Huntington Park, CA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

In the City of Huntington Park, the shed rule lives in the definitions of the zoning code, § 9-1.203. A "Storage shed" is an accessory structure or building used for keeping items belonging to the occupants of the property. It is exempt from a building permit and planning approval only if all four conditions hold: (1) it is less than 120 square feet; (2) it does not require a building permit, including electrical or mechanical; (3) it is not placed on a permanent foundation; and (4) its maximum exterior height is seven feet six inches, measured from the finished floor to the highest point of the roof. The definition also caps the count at a maximum of one storage shed per parcel. A shed that fails any one of the four tests drops out of the exemption and goes through the normal permit and planning process.

The exemption has a built-in limit on location: all accessory structures shall comply with zoning district setbacks even if a permit is not required. Those numbers are in § 9-4.103(2)(A). On a single-family lot, Table IV-3 puts a swimming pool, spa, storage shed or fish pond 3 feet from the rear line and 3 feet from the side line, with the street side following the main building setback. On multi-family parcels, Table IV-4 lists a storage shed at 3 feet on the side and 3 feet at the rear.

Section 9-4.103(2)(A) adds two threshold rules. Accessory structures in residential zoning districts must be compatible with the materials and architecture of the main dwelling or dwellings on the property, and accessory structures can only be constructed on a parcel containing a main dwelling unit, so a shed cannot be the first structure on a vacant lot. Where a building site's front, side and rear lines are not readily determinable, the Director determines the required setbacks. Accessory structures also have a height limit in Table IV-2 of 20 feet or 1 story, whichever is less, though the shed exemption itself stops at seven feet six inches.