City of Fountain Valley

1. FLOOD MAP INFORMATION?
For information regarding removal from a flood zone, please contact the Building Department at (714) 593-4429 or visit City Hall at 10200 Slater Avenue, Fountain Valley, CA 92708.

2. CONSTRUCTING A NEW BUILDING?
For the construction of a new commercial, industrial, or manufacturing building in the City of Fountain Valley, a Precise Plan Application must be obtained at the Planning Department.

3. OPENING A NEW BUSINESS?
The first step needed to take is to check with the Planning Department to see if your business use is compatible with the zoning for the location you desire. The business may be a permitted use, need a Conditional Use Permit, or may not be an allowable use for the particular zone.

A Conditional Use Permit allows a specific use in a zone that may have adverse impacts on surrounding uses. A business owner may be allowed to open a business in a certian zone as long as the landowner or business owner meets certain condions determined by the Planning Commission. Applications for Conditional Use Permit can be obtained at City Hall or on the Planning Permit Applications page.

4. MODIFYING YOUR EXISTING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT?
A business owner, operating under a Conditional Use Permit, wishing to change the conditions of the CUP (change the hours of operation, add beer and wine sales, add live entertainment, etc.), may apply for a modification to the conditional use permit.

5. APPLYING FOR A SIGN PERMIT?
The first step needed to take is to check with the Planning Department to see if the shopping center or building that you want to place signage on has a designated Sign Program.

Sign Program

If the shopping center or building has a sign program, the sign must meet the requirements of the program to be approved.

No Sign Program

If the shopping center or building does not have a sign program, the sign must be approved by the Sign Committee. Sign Committee meets the first and third Wednesday of every month at 4:00 PM in the Planning Conference Room.

6. APPLYING FOR A BANNER PERMIT?
Banners shall not be displayed for more than a maximum of 60 days at a time and must be removed for a period of 30 days before applying for a new banner permit.

7. APPLYING FOR A TEMPORARY USE (PARKING LOT SALE, SEASONAL SALE)?
Businesses may apply for a Temporary Use Permit for a parking lot or seasonal sale to be displayed in front of their business. Items being sold are limited to those that are normally sold at the business.

8. APPLYING FOR A NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT?

New housing developments with 4 or more lots-

-A Tentative Tract Map Application must be filled out with the City of Fountain Valley's Planning Department.

New housing developments with less than 4 lots-

-A Tentative Parcel Map Application must be filled out with the City of Fountain Valley's Planning Department.

9. BUILDING A BLOCK WALL?
To replace or construct a new block wall in the city, the following requirements must be met.

From your front property line back 20 feet, the block wall cannot exceed a height limit of 3 feet tall.
Behind the 20 foot front setback requirement, the block wall can be 6 feet tall.
For lots that back up to arterial roads, block walls may be extended to a height of 8 feet.

*Note: Any block wall over 6 feet in height may need special requirements from the Building Department. Contact the Building Department for requirements and for building permits at (714) 593-4429.

10. BUILDING A GARAGE*, GAZEBO, GREENHOUSE, PATIO COVER**, DETACHED STORAGE SHED***, WORKSHOP OR SIMILAR ACCESSORY STRUCTURE (MORE THAN 120 SQUARE FEET)?

Side and rear setback requirement is 5 feet from the property line.
Street side setback requirement is 10 feet from the property line.

*Note: GARAGE
- Garages on corner or reverse corner lots shall not be built closer than 20 feet to any street side property line.

**Note: PATIO COVER
- For attached patio covers and patio enclosures, the minimum required setbacks are:

20 feet from front property line.
5 feet from side property line.
20 percent of the lot depth or 25 feet, whichever is lees from the rear property line. Exception: Patio covers with a width less than 50 percent of the total lot width may have a 10-foot minimum rear setback.

-For detached patio covers and patio enclosures, the minimum required setbacks are:

20 feet from front property line.
10 feet from house.
5 feet from side and rear property lines.

***Note: DETACHED STORAGE SHED
-For detached storage sheds the following setback requirements apply:

Sheds under 6 feet in height - setback of 5 feet from property line.
Sheds 6-10 feet in height - setback of 10 feet from property line.
Sheds 10-15 feet in height - setback of 15 feet from property line.

For Building Permit information, please call (714) 593-4429.

11. BUILDING A SWIMMING POOL, SPA*, FISH POND**, OR PERMANENTLY INSTALLED OUTDOOR PLAY EQUIPMENT?

Side and rear setback requirement is 5 feet to the property line.
Street side setback requirement is 10 feet to the property line.

*Note: SWIMMING POOL, SPA
-Swimming pools and spas must maintain a 5 foot setback from the house structure to the water line.

**Note: FISH POND

-Ponds less than 18 inches in depth shall be allowed within the front setback area.

For Building or Pool Permit information, please call (714) 593-4429.

12. NEW AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT OR POOL AND SPA EQUIPMENT?

Side setback requirement is 3 feet or 18 inches if located behind main structure.
Street side setback requirement is 5 feet from property line.
Rear setback requirement is 18 inches from property line.

For Building or Mechanical Permit information, please call (714) 593-4429.

13. ADDING A SECOND UNIT TO A SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOT (GRANNY UNIT)?

Secondary dwelling units are allowed and must comply with the following:

SITE REQUIREMENTS

The parcel shall have a minimum area of 7,200 square feet.
The parcel shall be developed with only one existing single-family detached main dwelling.

LOCATION OF SECONDARY UNIT

The secondary unit may be within, attached to, or detached from the existing main dwelling. If detached, the secondary unit shall be separated from the main dwelling a minimum of 10 feet.

DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS. THE SECONDARY UNIT SHALL:

Have a minimum gross floor area of 400 square feet.
Have a maximum floor area of 30 percent of the existing living area of the main dwelling for an attached unit or 1,200 square feet of floor area for a detached unit.
Match the existing unit's exterior materials, colors, roof materials, and windows and be architecturally compatible with the main dwelling.
Comply with height and setback requirements for the main dwelling.
Contain separate kitchen and bathroom facilities and have a separate entrance from the main dwelling.
Have a minimum of 1,000 square feet of open space remaining in the rear yard.
The secondary dwelling unit shall be provided with one off-street enclosed parking space, in addition to that required for the main dwelling.
The secondary dwelling unit shall not be sold independently of the main dwelling on the parcel.
All new utility hook-ups shall be underground.

14. PLANS TO LANDSCAPE YOUR FRONT YARD?

Within the required front yard setback, 50% must be landscaped with live plant materials. Crushed rock, redwood chips, pebbles, stone and similar materials shall be allowed up to 15% of the total required landscape area.