Sutter Creek · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Sutter Creek

Sutter Creek sets its own limits on fences, accessory buildings and home businesses in residential zones. Fence height depends on the yard, and accessory setbacks depend on the number of stories.

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Key points

Fence height: Residential fences: front yards 4 feet; rear or side 6 feet; street side yards 4 feet, or 6 feet if set back 5 feet.
Accessory buildings: Sutter Creek limits detached accessory buildings in residential zones to two stories or 35 feet, not counting accessory dwelling units.
Home businesses: Sutter Creek requires a home occupation use permit and limits a home business to 25% of the floor area and one outside employee.

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

Fences and walls

Sutter Creek code Residential fences: front yards 4 feet; rear or side 6 feet; street side yards 4 feet, or 6 feet if set back 5 feet.

All 4 Sutter Creek rules on fences and walls, with the code text →

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Sutter Creek code Sutter Creek limits detached accessory buildings in residential zones to two stories or 35 feet, not counting accessory dwelling units.

All 4 Sutter Creek rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →

Running a business from home

Sutter Creek code What Sutter Creek's code adds
Space used	No more than 25% of the gross floor area. Applies: Required to approve a home occupation use permit. § 18.60.050 · code text The floor area used for the home occupation is no greater than twenty-five percent of the gross floor area.
Employees	Up to 1 employee from outside the home. Applies: Required to approve a home occupation use permit. § 18.60.050 · code text There is only up to one employee from outside the residence;
Permit	Yes. A home occupation use permit, processed by the planning department. § 18.60.050 · code text Applications for a home occupation use permit shall be processed administratively by the planning department.

Tree removal

Sutter Creek code What Sutter Creek's code adds
Permit to remove	Yes, a tree removal permit is required first. Applies: Removing any tree with a trunk at least 6 inches wide, measured 48 inches above ground, from an undeveloped parcel. § 13.24.100 · code text Removal from an undeveloped parcel of any tree having a minimum trunk diameter of six inches measured forty-eight inches above the adjacent ground level is prohibited unless a tree removal permit is first obtained from the city.
Protected trees	Any tree with a trunk at least 6 inches wide, measured 48 inches above ground. Applies: Applies on undeveloped parcels. § 13.24.100 · code text Removal from an undeveloped parcel of any tree having a minimum trunk diameter of six inches measured forty-eight inches above the adjacent ground level is prohibited unless a tree removal permit is first obtained from the city.

Building in a flood zone

Sutter Creek code What Sutter Creek's code adds
Floodplain permit	A development permit is needed before any construction or development begins. Applies: In special flood hazard, flood-related erosion or mudslide areas. § 15.20.890 · code text A development permit shall be obtained before any construction or other development begins within any area of special flood hazard, areas of flood-related erosion hazard or areas of mudslide (i.e., mudflow) established in section 15.20.060.
Building in a floodway	No encroachments, including fill and new construction, unless a registered engineer or architect certifies no flood level rise. Applies: Applies in floodways, for flood levels during the base flood discharge. § 15.20.970 · code text Prohibit encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvement and other new development unless certification by a registered professional engineer or architect is provided demonstrating that encroachments shall not result in any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
Height of the lowest floor	The lowest floor, including basement, must be at or above the base flood elevation. Applies: New or substantially improved homes in special flood hazard areas. § 15.20.920 · code text New construction and substantial improvement shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to or above the base flood elevation. Lowest floor at least the flood map's depth number, in feet, above highest adjacent grade; 2 feet if none. Applies: New or substantially improved homes in Zone ZO, as the code prints it. Includes basements. § 15.20.920 · code text New construction and substantial improvement in Zone ZO shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated above the highest adjacent grade at least as high as the depth number specified in feet on the FIRM, or at least two feet if no depth number is specified.

Noise and construction hours

Sutter Creek code What Sutter Creek's code adds
Construction hours on weekdays	7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., every day. Applies: Outside construction or repair within 500 feet of a residential zone that disturbs a reasonable person. Planning commission permits allow other hours; emergencies need none. § 10.50.120 · code text between the hours of 7:00 p.m. of one day and 7:00 a.m. of the next day

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

Sutter Creek code What Sutter Creek's code adds
Guest parking	1 guest space for each 5 dwelling units. Applies: Multiple-family dwellings. § 18.48.030 · code text Multiple-family dwellings \| 1.5 spaces for each dwelling unit plus 1 guest space for each five dwelling units
Spaces per apartment or condo	1.5 spaces for each dwelling unit. Applies: Multiple-family dwellings. § 18.48.030 · code text Multiple-family dwellings \| 1.5 spaces for each dwelling unit plus 1 guest space for each five dwelling units
Spaces for a single-family home	2 spaces for each dwelling unit. Applies: Single-family dwellings. § 18.48.030 · code text Single-family dwellings \| 2 spaces for each dwelling unit

Home alarm permits and false alarms

Sutter Creek code What Sutter Creek's code adds
False alarm fees	The fee is $50. Applies: Third false alarm within 90 days of the first alarm. § 9.44.050 · code text Third false alarm within ninety days of the first alarm: a fee of fifty dollars shall be charged; The fee is $100. Applies: Fourth false alarm within 90 days of the first alarm. § 9.44.050 · code text Fourth false alarm within ninety days of the first alarm: a fee of one hundred dollars shall be charged. The fee is $100. Applies: Fifth and each later false alarm, when 5 or more are relayed within 90 days by a telephone answering system or central alarm station. § 9.44.050 · code text shall be jointly and severally liable in the sum of one hundred dollars for the fifth occurrence and each occurrence thereafter.

Signs on homes

Sutter Creek code Up to 4 square feet in area per side, or a total of 8 square feet. Erect no more than 90 days before election day.

All 5 Sutter Creek rules on signs on homes, with the code text →

Trash and recycling carts

Sutter Creek code What Sutter Creek's code adds
Required collection service	Contract for collection service for each and every unit. Applies: Residential units up to and including a fourplex. § 9.08.110 · code text Each person owning a residential unit up to and including a fourplex, and each person occupying or having charge or control of such premises, shall have the obligation to contract for collection service for each and every unit of property
When carts must come back	Remove from public view by 6:00 p.m. on the appointed day of collection. Applies: Residential refuse containers other than safety-approved dumpsters. § 9.08.240 · code text All residential, including multi-residential, and commercial refuse containers, other than safety-approved dumpsters, shall be removed from public view not later than 6:00 p.m. on the appointed day of collection;

Other Sutter Creek rules on this

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

Limit on dogs and cats per home (§ 18.12.070)
Animal pens and coops in the ranchette zone (§ 18.13.100) — ranchette zone only
Oversized vehicles and trailers on residential streets (Ch. 11.52) — on public streets
Garage, yard and estate sales (Ch. 6.36)
Park and recreation impact fees (Ch. 7.90)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

Can I run a business from my home in Sutter Creek?

Sutter Creek requires a home occupation use permit and limits a home business to 25% of the floor area and one outside employee.

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Sutter Creek?

Sutter Creek's code: Yes, a tree removal permit is required first. (Removing any tree with a trunk at least 6 inches wide, measured 48 inches above ground, from an undeveloped parcel.) (§ 13.24.100); Any tree with a trunk at least 6 inches wide, measured 48 inches above ground. (Applies on undeveloped parcels.) (§ 13.24.100).

What are the rules for building in a Sutter Creek flood zone?

Sutter Creek's code: A development permit is needed before any construction or development begins. (In special flood hazard, flood-related erosion or mudslide areas.) (§ 15.20.890); The lowest floor, including basement, must be at or above the base flood elevation. (New or substantially improved homes in special flood hazard areas.) (§ 15.20.920).

What are the noise rules and construction hours in Sutter Creek?

Sutter Creek's code: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., every day. (Outside construction or repair within 500 feet of a residential zone that disturbs a reasonable person. Planning commission permits allow other hours; emergencies need none.) (§ 10.50.120).

Can I run a family child care home in Sutter Creek?

California law sets this for every city, including Sutter Creek: 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 Sutter Creek?

Sutter Creek's code: 1 guest space for each 5 dwelling units. (Multiple-family dwellings.) (§ 18.48.030); 1.5 spaces for each dwelling unit. (Multiple-family dwellings.) (§ 18.48.030).

Do I need a permit for a home alarm in Sutter Creek?

Sutter Creek's code: The fee is $50. (Third false alarm within 90 days of the first alarm.) (§ 9.44.050); The fee is $100. (Fourth false alarm within 90 days of the first alarm.) (§ 9.44.050).

When can trash carts go out to the curb in Sutter Creek?

Sutter Creek's code: Contract for collection service for each and every unit. (Residential units up to and including a fourplex.) (§ 9.08.110); Remove from public view by 6:00 p.m. on the appointed day of collection. (Residential refuse containers other than safety-approved dumpsters.) (§ 9.08.240).

General information, not legal advice.

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More on Sutter Creek

Sutter Creek Municipal Code — full text

Renting & eviction in Sutter Creek

Buying & selling in Sutter Creek

Sutter Creek overview

Zoning districts in Sutter Creek