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

1983 Zoning Ordinance: § 17.102.140 covers accessory structures in residential zones, with a maximum height of fifteen feet, the four setbacks quoted above, and the local coastal program blufftop setbacks. Section 17.102.145 covers portable structures, including pre-manufactured storage sheds, that are not accessory structures under § 17.102.140. They are limited to a maximum floor area of eighty square feet with no wall longer than ten feet, a maximum height of eight feet, and a location behind any required front yard setback. Storage of hazardous materials and chemicals is prohibited, and a single portable structure per lot or unit is permitted, with any additional one meeting the accessory structure requirements. A structure that meets the criteria does not need a city planning permit but stays subject to blufftop setbacks. The section does not mention building permits, so ask the Building Division before you build. Swimming pools, hot tubs and spas sit no closer than five feet to a rear or side property line under § 17.102.130.

1998 Zoning Code, § 17.38.150: residential accessory uses include swimming pools, workshops, studios, storage sheds, greenhouses and garages, and they must be incidental to and not alter the character of the site. Subsection A.2 prints the same twenty, five, ten and six foot setbacks, and A.3 caps height at fifteen feet. A detached accessory garage cannot occupy more than one thousand square feet per dwelling unit unless the director authorizes more through site plan and architectural review. An accessory greenhouse can occupy up to five hundred square feet per dwelling unit or ten percent of the lot, whichever is smaller. A workshop cannot occupy more than twenty-five percent of the floor area of the principal building, and commercial use of a workshop must meet the home occupation standards of § 17.38.070.

Pismo Beach uses two adopted zoning codes. The city's Zoning and Land Use page states that properties inside the Coastal Zone are regulated by the 1983 Zoning Code, and properties outside the Coastal Zone are regulated by the 1998 Zoning Code.