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1. When do I need a building permit?

You would need a building permit for any interior or exterior alterations and additions to your home and for various improvements on your property, including any new fences higher than 6-feet, installation of landscaping irrigation systems and retaining walls higher than 3-feet, and construction of accessory buildings over 120 square feet. Most exterior improvements require Town of Moraga Planning Department or Engineering Department approval prior to filing an application for a building permit.

2. Where is the Building Department located?

The Town of Moraga uses the Contra Costa County (CCC) Building Department for review, approval and inspection of building permits. The CCC Building Department has a Lamorinda office located at:
3685 Mount Diablo Boulevard
Suite 120
Lafayette, CA 94549

The telephone number of the Lamorinda Building Department office is 925-299-0263. Their office is open from 8 am to noon and 1 pm to 5 pm, Monday through Thursday, and 8 am to noon and 1 pm to 4 pm on Friday. Additional information, including a Lamorinda building permit application form, may be obtained from the county’s website.

The main office of the CCC Conservation and Development Department is located at:
30 Muir Road
Martinez, CA 94553

Their telephone number is toll free: 855-DCD-COCO (855-323-2626). You can also schedule appointments at 925-646-4108.

3. What projects can be approved by the Building Department without Town of Moraga approval?

Most building permit applications for termite repair work, re-roofing, solar panel installations on existing roofs and interior remodeling, where no exterior changes to the walls or windows are proposed and where the size of an existing garage will not be modified, may be taken directly to the Contra Costa County Building Department. However, if the work exceeds the Town’s thresholds for recycling construction and demolition materials, then an applicant will need to submit a recycling deposit with the Town prior to applying for a building permit. For, example any re-roofing project for a roof larger than 1,000 square feet (10 squares), would required a recycling deposit.

Reconstruction of a rotten deck will require pictures of the existing deck and the deck cannot be expanded or additional posts added without Town approval.

4. Can the windows in my home be replaced without prior Town approval?

Windows can be replaced without Town of Moraga Planning Department approval as long as the size of the windows is not increased more than 10% larger than the size of the existing windows and no additional windows are added to the home. An exception to this rule is provided for any increase in the size of a window to comply with egress requirements of the building code. A building permit is necessary to replace the windows.

5. What permits are required in order to change or widen my driveway?

Alterations to existing curbs require an Encroachment Permit from the Town Engineer’s office. Design Review Board approval is required for any paved parking area in the front yard whose width exceeds the width of the garage (Moraga Municipal Code Section 8.76.100-F). Driveway paving longer than 50 feet or wider than 16 feet should be constructed of previous paving materials (Design Guidelines SFR1.7) (See Guideline D9.2).

For more information, please refer to the Town of Moraga Design Guidelines document.

6. Do I need a permit to build a fence?

You generally do not need a building permit to construct fences of 6-feet or less in height on your property; however, you do need Zoning Administrator approval to build a fence higher than 3-feet in the front yard setback or exterior side yard setback on corner lots (Moraga Municipal Code (MMC) Section 8.68.040-A). The height of a fence is measured from the highest point of the fence to the lowest point of the finished grade below the fence.

• Design Review Board approval is required for fences that are higher than 3-feet that are visible from a "scenic corridor" (MMC Section 8.132.040-A.3), which includes:
  • Camino Pablo
  • Canyon Road
  • Canyon Road
  • Moraga Road
  • Moraga Way
  • Rheem Boulevard
  • St. Mary’s Road
• Fences between 6-feet and 7-feet 6-inches in height along interior side yard and rear yard property lines may be approved by the Design Review Board.
• A variance is required for fences exceeding 7-feet 6-inches in height with review by the Planning Commission (MMC Section 8.68.040-B).
• Fences that are higher than 6-feet require a building permit. The total height of a fence on top of a retaining wall shall not exceed 8-feet without Design Review Board approval (Design Guidelines ID11.2).

For more information, please refer to the Town of Moraga Design Guidelines document.