Simi Valley | Parking, Setbacks and Height
Simi Valley Parking, Setbacks and Height: Garages, Apartment Parking, Yards and Height Limits
A setback is the open distance a building must keep from a lot line. In Simi Valley the setbacks and height limits for each district are in Table 2-3 of Section 9-24.050, the measuring rules and accessory building setbacks are in Chapter 9-30, and parking is in Chapter 9-34. These rules decide how much of a lot is left to build on, which matters most when two or more homes share it. This page sets out each rule for houses, SB 9 homes, ADUs and apartments. The Simi Valley overview gives the short version.
Simi Valley parking and yards in six facts
- Each single-family home needs two parking spaces inside an enclosed garage, each at least 10 feet wide and 20 feet long inside. Source: SVMC Secs. 9-34.040, 9-34.080
- Apartments need 1 space for a studio up to 2.5 for three or more bedrooms, plus 0.5 guest spaces per unit, with one space per unit covered. Source: SVMC Table 3-4
- In RVL, RL, RM and RMod, a house sits 20 feet from the front and rear lot lines and 10 feet from a street side line. Source: SVMC Table 2-3
- Houses and RMod apartments may be 2 stories and 30 feet tall; RH and RVH buildings 3 stories or 40 feet, whichever is less. Source: SVMC Table 2-3
- Main buildings on one lot must be 10 feet apart, or 20 feet if more than one story. Source: SVMC Sec. 9-30.080
- State law bars minimum parking on a residential project within one-half mile of public transit, unless the City makes written findings. Source: Gov. Code 65863.2
Setbacks and Height for Houses
| Rule | RVL, RL, RM, RMod single-family | RE |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 20 ft (some PD projects of 5 or more homes: 15 ft for living area) | 20 ft |
| Interior side, projects of 5 or more homes | 6 ft one story; 8 ft for a one-story part of a 2-story house; 10 ft for a 2-story wall | 10 ft |
| Interior side, projects of 4 or fewer homes filed after April 5, 2007 | 5 ft one story; 10 ft two story, if the Commission finds them compatible | 10 ft |
| Street side | 10 ft | 20 ft (reverse corner) |
| Rear | 20 ft (5 ft backing onto the State Route 118 freeway) | 20 ft |
| Main building height | 2 stories, not over 30 ft | 2 stories, not over 30 ft |
| Accessory structure height | 18 ft | 18 ft |
Source: Simi Valley Municipal Code Sec. 9-24.050, Table 2-3 and Subsections A to D. OS land keeps 50 ft on every side.
The side yards in Table 2-3 come with a condition that changes them for most small projects. Section 9-24.050 says the table's side yards "shall only apply to projects with five units or more filed after January 5, 2006." For projects of four homes or fewer filed after April 5, 2007, "the minimum interior side yard setback shall be five feet for a single-story house and for a one-story element of a two-story house, and 10 feet for a two-story house," if the Planning Commission finds them compatible with the neighbors. Existing houses and projects complete before January 5, 2006 use five feet for one story and six to 10 feet for two stories. The street side yard is 10 feet in every case.
- Zero lot line homes. When one side yard is under six feet, "the sum of both side yard setbacks shall add up to a minimum of 10 feet."
- Front yard options. A Planned Development of five or more homes may set the living area of up to 50 percent of the homes on a block 15 feet back, place up to 25 percent of garages 15 feet back if they face sideways with a 20 foot driveway, and let up to 25 percent of covered porches reach 10 feet from the front line, on streets built to Ventura County Design Plate B-4.
- Freeway lots. Rear setbacks "may be reduced to five feet for all structures" on lots that back onto the State Route 118 freeway, with structures covering no more than 40 percent of any yard.
- Open space neighbors. Setbacks "may be reduced by up to 50%" next to open space zones, Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District land, homeowner association greenbelts or County flood channels.
- Rear yard width. An ADU and all accessory structures together may take up no more than 50 percent of the width of the rear setback area.
- Next to commercial land, new homes keep "25 feet, plus 1 additional foot for each foot" of height above 20 feet from buildings on the commercial lot.
How Height Is Measured
Section 9-30.060 measures height "from the average of the highest and lowest points of the portion of the site adjacent to the building, whether natural or paved surface, to the topmost point of the structure, excluding chimneys or vents." On a sloped lot that average sets the base. Roof structures such as mechanical penthouses, chimneys and vents may rise above the limit if they add no floor space. An existing house or accessory building on the valley floor may grow "up to 10% in height" if the site is a detached single-family home, the roof slope is at least 25 percent (3:12), and the roof rises from every property line. A Conditional Use Permit is needed to exceed the 18 foot accessory structure limit.
The limits by district are: two stories and 30 feet for houses and for multi-family buildings in RMod; three stories or 40 feet, whichever is less, in RH and RVH; 25 feet in MH; 55 feet and four stories in the Mixed-Use Overlay. Outside the valley floor, Section 9-32.140 caps any building at "two stories or 35 feet, whichever is less." Non-traditional structures such as climbing walls or skateboard ramps are limited to 10 feet on lots under 20,000 square feet.
Accessory Buildings and Projections
| Structure | Front | Street side and side | Rear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessory dwelling unit | 20 ft | 4 ft | 4 ft |
| Detached garage | 20 ft | 5 ft | 10 ft |
| Attached patio roof, workshop, pool house | 20 ft | 5 ft | 10 ft |
| Covered porch | 14 ft | 5 ft | 14 ft |
| Balcony | 20 ft | 8 ft | 18 ft |
| Outside stairs | 20 ft | 3 ft one story, 8 ft two story | 18 ft |
| Shed, gazebo, carport | 20 ft | 3 ft | 3 ft |
| Pool or hot tub | 20 ft | 3 ft | 3 ft |
Source: Simi Valley Municipal Code Sec. 9-30.080, Table 3-2. The side figure covers both the street side and interior side columns, which the table prints as one cell.
Section 9-30.080 adds a separation rule for every lot: "The minimum distance between structures on the same lot shall be six feet," and "no principal structure shall be placed closer than 10 feet to any other principal structure; if more than one story, minimum distance shall be twenty (20) feet." Accessory structures "shall not cover more than 40 percent of any required yard," except ADUs, which follow Section 9-44.160. Setbacks from a public street are measured from "the ultimate right-of-way width as shown in the General Plan," and where a lot has a perimeter wall, the wall is presumed to be the lot line unless a surveyor shows otherwise.
Parking for Houses
Section 9-34.040 says: "Two parking spaces for each single-family dwelling unit shall be located within an enclosed garage." In that garage, "each parking space shall have a minimum clear width of 10 feet and minimum clear length of 20 feet," and a garage for one space must be 12 feet wide. As a worked example (VanPlex arithmetic), a two-car garage needs at least 20 by 20 feet of clear floor. Driveways to garages "shall be concrete, not asphalt," and no parking may require cars to cross a sidewalk wheelchair ramp.
Extra cars may be parked only where the code allows: the side yard, the part of the front yard between the driveway and the closer side line, an approved circular driveway, a driveway to a rear garage, a rear yard area, or a strip on the far side of the front yard. A rear yard parking area may be up to 400 square feet on a lot under one acre and 800 square feet on a larger lot, set three feet from the side and rear lines and screened by a six-foot fence within 50 feet of a property line. The far-side strip may be up to 10 feet wide and must leave 50 percent of the front yard landscaped. Both need a Zoning Clearance. Commercial vehicles over five tons may not stay on residential property for more than 30 minutes unless loading.
SB 9 homes need "One off-street automobile parking space, which shall be in an enclosed garage," and each primary home "must have its own individual single car garage." ADUs need one space each, which "may be uncovered or tandem parking," with six exceptions. The ADUs and SB 9 page lists the exceptions and the state limits.
Parking for Apartments
Table 3-4 covers "Multi-family dwelling, condominiums and other attached dwellings (three or more attached units)." It asks 1 space for a studio, 1.5 for a one-bedroom unit, 2 for a two-bedroom unit and 2.5 for three or more bedrooms, "Plus, 0.5 guest spaces per unit. In all cases, a minimum of one space per unit shall be covered." Senior units need "1 covered space per unit," and mobile home parks two spaces per unit, one covered. In the Mixed-Use Overlay, Table 4-3 uses the same unit rates but asks one guest space for every five units.
Parking must be on the same site, "in no event more than 200 feet from the dwelling," with at least one assigned space per unit. A standard 90 degree stall is 9 feet wide and 18 feet deep beside a 25 foot aisle; "Any uncovered parking space located next to a wall or other solid barrier shall be widened by an additional two feet"; and the stall may be two feet shorter where the car overhangs landscaping or a sidewalk at least seven feet deep.
Government Code 65863.2 says a city "shall not impose or enforce any minimum automobile parking requirement on a residential, commercial, or other development project if the project is located within one-half mile of public transit," unless it makes written findings within 30 days of a complete application. Chapter 9-34 does not mention this rule. Where the two conflict, the statute controls.
Fences and Walls
- In a residential front yard, "no fence, wall, or hedge shall exceed 42 inches in height and no see-through fence shall exceed six (6) feet." A six-foot hedge may stand on a side line 10 feet back from the front line.
- Outside the front setback, property line fences and walls "may not exceed six feet." Rear and side fences may rise up to two more feet next to an arterial street, or where a home lot borders commercial or industrial land.
- Retaining walls in the front or street side setback may not exceed 36 inches.
- Near corners, inside the traffic safety sight area, private fences are capped at 36 inches above the curb.
- Chain link, barbed wire, electric fences and razor wire are banned in residential zones, and vehicle gates must be set back 20 feet, with some exceptions for side and rear gates.
Best For
- ✓ Small projects of four or fewer homes that can use 5 foot side yards.
- ✓ Lots backing onto the State Route 118 freeway, with 5 foot rear setbacks.
- ✓ Apartment sites within one-half mile of public transit, where state law removes parking minimums.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ A second home is placed less than 10 feet, or 20 feet if two-story, from the first.
- ✕ The plan counts uncovered spaces toward the two-car garage a house needs.
- ✕ A street setback is measured from today's curb instead of the planned right-of-way.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → The ultimate right-of-way width for the street in the General Plan.
- → Whether the Commission will accept 5 foot side yards for a small project.
- → The walking distance to public transit for parking relief.
Where to Go Next
Related on VanPlex: the Simi Valley overview, the duplex to fourplex guide and the California ADU law page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many parking spaces does a house need in Simi Valley?
How much parking does a Simi Valley apartment need?
What is the front setback for a house in Simi Valley?
What side yard does a Simi Valley house need?
How tall can a house be in Simi Valley?
How far apart must two homes on one Simi Valley lot be?
How high can a front yard fence be in Simi Valley?
Where can I park extra cars on a Simi Valley house lot?
Can my rear setback be smaller near the freeway in Simi Valley?
How big must a Simi Valley parking stall be?
Official sources (checked October 2026)
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