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

250 governs every accessory structure on a residential lot, from cabanas and greenhouses to garages, workshops, pools and hot tubs, but bars using any of them as sleeping quarters. Bathtubs, fireplaces and full or partial kitchens are flatly prohibited inside an accessory structure; air conditioning, heating, a shower, a toilet, or laundry facilities are allowed only if the owner records a covenant confirming the structure stays accessory and is never converted to housing. An accessory structure cannot go up before the main house, cannot sit in a required front or corner side setback, and can occupy a side or rear setback only if it's more than 100 feet from the front property line or within the rear 25 feet of the site.

Height is tightly controlled: a structure gets a nine-foot limit if it sits at least two feet from the property line, can rise to an overall 15 feet only by stepping back along a sloping encroachment plane, and its roof pitch must match the primary dwelling's pitch within 1/12, unless the property sits in a historic or landmark overlay zone. A wall run longer than 22 feet within five feet of the property line must step back at least five feet. Structures need a six-foot separation from other buildings on site, except pools, hot tubs and mechanical equipment, which need only five feet from a property line.

Total accessory floor area on an RS-standard lot cannot exceed 600 square feet or 6 percent of lot size, whichever is greater; RM-12 projects get the same cap plus 200 extra square feet for covered parking. A Minor Conditional Use Permit can raise the height cap for better design compatibility with the main structure.