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Pasadena, California: what can you build or do?

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

Last reviewed 2026-10-05

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
  Yes. Pasadena allows ADUs on any lot zoned for homes that has a house, with a ministerial (no-hearing) permit. A single-family lot can have one new attached or detached ADU, one conversion ADU and one junior ADU; a new ADU up to 800 sq ft needs only 4-ft side and rear setbacks, and a larger detached ADU can be up to 1,200 sq ft.Allowed with a permit
• Backyard Chickens
  Yes, hens are allowed if you register with the city poundmaster. Keep chickens at least 35 feet from any neighbor's home and out of zoning setbacks, give each bird at least 10 sq ft of permeable enclosure, and keep no more than 10 fowl and rabbits in total. Roosters are banned citywide.Allowed with a permit
• Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO)
  Only in your primary residence (where you live at least 9 months a year), and only with an annual city short-term rental permit. Whole-home stays while you're away are capped at 90 days a year, and vacation rentals of homes you don't live in are banned.Restricted
• Fences
  In Pasadena's single-family (RS) and RM-12 zones, fences in the front setback can be 4 feet tall and must be at least 50% open; side and rear fences next to other homes can be 6 feet. Fences near driveways must drop to 30 inches in a sight triangle, and barbed or razor wire is banned.Restricted
• Sheds & Accessory Buildings
  Sheds and other accessory buildings are allowed, but not in the front or corner-side setback. One can go in a side or rear setback only if it's in the rear 25 feet of the lot (or more than 100 feet back from the front line); at 2 feet from a property line it can be 9 feet tall, rising to 15 feet farther in. All accessory buildings together are capped at 600 sq ft or 6% of the lot, whichever is greater.Allowed
• Burn Permits & Backyard Fires
  You can't burn brush, yard waste or trash at a Pasadena home: South Coast AQMD Rule 444 prohibits residential burning. Recreational fires and fires using natural gas, propane, untreated wood or charcoal for cooking or warmth at a gathering are exempt from the burn-permit system, and Pasadena's fire code lets portable outdoor fireplaces be used at one- and two-family homes per the manufacturer's instructions.Restricted
• Home-Based Businesses
  Yes, with a Home Occupation Permit from the Planning Director and a city business license. The business must stay inside the home (or an accessory building) in no more than 500 sq ft, only residents can work in it, customers must come by appointment between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays, and no on-site signs are allowed.Allowed with a permit
• Swimming Pools
  Pools and hot tubs are allowed as accessory structures on residential lots, but the pool, hot tub and all related equipment must be at least 5 feet from every property line and can't go in the front or corner-side setback. Pasadena's zoning code doesn't add its own barrier rules; the state pool safety law sets fencing requirements.Allowed with a permit
• Building Near the Coast or Creeks
  Pasadena is inland, so its "near the water" rules cover the Arroyo Seco and flood-prone areas rather than a coastline. On mapped Arroyo Seco slope-bank lots, no structure may extend over or below the top edge of the slope bank, and any structure within 20 feet of that edge needs a Hillside Development Permit. In flood-prone areas, new construction and substantial improvements must be anchored and built with flood-resistant materials.Allowed with board review
• Docks, Piers & Floats
  Pasadena's ordinances we reviewed don't regulate docks, piers or floats; the city is inland with no harbor or lake frontage in its code. Any structure near the Arroyo Seco slope bank needs a Hillside Development Permit, and structures can't extend over the slope bank's top edge.Not specifically regulated