Before You Build in Brentwood, CA: Permit & Rule Checklist (2026)

Brentwood fences are limited to 3.5 feet in front yards and 6 feet in side and rear yards. Fences over 6 feet require a building permit and may need a zoning variance. Corner lots have additional visibility triangle restrictions to protect sight lines at intersections.

Hedges and landscaping used as boundary barriers in Brentwood are subject to the same height limits as fences (3.5 ft front, 6 ft side/rear) when used to enclose a yard. Hedges must not encroach into the public right-of-way, block sidewalks, or obscure sight lines at intersections.

Retaining walls in Brentwood up to 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall generally do not require a building permit if they do not support a surcharge (driveway, slope, or structure). Walls over 4 feet or supporting a surcharge require a building permit with engineered drawings.

Brentwood pool barriers must comply with California Health & Safety Code §115920-115929 and the California Building Code. Requirements include a 60-inch minimum barrier, self-closing/self-latching gates, no climbable features, and at least two additional safety features for pools built after 2007.

Residential swimming pools and spas in Brentwood must meet California Health and Safety Code Section 115920 through 115929, which requires at least two of seven enumerated safety features. Barriers must be at least 60 inches high, have self-closing and self-latching gates opening away from the pool, and have no climbable features. Requirements are verified at building permit inspection.

All residential pools and spas in Brentwood must comply with the federal Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act and California Health and Safety Code requirements for anti-entrapment drain covers. Single main drains must be paired with a second means of preventing suction entrapment (for example, SVRS). Compliance is verified at building permit inspection and at resale.

Above-ground pools in Brentwood are regulated by the California Building Standards Code and the Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code 115920-115929). New or remodeled pools holding more than 18 inches of water must include at least two of seven approved drowning-prevention safety features, and a 60-inch barrier is required.

Brentwood must allow Accessory Dwelling Units on any single-family lot under California Government Code Section 65852.2, as expanded by AB 68, AB 881, and SB 13. Detached ADUs up to 800 sq ft with 4-foot setbacks are ministerial approvals processed within 60 days. AB 1033 now allows selling an ADU separately from the primary home.

Brentwood garages must meet California Residential Code requirements for fire separation, including 5/8-inch Type X drywall on walls and ceilings separating the garage from living space and a self-closing, self-latching 20-minute fire-rated door. Conversion to an ADU is permitted by right under AB 68, and the city cannot require replacement parking for transit-adjacent conversions.

Brentwood follows the California Building Code exemption allowing detached accessory structures under 120 square feet to be built without a building permit. Sheds must still comply with zoning setbacks, height limits, and HOA rules. Structures over 120 sq ft or with utilities require a building permit and Community Development review.

Open burning is prohibited in Brentwood year-round. The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) enforces no-burn rules, and BAAQMD Regulation 5 further restricts outdoor combustion. Agricultural burning requires a CAL FIRE permit and a BAAQMD burn-day authorization, and residential yard-waste burning is not permitted.

Residential fire pits must comply with California fire code and BAAQMD regulations. Gas and propane fire pits are generally preferred over wood-burning due to air quality restrictions. Must maintain clearance from structures.

Brentwood residents are served by the city's water utility and the East Contra Costa Irrigation District for agricultural users. Permanent statewide water waste rules from the State Water Resources Control Board prohibit runoff, hosing hard surfaces, and watering within 48 hours of rain. Assigned outdoor watering days typically limit irrigation to two or three days per week.

Brentwood regulates removal of protected and heritage trees, including most native oaks and trees over a threshold trunk diameter on developed residential parcels. A tree removal permit from Community Development is required unless the tree is dead, diseased, or poses imminent hazard, in which case photographic documentation is still required.