The Planning Customer Service Counter is open from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Mondays through Fridays (closed holidays). We are located inside City Hall at 2929 Tapo Canyon Road, or you may contact us at (805) 583-6769 or enviroservices@simivalley.org.

Please note that an appointment will be required in order to submit a formal Planning application. Please call (805) 583-6769 or email enviroservices@simivalley.org to schedule an appointment.

You may determine if your property is within the City’s limits by checking the City’s Zoning Map. If the property is within the City’s boundaries (indicated by the red line), and has a zoning designation, your property is within the City of Simi Valley. If you are outside of the City’s boundaries, you will need to contact Ventura County’s Resource Management Agency.

If your property is outside of the Valley Floor, and contains natural slopes of 20% or greater, then you may not develop on the slopes (with the exception of an 800 square foot detached Accessory Dwelling Unit).

If your property is outside of the Valley Floor, in a Homeowner’s Association, and contains graded slopes of 20% or greater, the graded slopes are the responsibility of the HOA. If development is proposed on the slopes, please contact the Planning Division at (805) 583-6769 or email enviroservices@simivalley.org to schedule an appointment.

Please refer to the Residential Fences and Walls Exhibit  to find out the allowable height for your property line wall, fence, or hedge. You may also visit the Planning Counter, and a Planner will help determine your options based on your individual property.

For most residential fences and walls, a Building Permit and Zoning Clearance are not required (see Municipal Code for exemptions). However, if you are planning to build a retaining wall, both a Zoning Clearance and Building Permit will be required.

For more information about parking on your property, please contact the Planning Division at (805) 583-6769 or enviroservices@simivalley.org.

For more information regarding parking your RV or trailer on the street, contact the Simi Valley Police Department at (805) 583-6921.

You may be able to subdivide your residential property if it is at least twice the minimum lot size for the zone in which your parcel is located. While most lot subdivisions are a discretionary review, SB-9 subdivisions may be done ministerially (over-the-counter). Please contact the Planning Division at (805) 583-6769 or enviroservices@simivalley.org to help you determine whether your property meets the minimum size requirement and whether your property qualifies for SB-9 subdivision.

It is important to note that the most accurate way to determine the exact location of your property line is to have your property surveyed by a licensed professional. However, there are other resources you can use to help determine your property line’s location. For instance, you can access the Assessor’s Parcel Map for your property by visiting the Ventura County Assessor’s website, to obtain the dimensions of your property lines and locate fixed points from which you can measure. You may also want to check your deed for a description of your property’s measurements and boundaries in words.

Yes, you will need permits to remodel your house. If there are additions proposed, Planning will require a site plan showing setbacks from property lines, floor plans and elevations of the addition for review and issuance of a Zoning Clearance. Building and Safety will review for issuance of a Building Permit. Plans consisting of all proposed architectural, energy, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical changes will need to be submitted to the City for plan review and permit processing via the City’s Customer Self Service (CSS) Portal.

A Tree Removal Permit is required for the proposed removal of any protected tree(s), defined as: “All historic trees, all mature native oak trees, or any matures trees which are associated with a proposal of urban development, are located on a vacant parcel, or are located on developed properties.” However, with the exception of mature native oak trees and historic trees, removing a tree from the private yard of a single-family dwelling does not require City approval.

For additional information about tree removal, including permit requirements, please contact the Planning Division at (805) 583-6769 or enviroservices@simivalley.org.

Trees located in the public right-of-way (parkway trees) may not be removed without approval from the Public Works Department. Please call the Public Works Counter at (805) 583-6400 for more information.

A total of four domestic dogs, cats, and/or Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs may be kept on one residential lot. Other domestic animals that are neither farm animals nor exotic/wild animals, including domestic mice and rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles, tropical fish, canaries, parakeets, parrots, pigeons, and doves may also be kept at your home, so long as they are not maintained for commercial purposes and do not exceed a total of six animals (fish being exempt).

For additional information, please contact the Planning Division at (805) 583-6769 or enviroservices@simivalley.org.

In order to keep farm animals on a parcel, your property must be located within an Animal (A), Limited Animal (L), or Horse (H) Overlay Zone.

The keeping of farm animals must comply with specific quantity, density, and setback standards established by the Development Code – please refer to SVMC 9-44.060 “Animal Keeping”. To find out if your property is zoned for farm animals, please refer to the City Zoning Maps.

For more information regarding the City’s farm animal-keeping standards, please contact the Planning Division at (805) 583-6769 or enviroservices@simivalley.org.

A Zoning Clearance (valid for one year) may be issued to the person and property owner to allow for a maximum of six hens (roosters not permitted) in conjunction with the City’s Hen Project. The Zoning Clearance can be renewed on an annual basis. The property must contain a single-family dwelling and be zoned for single-family use, with a minimum of 8,000 square feet.

If you are starting a new business or conducting business in the City of Simi Valley, you are required to obtain a Business Tax Certificate. You may apply for a Business Tax Certificate (BTC) by following the instructions on our dedicated Business Tax webpage. The Planning Division will check to see if your proposed business is an allowed use within the zoning district you would like to locate your business.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact SimiValley@hdlgov.com or by phone at (805) 850-1521, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (PST).

If you plan to operate your business out of a residence, you will need a Home Occupation Permit from the Planning Division prior to applying for a BTC.  Please familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations governing Home Occupations by downloading our brochure. You can then apply online for a Home Occupation Permit, using our Online Permit Submittal Instructions for guidance. If you have any questions, please call the Planning Division at (805) 583-6769. You will receive a decision or a request for further information typically within 14 days.

All Applications for Massage Establishments and Off-premises Massage Business Permits must be submitted in person, and are accepted by appointment only. Applications must be complete. No partial applications will be accepted. Please contact Commander Muehler at (805) 583-6972 to schedule an appointment. For more information, please click here.

You may find out about current or new development in the City by accessing our Development Summaries page, which is updated quarterly. Projects can be located by using the Map Number in the first column and referring to the corresponding map in the document.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Planning Division at (805) 583-6769 or enviroservices@simivalley.org.

It is recommended that you first check in with the Planning Division to ensure that there is sufficient parking on the property to operate your business.

If there are exterior modifications proposed, Planning will require elevation plans and sign plans for review and issuance of a Zoning Clearance. Plans consisting of all proposed architectural, disabled access, energy, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical changes will need to be submitted to the City for plan review and permit processing via the City’s Customer Self Service (CSS) Portal. If there are no exterior modifications proposed, Building and Safety will review for issuance of a Building Permit.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Planning Division at (805) 583-6769 or enviroservices@simivalley.org.

If you are interested in providing senior housing and/or including affordable units as part of your proposed residential project, please refer to Affordable and Senior Housing.