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

Sunnyvale measures fence height from the highest adjoining grade in rear and side yards not on a street, and from the top of curb in front and reducible front yards, with by-right caps of 4 feet in front yards and 8 feet in side, rear, and reducible front yards.

Sunnyvale requires a miscellaneous plan permit (MPP) or use permit (UP) for taller fences depending on yard location and height, under SMC Table 19.48.025. Front-yard fences over 4 feet need an MPP; fences over 6 feet in most yards need a UP.

California Civil Code 841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act) requires adjoining property owners to share the cost of boundary fences equally absent written agreement, and 30-day written notice before construction.

California Health and Safety Code 115920 and Sunnyvale code require pool barriers at least 60 inches tall with self-closing gates and at least two of seven safety features for residential swimming pools.

Sunnyvale requires a building permit for any in-ground pool or spa, and for above-ground pools deeper than 18 inches, under the California Building Code as adopted by SMC Title 16.

Converting a garage or carport in Sunnyvale to a non-parking use needs a miscellaneous plan permit and, outside the ADU exception, requires replacing every lost space with a new covered space that meets current standards under Section 19.46.050(e).

Sunnyvale allows accessory dwelling units on residential lots subject to detailed numeric standards in Section 19.79.040: a 150 square foot minimum, height caps of 16 to 18 feet detached or 25 feet attached, a two-story maximum, and zero required off-street parking.

Accessory structures in Sunnyvale's single-family and duplex zoning districts cap out at 450 square feet each, with a hard citywide ceiling of 800 square feet total per lot, under Municipal Code Section 19.40.020. Structures over 450 square feet need a use permit, while smaller sheds and detached spaces follow a sliding scale of no-permit, minor-permit or use-permit review keyed to height and yard location.

Sunnyvale makes it unlawful for anyone to burn discarded materials anywhere in the city. Municipal Code Section 8.16.070, part of the Solid Waste, Recyclable Materials and Organic Materials chapter, bans burning trash, recyclables, and organic material that would otherwise go into collection service, rather than allowing residents to dispose of waste with a backyard burn pile or barrel fire.

Sunnyvale bans daytime lawn watering and runoff under its year-round Water Conservation Restrictions ordinance. Municipal Code Section 12.34.020 prohibits irrigating outdoor landscaping with potable water between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. during daylight saving time, unless using a hand-held hose with a shut-off nozzle, and caps automatic sprinkler runs at 15 minutes per station per day. The Director of Environmental Services enforces the rule citywide.

Sunnyvale bans removing or damaging any 'protected tree,' meaning a tree 38 inches or more in trunk circumference measured 4.5 feet above grade, without a protected tree removal permit from the department of community development. Applications must be filed at least 10 working days before the planned removal (Muni Code Sec. 19.94.040, 19.94.050).

Sunnyvale has a strong Heritage Tree Ordinance under Municipal Code Chapter 19.94 requiring permits to trim large trees. Routine pruning is allowed but heavy cuts on protected trees need city approval.