Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Shasta Lake, California

Shasta Lake’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Residential construction inside Shasta Lake city

  • Adopted together with relevant appendices and amendments

  “The city does adopt the California Residential Code as published by the International Code Council together with all relevant appendices and amendments.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Shasta Lake city limits

  • City adopts Title 17 Zoning with districts R-1, R-2, R-3, R-M and others

  “The following site development standards apply in the R-1 district:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Shasta Lake city (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-M, F-2, VC, CC, C-2 and others) published in Title 17 on Municode

  “The following site development standards apply in the R-3 district:”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Accessory dwelling units only; no minimum for main dwellings located in supplied R-1 section

  • Detached ADU not less than 220 sq ft; attached ADU not less than 150 sq ft

  detached ADU minimum floor area: >= 220 sq ft · attached ADU minimum floor area: >= 150 sq ft

  “the floor area of a detached adu shall not be less than two hundred twenty (220) square feet, as described in california building code chapter 12, section 1208.4. the floor area of an attached adu shall not be less than one hundred fifty (150) square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 One-Family Residential district inside Shasta Lake city

  • Residential density permitted by the general plan must not be exceeded
  • Except as provided in 17.84.010

  interior lot: >= 6000 sq ft · corner lot: >= 7000 sq ft

  “1. interior lot, six thousand (6,000) square feet; 2. corner lot, seven thousand (7,000) square feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-3 Multiple-Family Residential district inside Shasta Lake city

    “The minimum building site requirement is eight thousand (8,000) square feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 One-Family Residential district inside Shasta Lake city

  • Except as provided in 17.84.020
  • Side yards for lots created before June 7, 1978: five feet on each side
  • Front setback 15 feet for side-entry swing driveway garages
  • Interior yard space 15% of lot or 900 sq ft, whichever is less

  front yard: >= 20 feet (15 feet with side-facing garage swing driveway) · side yard: 5 feet one side and 12 feet opposite (5 feet each side for lots created before June 7, 1978) · rear yard: >= 15 feet

  “1. front, twenty (20) feet; except that houses constructed with garages having a swing driveway, with the entrance facing the side property line, may have a minimum fifteen (15) foot setback; 2. side, five feet on one side and twelve (12) feet on the opposite side.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 One-Family Residential district inside Shasta Lake city

  • Except as otherwise provided in Section 17.84.030

  main building height: <= 30 feet · accessory building height: <= 22 feet (one story)

  “c. maximum structural height. the following structural height restrictions apply, except as otherwise provided in section 17.84.030 of this title: 1. main building, thirty (30) feet;”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RV occupancy on lots with a single family residence inside Shasta Lake city

  • Use by property owner or with owner's permission, no longer than seven days in a calendar year
  • RV attached to rigid water, gas, sewer pipe or electrical outlet prohibited unless a permitted exterior outlet of up to 50 amps has been provided
  • Generator only 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
  • Temporary placement during construction of a one- or two-family residence allowed per 17.88.160
  • Temporary emergency use per 17.81.030

  occupancy limit: <= 7 days per calendar year (construction and emergency use)

  “upon any lot with a single family residence, except when used by property owner or with the property owner's permission, and such use is no longer than seven days in a calendar year”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping inside Shasta Lake city

  • Unlawful on public rights-of-way, public parks and trails, private unimproved property
  • On lots with a single family residence only with owner permission and up to seven days a calendar year
  • City manager may permit camps for special events

  “it is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person to sleep or camp, to occupy camp facilities, or use camp paraphernalia in the following areas:”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured homes in districts permitting one-family residences inside Shasta Lake city

  • Permanent foundation of state-approved design
  • Certified under the 1974 federal act
  • Not older than ten years at building permit application, unless lawfully installed earlier
  • Minimum roof pitch 3:12, overhangs at least six inches, Class A or B roof
  • Same height, lot coverage, yard requirements as the zone

  maximum age: <= 10 years (units lawfully installed before ordinance)

  “Manufactured homes are allowed in all zoning districts which permit one-family residences and shall be subject to the following development standards:”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  ADUs in any district allowing single family residences inside Shasta Lake city

  • One ADU per parcel with existing or permitted primary residence
  • Detached ADU max 1,200 sq ft; attached max 50% of primary living area or 1,200 sq ft
  • Detached ADU separated six feet from primary; one parking space for newly constructed detached ADU
  • Cannot be sold separately; rental term not less than 30 days

  detached ADU maximum: <= 1200 sq ft

  “in any zoning district that allows single family residences, an adu shall be considered a permitted use, provided it meets the requirements of this section.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Buildings abutting a street, alley or right-of-way with a city community sewer inside Shasta Lake city

  • Connection within 120 days after official notice
  • Public sewer must be within 100 feet of the property line
  • Owner may apply within 90 days of notice for a delay up to one year if hardship, premises served by a septic tank, and county health officer reports the septic is operating efficiently without hazard
  • No further extensions

  sewer distance: <= 100 feet (delay permit available) · connection deadline: 120 days (after official notice)

  “is required to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the public sewer in accordance with the provisions of Chapters 12.04 , 12.08 and Title 13 of this code, within one hundred twenty (120) days after the date of official notice to do so, provided that the public sewer is within one hundred (100) feet of the property line”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Restrictive Flood (F-2) district inside Shasta Lake city; Chapter 15.04 floodplain management also applies in zones A1-30, AH and AE

  • Building official must find improvements minimize flood damage and drainage reduces flood exposure
  • Building permit application must include elevation of lowest habitable floor

  “b. no building permit shall be granted unless the building official makes the following findings; if a use permit is required, the findings shall be made before the use permit is approved: 1. the design and construction of all proposed improvements, including any manmade change or unimproved real property, are consistent with the need to minimize flood damage; and 2. drainage is designed to reduce exposure to flood hazards.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Hosted homestays and vacation rentals in single-family dwellings inside Shasta Lake city

  • Administrative approval from the development services director, renewed every 12 months
  • City business license and transient occupancy tax required
  • No more than one dwelling unit per lot rented at a time; quiet hours 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
  • Permit not transferable

  permit term: 12 months (renewable annually)

  “Such use is permitted within all zoning districts subject to obtaining an administrative approval from the development services director or designee.”

Rules another office applies inside Shasta Lake

Shasta Lake does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic systems inside Shasta Lake city where city sewer is unavailable (Shasta County Department of Environmental Health approves them); stated in the city ADU section

  • Applies where sewer service is not available
  • Stated in the ADU section; city sewer connection otherwise applies

  “For areas where sewer service is not available, the primary dwelling unit and ADU shall be connected to a septic system approved by the Shasta County Department of Environmental Health.”

• Septic permitLimited

  Onsite waste treatment systems serving accessory dwelling units inside Shasta Lake city

  • Stated only in the ADU section; general septic permit rule not located

  “Approval by the Shasta County Environmental Health Department is required where an onsite waste treatment system is being used.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Shasta Lake or Shasta County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Shasta Lake city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Shasta Lake city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Shasta Lake city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Shasta Lake city
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Shasta Lake city

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.