Rebuilding in Altadena, with one team from plans to keys.

If you are rebuilding after the Eaton fire

Rebuilding a home is hard enough without three separate firms to coordinate. Gross Design + Build designs and builds as one team, under our California general contractor license, CSL 1079184. We prepare the plans, take them through LA County's reviews, and build the house, so you have one point of contact from the first meeting to the final inspection.

Altadena is unincorporated LA County

Altadena is not part of any city. Building permits come from LA County Public Works Building and Safety, zoning from LA County Regional Planning, and fire review from the LA County Fire Department. The County's current building codes, based on the 2025 California codes, took effect January 1, 2026, though a state executive order lets some fire rebuilds use the prior code; we confirm which applies to your permit. For rebuilds, the County runs an Altadena One-Stop Permit Center at 464 W Woodbury Road, Suite 210, with walk-in hours on weekdays and rebuild consultations several mornings a week.

Like-for-like rebuilds

Under the County's Eaton fire rules, a like-for-like rebuild keeps the same use and generally the same location and may grow by up to 10 percent or 200 square feet, whichever is greater. Like-for-like projects are exempt from current zoning standards, but not from building, fire, or health and safety codes, and debris removal must be complete before a building permit is issued. The County's Disaster Recovery Permit runs under an interim ordinance extended to August 22, 2027, its final extension, and approved applications must be used by January 7, 2030. County guidance also asks that like-for-like applications be submitted within two years of the emergency declaration, with extensions available, so it pays to start early.

Building beyond like-for-like

A larger or redesigned home must meet current County zoning, including the Altadena Community Standards District. For single-family lots it sets, among other things:

• Height of 30 feet on lots under 20,000 square feet (35 feet on larger lots), no more than 23 feet within 15 feet of a property line, and two stories maximum
• Floor area and lot coverage each capped at 25 percent of net lot area plus 1,000 square feet, up to 9,000 square feet
• Side yards of 10 percent of lot width (5 feet minimum) and rear yards of 25 or 35 feet by lot size
• A 20 foot minimum front yard for fire rebuilds, though a like-for-like rebuild may keep a smaller pre-fire setback

Oak tree permits may also be required.

Fees, plans, and fire safety

The County defers or refunds many permit fees for owners who owned and lived in the home before January 7, 2025, including zoning, plan review, permit, inspection, and fire review fees. It also offers pre-approved standard plans for homes and ADUs in the Eaton fire area. In fire hazard severity zones, rebuilds use fire-resistant construction and need a County Fire fuel modification plan, which must be resubmitted if the footprint or planting changes. A will-serve letter from your water provider, one of several serving Altadena, is also required.

One limit to know: parcels inside the Eaton fire boundary that are also in a Very High fire zone are not eligible for ministerial SB 9 lot splits or two-unit projects under a County memo following the Governor's executive order.

Common questions

Related: Pasadena, Custom homes, ADUs.