Home › California › Lafayette

Lafayette, California: what can you build or do?

Plain-English answers to common homeowner questions, taken from Lafayette's published ordinances, with every rule linked to the section it comes from.

Last reviewed 2026-10-05

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
  Yes. Lafayette allows ADUs on single-family lots: a detached ADU up to 800 sq ft (16 ft tall, 4-ft side/rear setbacks) or a conversion inside the house needs only a building permit, and larger units up to 1,200 sq ft get a ministerial ADU permit within 60 days. ADUs have no owner-occupancy requirement but can't be rented for under 30 days.Allowed with a permit
• Backyard Chickens
  Yes. Lafayette allows backyard chickens in all single-family zones without a permit: up to 4 on a 6,000-10,000 sq ft lot, 6 on lots up to 20,000 sq ft, 8 up to 40,000 sq ft, and 16 on larger lots. Roosters are banned, and the coop must sit in the side or rear yard, no taller than 8 feet, meeting the house's setbacks.Allowed
• Fences
  Lafayette's code has no stand-alone fence section; fences fall under the general rule for structures in a required front, side or rear yard, which caps them at 6 feet, measured on the tallest side from natural grade. On corner lots, fences and plantings in the 25-foot sight triangle at the intersection are limited to 2.5 feet above the curb.Allowed
• Sheds & Accessory Buildings
  Lafayette treats a shed of 120 sq ft or less as an accessory building. One placed in a required front, side or rear yard may be up to 12 feet tall, and accessory buildings may cover no more than 30% of the required rear yard. Exact setbacks depend on your zone, and building permits go through Contra Costa County.Allowed
• Burn Permits & Backyard Fires
  Backyard burning of brush or yard waste isn't allowed in Lafayette: the Bay Area Air District bans open burning, with no homeowner exemption. A fire pit or campfire using only clean, dry wood is allowed, except on Mandatory Burn Ban (Spare the Air) days.Restricted
• Building Near the Coast or Creeks
  Lafayette is inland, so the rules near water are creek setbacks: no buildings or structures (other than fences, paths and drainage work) within a setback that runs 12 to 21 feet from the top of bank, or more for deep or steep channels. The city engineer can grant exceptions with a survey, soils report and recorded hold-harmless agreement.Restricted
• Docks, Piers & Floats
  Lafayette's municipal code chapters we reviewed don't regulate docks, piers or floats. Lafayette is an inland city with creeks but no harbor or navigable shoreline.Not specifically regulated

We couldn't download Lafayette's ordinance text for the other 3 topics yet, so we don't cover them rather than guess.