Garden Grove Driveway Rules Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

The City of Garden Grove's zoning code (Title 9) and vehicle regulations (Title 11) work together to regulate where and how vehicles may be parked on residential property. All vehicle parking on private residential lots must occur on an approved paved surface — concrete, asphalt, or permeable pavers meeting city engineering standards. Parking on bare dirt, gravel, grass, or landscaped areas in front yards is prohibited. In Garden Grove's older neighborhoods, particularly those built in the 1950s and 1960s near Garden Grove Boulevard and Main Street, informal dirt or gravel parking pads are a recurring code enforcement issue. Any expansion or modification of a driveway or parking surface requires a permit from the Community and Economic Development Department.

Vehicles parked on driveways may not extend beyond the property line onto the public sidewalk, as this creates a pedestrian safety hazard and violates the California Vehicle Code. Garden Grove's residential neighborhoods feature sidewalks on most streets, and even a few feet of vehicle overhang can force pedestrians — particularly those with strollers, wheelchairs, or mobility devices — into the street. The city enforces this requirement through both complaint-based code enforcement and periodic neighborhood sweeps.

Inoperable vehicles — those that are not running, have flat tires, are missing major components, or display expired DMV registration — may not be stored in open view on driveways, front yards, or side yards visible from the street. Such vehicles must be kept inside an enclosed garage or behind a solid fence or wall at least six feet high that fully screens the vehicle from public view. A tarp draped over a vehicle in an open driveway does not satisfy the screening requirement under Garden Grove's code.

Garage spaces designated as required off-street parking under the zoning code must remain available for vehicle parking. Converting a garage to a living space, workshop, or general storage without pulling permits and providing replacement off-street parking (or qualifying under California's ADU provisions) is a zoning violation. Contact Garden Grove Code Enforcement at (714) 741-5792 with questions about driveway requirements or vehicle storage.