Bolthole Index

San Bernardino County, California

Zoning, building permits and septic in Grand Terrace, California

The City of Grand Terrace, in San Bernardino County, California, runs its own zoning1 and has adopted the 2025 California Residential Code for homes inside city limits2. Camping on private property in the city is unlawful3. We could not confirm who handles septic or well permits inside the city, so ask San Bernardino County Environmental Health Services4.

At a glance

Zoning
City zoning plan with residential districts (RH, R1-20, R1-10, R1-7.2, R2, R3 and others)15
Building code
2025 California Residential Code, with local amendments2
Minimum lot size
20,000, 10,000 or 7,200 sq ft in the R1 districts6
Minimum home size
1,350 sq ft of living area in R1 districts7
Front setback
25 ft in residential districts (some exceptions)8
RV or camping
Camping on public or private property is unlawful3
Manufactured homes
Allowed on a permanent foundation if 10 years old or newer at installation9
Septic and wells
Not confirmed inside the city; ask county Environmental Health Services4

Who to call

Building permits

City of Grand Terrace Building & Safety

Building permit counter and inspection requests inside Grand Terrace city limits

(909) 954-5181

22795 Barton Rd. Grand Terrace, CA 92313

Planning & zoning

City of Grand Terrace Planning

Zoning questions and planning applications inside Grand Terrace city limits

(909) 954-5176

22795 Barton Rd. Grand Terrace, CA 92313

Septic permits

San Bernardino County Environmental Health Services - Land Use & Wastewater Program

County office to ask about septic systems and wells; the county is the lead agency for these in unincorporated areas

(800) 442-2283

385 N. Arrowhead Ave, 2nd Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0160

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Grand Terrace means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Grand Terrace, CA have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Grand Terrace has adopted its own zoning plan, a districting plan under state law1. The residential districts are RH, R1-20, R1-10, R1-7.2, R2, R3, R3-S, R3-20 and R3-245.

In the single-family R1 districts, minimum lot size is 20,000 square feet in R1-20, 10,000 in R1-10 and 7,200 in R1-7.26. A single-family home in an R1 district needs at least 1,350 square feet of living area7. Front yards in residential districts are 25 feet, with exceptions in the code's footnotes8. Lot coverage tops out at 40% in R1-20 and 50% in R1-10 and R1-7.210, and residential buildings are capped at 35 feet, with accessory structures limited to 20 feet11. Side and rear setbacks vary by district; ask the city planning office12.

Do you need a building permit in Grand Terrace, and who issues it?

Grand Terrace has adopted the 2025 California Residential Code, with local amendments in the city's Chapter 15.10, for residential buildings inside city limits2. Manufactured homes and modular units installed in the city also need a building permit9. The city's own Building & Safety office takes inspection requests13.

We could not confirm the city's permit exemptions, fees or certificate-of-occupancy rules, so call the city's Building & Safety office before you start. The San Bernardino County Building and Safety rules apply to unincorporated land, not to parcels inside Grand Terrace; for land outside the city, see the San Bernardino County page.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Grand Terrace?

Camping on any public or private property in Grand Terrace is unlawful and a public nuisance, and the City Manager may issue a temporary permit only in connection with a special event3. Under the code, camping means using a single location for more than 24 hours3. Living in an RV on a lot inside the city is therefore not a safe plan.

RVs parked in flood-mapped zones A1-30, AH and AE must be on site fewer than 180 consecutive days or be fully licensed and ready for highway use14. We found no tiny-home rule for the city, so ask the planning office12.

Manufactured homes are allowed if they meet the zone's standards, are 10 years old or newer at installation and sit on a permanent foundation9.

How do septic permits work in Grand Terrace?

We could not confirm who permits septic systems or water wells inside Grand Terrace city limits. We found no city septic program. Ask San Bernardino County Environmental Health Services, which handles septic systems in the county's unincorporated area4. California septic oversight is split between the state water boards and local agencies15. Well permits in California are generally issued by local agencies such as county environmental health departments16.

Building a home in Grand Terrace: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district and lot standards with city Planning12.
  2. Check the district's lot size, front setback and 1,350-square-foot home minimum for R1 districts7.
  3. Apply for a building permit from the city's Building & Safety office, under the 2025 California Residential Code213.
  4. Ask county Environmental Health Services about septic or sewer connection4.
  5. Request inspections through city Building & Safety13.

What stays with San Bernardino County, and what to check before you buy

Septic and well questions point to San Bernardino County Environmental Health Services4. San Bernardino County's property tax rate is an effective 0.7%, with a median bill of $3,346 a year1718. These tax figures are county-level, not specific to Grand Terrace.

Check flood zones, because the city has special rules for RVs and development in zones A1-30, AH and AE14. For rules on unincorporated land nearby, use the San Bernardino County page.

Watch-outs

  • Camping on private property in Grand Terrace is unlawful, so do not plan to live in an RV on a city lot3.
  • We could not confirm the city's building permit exemptions, fees or inspection rules; call the city Building & Safety office13.
  • We could not confirm who issues septic or well permits inside the city; ask county Environmental Health Services4.

Sources

  1. Grand Terrace Municipal Code Title 18 Zoning, Sec. 18.03.010 and Table 18.10.040 (Grand Terrace), quoted and re-checked
  2. Grand Terrace Municipal Code 15.10.010 Residential Code adoption (Grand Terrace), quoted and re-checked
  3. Grand Terrace Municipal Code 9.32.030 Unlawful camping (Grand Terrace), quoted and re-checked
  4. San Bernardino County Environmental Health Services - Land Use & Wastewater Program (ehs.sbcounty.gov)
  5. Grand Terrace Municipal Code Title 18 Zoning, Sec. 18.03.010 and Table 18.10.040 (Grand Terrace), quoted and re-checked
  6. Grand Terrace Municipal Code Title 18 Zoning, Sec. 18.03.010 and Table 18.10.040 (Grand Terrace), quoted and re-checked
  7. Grand Terrace Municipal Code Title 18 Zoning, Sec. 18.03.010 and Table 18.10.040 (Grand Terrace), quoted and re-checked
  8. Grand Terrace Municipal Code Title 18 Zoning, Sec. 18.03.010 and Table 18.10.040 (Grand Terrace), quoted and re-checked
  9. Grand Terrace Municipal Code 18.66.040 Manufactured homes site development standards (Grand Terrace), quoted and re-checked
  10. Grand Terrace Municipal Code Title 18 Zoning, Sec. 18.03.010 and Table 18.10.040 (Grand Terrace), quoted and re-checked
  11. Grand Terrace Municipal Code Title 18 Zoning, Sec. 18.03.010 and Table 18.10.040 (Grand Terrace), quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Grand Terrace Planning (grandterrace-ca.gov)
  13. City of Grand Terrace Building & Safety (grandterrace-ca.gov)
  14. Grand Terrace Municipal Code 15.62.210 Floodplain standards for recreational vehicles (Grand Terrace), quoted and re-checked
  15. Water Quality Control Policy for Siting, Design, Operation and Maintenance of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS Policy) (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Well Standards (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Grand Terrace

Grand Terrace’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Residential buildings inside Grand Terrace city

    • Adopted 'Except as provided in this Chapter'; local amendments exist in Chapter 15.10

    residential code: 2025 California Residential Code

    “except as provided in this chapter, those certain building codes known and designated as the 2025 california residential code based on the 2024 international residential code published by the international code council are hereby adopted by reference”
  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Grand Terrace city limits

    “there is adopted a zoning plan for the city. the zoning plan is a districting plan, as provided by state law.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Residential districts inside Grand Terrace city (RH, R1-20, R1-10, R1-7.2, R2, R3, R3-S, R3-20, R3-24)

    • Nonresidential districts not enumerated here
    “table 18.10.040 site development standards development issue rh r1-20 r1-10 r1-7.2 r2 r3 r3-s r3-20 r3-24”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family dwellings in R1 districts (R1-20, R1-10, R1-7.2) inside Grand Terrace city

    • Column alignment of the table is inferred; RH requires a specific plan

    minimum living area single family: >= 1350 square feet

    “living area (minimum square feet) * single family _ a 1,350 d 1,350 d 1,350 d 1,350 d 1,350 d - - -”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential districts RH, R1-20 (20,000), R1-10 (10,000), R1-7.2 (7,200 sq ft) inside Grand Terrace city

    • RH requires a specific plan

    R1-20 minimum area: >= 20000 square feet · R1-10 minimum area: >= 10000 square feet · R1-7.2 minimum area: >= 7200 square feet

    “area (minimum square feet) _ a 20,000 10,000 7,200 10,000 12,000 g 12,000 12,000”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential districts inside Grand Terrace city (front yard 25 ft)

    • Footnote b exceptions: patio cover side/rear 5 ft; accessory structure rear 10 ft; slope and parcel-map variations
    • Rear and side yard per-district values not resolved because table columns are ambiguous

    front yard: >= 25 feet (footnote b)

    “setbacks (minimum linear feet) •front yard _ a 25 b 25 b 25 b 25 b 25 b 25 b 25 b”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential districts inside Grand Terrace city (R1-20 40%, R1-10 50%, R1-7.2 50%)

    • Column mapping inferred from table order

    R1-20 max coverage: <= 40 percent · R1-10 max coverage: <= 50 percent · R1-7.2 max coverage: <= 50 percent

    “lot coverage (maximum percent) _ a 40 50 50 60 f 60 g 60 60”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential districts inside Grand Terrace city

    • Accessory structures shall not exceed 20 feet in height, with exceptions in Section 18.73.090

    maximum height: <= 35 feet (accessory structures 20 feet)

    “height (maximum linear feet) _ a 35 e 35 e 35 e 35 e 35 e g 35 e 35 e”
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    Camping on public or private property inside Grand Terrace city

    • City Manager may issue temporary permit for camping in connection with a special event
    • Camping means use of a single location for more than 24 hours

    camping threshold: > 24 hours

    “a. it is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person to camp, occupy camp facilities, or use camp paraphernalia on any public property or any private property. b. the city manager may, as provided in section 4.100.050, issue a temporary permit to allow camping on public or private property in connection with a special event.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes and modular units inside Grand Terrace city

    • Must comply with underlying zone standards
    • Age at installation ten years or less
    • Building permit required

    maximum age at installation: <= 10 years

    “a. site development standards for manufactured homes and modular units shall comply with the standards of the underlying zone district, and other applicable provisions of the zoning code. b. the age of the manufactured home or modular unit at the time of installation shall be ten years or less. c. a manufactured home or modular unit shall be installed on a permanent foundation.”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Development in Zones A1-30, AH and AE inside Grand Terrace city

    • Chapter 15.62 floodplain management; RVs on site 180 consecutive days or more must be licensed and highway-ready or meet permit and elevation requirements

    RV duration threshold: < 180 days

    “a. all recreational vehicles placed on site in zones a1-30, ah, and ae on the community's flood insurance rate map shall either: 1. be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive days; 2. be fully licensed and ready for highway use.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Grand Terrace or San Bernardino County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Grand Terrace city
  • Inspections — Construction inside Grand Terrace city
  • Certificate of occupancy — New buildings inside Grand Terrace city
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Grand Terrace city
  • Who permits septic — Onsite wastewater inside Grand Terrace city
9 more unanswered
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Grand Terrace publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. San Bernardino County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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