Outdoor Living Spaces in Arroyo Grande and the Edna Valley
Paso Robles Landscaping designs and builds outdoor living spaces in Arroyo Grande and the Edna Valley: covered patios, outdoor kitchens, fire features, garden terraces and the paths and lighting that connect them. This stretch of the county has mild weather most of the year, with afternoon wind off the ocean and cool evenings, so the outdoor rooms that get used are the ones built for wind and warmth. Call 805-712-4440 or request a free estimate.
Designing for Wind and Cool Evenings
- Shelter. We place seating on the lee side of the house or behind a wall, a solid-roof patio cover or screened pergola, and use planting as a windbreak.
- Warmth. A fireplace or fire pit next to the seating, heaters and lighting make the space usable after sunset.
- Kitchens. An outdoor kitchen under cover, with counters and bar seating facing the yard or the view.
- Gardens. Raised beds and fruit trees are common requests on larger lots, often next to the patio.
City of Arroyo Grande Rules
Inside city limits, the City issues permits. A few rules shape most outdoor rooms:
- Walls and fences. Under the City's fence and wall standards (16.48.020), walls, hedges and fences in a required front yard on a residential lot are limited to 3 feet, or 6 feet if the part above 3 feet is at least 90% open. Side, rear and street-side yards allow 6 feet. If a retaining wall is less than 18 inches from a parallel fence or wall, the height is measured together.
- Structures. Patio covers, outdoor kitchens with gas or electrical and walls over about 4 feet need City building permits, and we prepare the plans with you.
- The Village. Properties in the historic Village go through architectural review under the Village Design Guidelines. Many neighborhoods also have HOA review; we prepare drawings for both.
- Oaks. Coast live oaks on single-family lots above the City's size threshold are regulated, so we lay out patios and trenches around them.
Edna Valley and Rural Lots
Los Ranchos and the Edna Valley are unincorporated, so County Planning & Building handles permits there. County rules we plan around include the 19.02.020 wall exemption (walls up to 4 feet from the bottom of the footing, unless loaded or near a property line), the 3-foot front-setback limit on solid walls and fences, and a grading permit for more than 50 cubic yards of earthwork. Many parcels run on wells or small water systems, as the County's Los Ranchos/Edna Village Plan describes, so we put the planting around an outdoor room on drip with a weather-based controller. Hillside parcels can also sit in a mapped fire hazard zone, which shapes what goes against the house.
Slopes and Soil
Hillside neighborhoods above Arroyo Grande and the slopes around the Edna Valley usually need a terrace before an outdoor room. We build it with retaining walls, steps and drainage; see retaining walls in Arroyo Grande. Clay in the hills holds water and moves, so patio bases are dug deeper and every surface slopes away from the house.
Cost depends on size, structures, utilities, walls, access and finishes. We give you a written estimate after a site visit; our backyard landscaping cost guide explains the factors. Pool projects: pool projects in Arroyo Grande. More on our Arroyo Grande and Edna Valley landscaping pages.
Nearby Areas We Serve
From Arroyo Grande we also work in Los Ranchos and Edna Valley, Pismo Beach, Shell Beach, Nipomo and San Luis Obispo. See every community on our San Luis Obispo County service area page. For runoff, ponding and wet-season fixes, see yard drainage in Arroyo Grande. For driveways, walks and slabs poured to the City driveway and sidewalk standards, see concrete flatwork in Arroyo Grande.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a patio cover in Arroyo Grande?
Patio covers generally need a City building permit inside Arroyo Grande city limits. In the unincorporated Edna Valley, the County issues it. We prepare the plans.
How tall can a front-yard wall be in Arroyo Grande?
In a required front yard on a residential lot, 3 feet, or up to 6 feet if the part above 3 feet is at least 90% open. Side and rear yards allow 6 feet.
How do you deal with the afternoon wind?
We put seating on the sheltered side of the house or behind a wall, cover, screen or planting, and add a fire feature and heaters for evenings.
Do you work in the Edna Valley and Los Ranchos?
Yes. Those areas are unincorporated, so permits go through County Planning & Building.
How much does an outdoor living space cost?
It depends on size, structures, utilities, walls, access and finishes. We give a free written estimate after a site visit.
Planning an Outdoor Room in Arroyo Grande or the Edna Valley?
We will check sun, wind, slope and permits, and give you a free estimate.
Call 805-712-4440 Get a Free Estimate
Paso Robles Landscaping · 1345 Riverside Ave, Paso Robles · Licensed contractor, CSLB #986950 · Serving all of San Luis Obispo County
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