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

Section 13.10.050(A)(1) governs "attached and detached residential accessory structures (including, but not limited to, unenclosed patio covers, cabanas, garages, carports, and storage buildings)" that encroach into a required interior side or rear yard. The height cap is flat: subsection (a) sets "the maximum height for accessory structures" at "16 feet (one story)." Setbacks follow in subsections (b) and (c): a rear-yard structure "may be located five feet from the rear property line, excluding eave overhang," and a side-yard structure gets the same five-foot minimum from the interior side property line, though it may not encroach into a required exterior side yard setback at all.

Size is capped relative to the house itself. Subsection (e) sets "the maximum allowable gross floor area for all detached residential accessory structures in conjunction with an existing single-family residence" at "50% of the living area of the primary residence," though the code carves out a floor for smaller lots: "a 400-square-foot detached garage is permitted in all cases if a garage does not currently exist on site." Front-yard sheds face a tighter regime under subsection (B): a 16-foot height cap or the roofline of a single-story home if lower, a 170-square-foot size cap per structure, and no more than two structures combined in the front and exterior side yards. Sea cargo containers are barred outright as accessory structures under subsection (A)(2), regardless of where they would sit on the lot.