Shed permit rules in San Leandro, CA — also referred to as storage shed, backyard shed, or accessory building regulations — set size limits, setbacks, and when a building permit is required.
Detached storage sheds 120 sf or less and under 8 ft tall are permit-exempt under the California Building Code as adopted by San Leandro, but still must meet Zoning Code Section 2.04.348 setbacks and lot coverage limits.
San Leandro's Accessory Structures handout (citing Zoning Code Sections 2.04.348, 2.04.380, and 2.04.400) defines accessory structures as secondary roofed structures not attached to the main residence, including sheds, workshops, and outdoor kitchens. A building permit is required if the shed is larger than 120 square feet OR if it is smaller than 120 sf but contains habitable space, electrical, or plumbing. The 120 sf permit exemption mirrors California Building Code Section 105.2 (Item 1). In the RS (single-family) district, accessory structures must observe a 5-foot interior side and rear yard setback and may not be placed within the required 20-foot front yard. No single accessory structure (excluding ADUs) may exceed 500 sf, and accessory structures in the aggregate may not occupy more than 40% of the required rear or side yard area, with no single structure occupying more than 30% of those yards. Structures under 8 ft tall and under 120 sf that don't require a building permit are exempt from the lot coverage calculation. An Administrative Exception (Zoning Code Sec. 2.18) may be requested to exceed size, height, or setback limits subject to Zoning Enforcement Official discretion.
Unpermitted accessory structures are handled by the Community Preservation (code enforcement) Division. Per the city's Unpermitted Work program, owners receive a Notice of Violation and must either obtain a retroactive permit (subject to investigation fee) or remove the structure. Continuing violations can be cited as administrative citations under San Leandro Municipal Code Title 1, Chapter 1-12, with escalating fines of $100/$200/$500 for first, second, and subsequent violations within a 12-month period.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
San Leandro, CA
SLMC §4-1-1115 prohibits use of any loudspeaker, loudspeaker system, public address or similar device between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. when it disturbs neigh...
San Leandro, CA
San Leandro is unusual among Bay Area cities: SLMC Article 11 sets only one numeric noise threshold — 5 decibels above ambient at the complainant's property ...
San Leandro, CA
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San Leandro, CA
Permitted fence/wall materials are wood, steel, finished concrete, and stucco. Chain-link and corrugated metal fencing are prohibited. Street-facing fences m...
San Leandro, CA
Retaining walls 4 feet or less measured from bottom of footing to top of wall are exempt from a building permit, unless they support a surcharge (e.g., drive...
San Leandro, CA
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