Trinity County, CA Accessory Structures: Shed Rules (2026)

Trinity County's draft Zoning Code Chapter 17.90 (Public Review Draft, April 2026), carrying forward adopted Section 17.30D, governs detached accessory buildings such as wood sheds and storage buildings, which are allowed in any zone. Under Section 17.90.060, detached accessory buildings must comply with the minimum setbacks in Table 17.90-1: 20 feet from the front, 5 feet from an interior side, 5 feet from the rear, and 10 feet from a street side on a corner parcel or from an alley. A 20-foot front setback also applies where the structure sits along a road easement or right-of-way (10 feet if along a side or rear yard). The maximum height for a detached accessory structure is 25 feet, with increases possible only through a Director Use Permit. Accessory buildings are generally built at the same time as or after the main building, but Section 17.90.060(A)(1)(c) allows a one-story garage or storage shed not exceeding 750 square feet of floor area to be built before the primary residence in the Rural Residential (RR), Agricultural (A), Agriculture-Forest (AF), and Timberland Production (TPZ) zones, and agricultural sheds up to 10,000 square feet may precede the main building. All accessory buildings must also comply with the Trinity County Floodplain Ordinance and the Fire Safe Ordinance (Chapter 8.30), and a building permit is required depending on size. Using a shed or other accessory structure for residential purposes without a legal conversion of use is unlawful under Section 17.90.040.