden and decorative structures, freestanding fireplaces and play structures in a required side or rear setback. § 15-80.030 · code text shall not exceed eight feet in height, plus one additional foot in height for each additional foot of setback from the side and rear property line in excess of six feet, up to a maximum height of ten feet if the structure is still located within a required side or rear setback area. At most 8 feet tall. Applies: For permanent outdoor cooking devices, such as brick or masonry ones. § 15-80.030 · code text permanent outdoor cooking devices, such as those constructed out of brick or masonry, may be located no closer than six feet from the rear property line and shall not exceed eight feet in height. At most 14 feet tall. Applies: For accessory structures in a required rear setback in an R-M district. § 15-80.030 · code text accessory structures not exceeding fourteen feet in height may be located in a required rear setback area in any R-M district
Size or lot coverage	At most 250 square feet of floor area. Applies: For garden sheds, pool equipment and similar enclosed structures in the rear setback, with Director approval. Not for keeping animals. § 15-80.030 · code text garden sheds, structures for housing swimming pool equipment and other enclosed structures of a similar nature, not exceeding two hundred fifty square feet in floor area Structures can cover no more than 15% of the rear setback area. Applies: For accessory structures in a required rear setback in an R-M district. § 15-80.030 · code text provided that not more than fifteen percent of the rear setback area shall be covered by structures
Side and rear setback	At least 6 feet from the side and rear property lines. Applies: For cabanas, garages, carports, recreation rooms, hobby shops and similar enclosed structures in the required rear setback, with a use permit. § 15-80.030 · code text may be located no closer than six feet from a side property line and rear property line of the rear setback area At least 6 feet from the side and rear property lines. Applies: For garden sheds, pool equipment structures and similar enclosed structures of 250 square feet or less in the required rear setback. § 15-80.030 · code text may be located no closer than six feet from a side property line and rear property line of the rear setback area At least 6 feet from a side or rear property line. Applies: For open garden and decorative structures such as gazebos and arbors, fireplaces and play structures, with Director approval. § 15-80.030 · code text may be located no closer than six feet from a side or rear property line At least 6 feet from the rear property line. Applies: For permanent outdoor cooking devices, such as brick or masonry ones, with Community Development Director approval. § 15-80.030 · code text permanent outdoor cooking devices, such as those constructed out of brick or masonry, may be located no closer than six feet from the rear property line No closer to the rear line than the neighbor's side setback, or to the street side than its front setback. Applies: For accessory structures on a reversed corner lot in an R-M district. § 15-80.030 · code text on a reversed corner lot, an accessory structure shall not be located closer to the rear property line than the required side setback area on the abutting lot and not closer to the exterior side property line than the required front setback area of the abutting lot.

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Rear-setback garden sheds: at most 250 sq ft; 6 feet high, rising 1 foot per foot of setback beyond 6 feet, to 10.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures in Saratoga

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