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Morro Bay, California: what can you build or do?

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

Last reviewed 2026-10-14

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
  Yes. ADUs are permitted in all of Morro Bay's residential districts and get ministerial approval within 60 days. A single-family lot can have one detached ADU (up to 1,000 sq ft, or 1,200 sq ft with 2+ bedrooms), one converted ADU and one junior ADU (up to 500 sq ft). New ADUs need only 4-foot side and rear setbacks. In the coastal zone you may also need a coastal development permit.Allowed with a permit
• Backyard Chickens
  Yes. Morro Bay's code doesn't ban backyard hens. It says no one may keep more than 12 poultry, rabbits or other fowl within 50 feet of any dwelling (awkward wording; safest to plan on 12 total), requires clean coops with board or cement floors, and bans roosters over 4 months old on residential lots.Allowed
• Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO)
  Yes, with a city short-term vacation rental permit, a business license and a TOT account. Whole-home rentals in residential zones are capped at 175, must be 175 feet from any other whole-home rental, and new ones go on a waitlist. Home-shares where you stay on site in your primary residence aren't capped. ADUs and JADUs can't be used as short-term rentals.Restricted
• Fences
  In Morro Bay, fences in the required front and corner-side setbacks can be 3 feet high if solid or 4 feet if at least half open (4 and 5 feet north of Alva Paul Creek and east of Highway One). Elsewhere on the lot the limit is 6 feet 6 inches. Chain-link isn't allowed in residential districts.Allowed
• Sheds & Accessory Buildings
  Sheds are allowed in Morro Bay if they meet your district's setback, height and lot-coverage rules and stay behind the front line of the house. A small shed under 8 feet tall and 120 sq ft can go right up to the interior side or rear lot line if it's behind the house (not in the front or street-side setback). Bigger sheds must meet the regular setbacks (3-10 ft in RS districts) and be at least 6 feet from any home.Allowed
• Burn Permits & Backyard Fires
  Brush burning and open backyard fires are prohibited in Morro Bay. You can use a barbecue or an above-ground portable outdoor fireplace or fire pit, kept at least 15 feet from structures, no bigger than 3 feet across and 2 feet high, and with a spark arrestor unless it runs on gas or propane.Restricted
• Home-Based Businesses
  Yes. Morro Bay allows home occupations in any residential unit if the work stays inside the home, an attached garage or an enclosed accessory building, the house keeps its residential look, and you have no more than one non-resident independent contractor working on site. Retail sales from the home, personal services, animal services and some other businesses aren't allowed.Allowed
• Swimming Pools
  Pools and spas are allowed in Morro Bay's residential zones. In RS and RL districts the water must be at least 5 feet from interior side and rear lot lines, and set back the required building setback plus 5 more feet from front and corner-side lot lines. Barrier rules come from state law, not the city code we reviewed.Allowed
• Building Near the Coast or Creeks
  Most development in Morro Bay's coastal zone needs a coastal development permit from the city, though many improvements to an existing house are exempt. On bluff-top lots, new development must be at least 20 feet from the bluff edge, or more if a geologic study requires. Wetlands need a 100-foot buffer and creeks and riparian areas 50 feet.Allowed with board review
• Docks, Piers & Floats
  Possibly, only for a lot on the water and only with several approvals; Morro Bay's code doesn't say whether a private dock is feasible from any given residential lot. The city requires a harbor structure permit for any pier, piling, dock or other structure over tidal waters and a building permit for any floating dock, and docks in the waterfront and harbor districts need a conditional use permit plus a coastal development permit. State (State Lands Commission, Coastal Commission) and federal (Army Corps) approvals are often needed too.Allowed with board review