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Piedmont, California: what can you build or do?

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

Last reviewed 2026-10-05

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
  Yes. ADUs are a permitted use in Piedmont's single-family Zone A, approved ministerially (no hearing) by the Planning Director within 60 days. A detached ADU can be up to 850 sq ft (1,000 sq ft with more than one bedroom) and 18 feet tall, at least 4 feet from side and rear lot lines, with no parking required.Allowed with a permit
• Backyard Chickens
  Piedmont's city code chapters we reviewed don't specifically regulate backyard chickens: there's no ban, hen limit, rooster rule or permit. Any animal kept in a way that causes excessive noise or offensive odors is prohibited, so a flock (and especially a crowing rooster) can be treated as a nuisance.Not specifically regulated
• Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO)
  Yes, but only in a single-family home that is your primary residence (as owner or long-term tenant), and only with an annual short-term rental permit from the city. Stays must be at least 2 nights, total rentals can't exceed 60 days a year, and ADUs can't be used as short-term rentals.Allowed with a permit
• Fences
  Outside the street setback, a fence up to 6 feet tall needs no design review or building permit in Piedmont; taller fences need a design review permit (with neighbor notice above 8 feet). Any fence in the street setback, at any height, needs design review by the Planning Commission, and corner lots are limited to 3 feet in a 30-foot sight triangle.Allowed
• Sheds & Accessory Buildings
  A one-story shed of 120 sq ft or less doesn't need a building permit in Piedmont, though wildfire-area (WUI) rules still apply citywide. In single-family Zone A, a shed may sit inside the 5-foot side and rear setbacks if it is within 35 feet of the rear lot line, at least 5 feet from a neighbor's house, no taller than 15 feet and not habitable; it can't go in the 20-foot street setback.Allowed
• Burn Permits & Backyard Fires
  Burning brush or yard waste is effectively prohibited in Piedmont: the Bay Area Air District bans open fires except for listed categories, which are agricultural, fire-agency or hazard-reduction fires, not routine yard cleanup. A backyard recreational fire using only clean dry wood is exempt from the ban, except on Mandatory Burn Ban (Spare the Air) days, and cooking fires are exempt.Restricted
• Home-Based Businesses
  Yes, with a home occupation permit from the City Clerk and a city business license. Piedmont's rules are strict: no non-resident employees, no customer visits, no signs, and the business may use only one room (not the garage); cottage food operations get limited exceptions.Allowed with a permit
• Swimming Pools
  A pool needs a building permit in Piedmont, and any improvement that needs a building permit also needs a design review permit. Pool and spa equipment must be quiet enough not to exceed 50 decibels at the nearest property line, and pools count as hardscape against Zone A's 30% minimum landscaping.Allowed with a permit
• Building Near the Coast or Creeks
  Piedmont's code chapters we reviewed don't regulate building near water. Piedmont is an inland hillside city with no coastline, and we found no creek or riparian setback rules in its zoning code; ordinary zoning setbacks apply.Not specifically regulated
• Docks, Piers & Floats
  Piedmont's code chapters we reviewed don't regulate docks, piers or floats. Piedmont is an inland city with no harbor, lake frontage or navigable water.Not specifically regulated