The short answer
How long do story poles stay up? From a set number of days before the public hearing until the hearing is over and the appeal period has closed. After that they must come down within the town’s removal deadline. In California that means poles go up 7 days to four weeks before the hearing depending on the jurisdiction, stay through a 10-to-15-day appeal window in most towns, and are removed anywhere from 48 hours to 60 days after the decision. A typical residential project has poles standing for four to eight weeks; continuances and appeals stretch that.
How Long Do Story Poles Stay Up? Three Clocks, Not One
Every story pole policy has three separate timing rules. Confusing them is how owners miss deadlines.
- Lead time: how far before the hearing (or before the public notice) the poles must be installed and, where required, certified.
- Hold period: how long after the decision the poles must stay so that an appeal can be judged on the same evidence.
- Removal deadline: how soon after the hold period the poles must be gone.
Lead times before the hearing (as of September 2026)
| Town | Poles must be up |
|---|---|
| Santa Barbara County BAR | at least 3 days before the BAR meeting |
| Santa Barbara (City) | minimum 7 days before the hearing; longer for major projects |
| Mill Valley | 10 days before the Planning Commission hearing, when the notice goes out |
| Los Altos Hills | before public notice; no less than 10 days before the hearing |
| Hillsborough | 10 business days before the ADRB meeting; certified within 5 days of install |
| Tiburon | 14 calendar days before the hearing; photos 10 days before |
| Monte Sereno | 14 days before the Site and Architecture meeting, by 9 am |
| Los Altos (City) | 20 days before the first hearing |
| Laguna Beach | 21 calendar days before the first DRB hearing, certified (14 for administrative review) |
| Calabasas | at least four weeks before the Planning Commission hearing; certified three weeks before |
| Los Gatos, Malibu, Burbank | before the public notice is mailed, which the planner releases only after the poles are up (and, in Malibu and Burbank, certified) |
Mill Valley explains the reason in its FAQ. The poles go up at the same time as the notice to owners within 300 feet so the public and the Commissioners have time to view the dimensions (City of Mill Valley, FAQ).
Hold periods and removal deadlines
| Town | After the decision |
|---|---|
| Calabasas | remain through the appeal process; removed no later than 48 hours after the decision date |
| Burbank | remain through the 15-day appeal period; removable the next business day after it ends |
| Malibu | remain for the approval process; removed within 7 calendar days after the final appeal period |
| Monte Sereno | remain 10 days after the Commission’s decision; if no appeal, removed within one week |
| Mill Valley | removed immediately after the 10-day appeal period |
| Tiburon | remain through the 10-business-day appeal period; removed no later than 14 business days after final action |
| Hillsborough | remain through the 15-day appeal period; removed no earlier than 15 and no later than 20 days after final action |
| Laguna Beach | remain through the 14-day appeal and call-for-review period; removed within 20 calendar days of the final decision (deposit forfeited if late) |
| Los Altos Hills | remain until the hearing and appeal period pass; if appealed, until the appeal is decided |
| Los Gatos | remain until 60 days after the first public hearing or the end of the final appeal period, whichever is first |
| Santa Barbara (City) | stay until the hearing; the applicant may keep them through the appeal period |
Calabasas has the shortest removal window in our service area, 48 hours (City of Calabasas, Story Pole Procedures). We schedule removal to each town’s clock.
What extends the timeline
- Continuances. If the board continues the hearing, the poles stay. Hillsborough requires removal and re-installation if a project is off-calendar more than three weeks; Laguna Beach requires re-staking and re-certification 14 days before any subsequent hearing when the Board orders design changes.
- Appeals. Every town keeps the poles up until an appeal is decided; some (Santa Barbara, Tiburon) may require re-installation for a City Council appeal.
- Design changes. Revised plans usually mean re-flagging and, where required, re-certification before the next hearing.
- Weather damage. Applicants must repair or reset fallen poles promptly; policies say so in Malibu, Calabasas, Burbank and Los Gatos.
Planning your schedule
Work backward from the hearing date. Subtract the town’s lead time, subtract the certification window if the surveyor must sign before the poles are “complete,” subtract 1 to 2 days for the install, and subtract our scheduling lead (typically 1 to 2 weeks). Then add the plan turnaround (1 to 2 business days) if the plan is not drafted yet. On a Calabasas project that is roughly seven weeks before the hearing; on a Santa Barbara project it can be three. Our requirements guide has every deadline in one table, and the city pages (Hillsborough, Los Gatos, Mill Valley, Malibu, Calabasas and more) go into detail.
Send the plan set, address and hearing date to hello@AllAmericanStoryPoles.com, or call or text (650) 613-1721 (Northern California) or (310) 980-2543 (Southern California), and we will build the schedule. Story pole installation.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance do story poles have to go up?
From 3 days (Santa Barbara County) to four weeks (Calabasas) before the hearing, depending on the town. Most Bay Area towns require 10 to 14 days; Laguna Beach requires 21 calendar days; Los Gatos, Malibu and Burbank require the poles before the notice is mailed.
Do story poles have to stay up during the appeal period?
Yes, in every town we work in. The appeal period runs 10 to 15 days in most jurisdictions, and if an appeal is filed the poles stay until it is decided.
When do story poles come down?
Within the town’s removal deadline after the hold period: 48 hours in Calabasas, the next business day in Burbank, 7 days in Malibu, 14 business days in Tiburon, 15 to 20 days in Hillsborough, 20 days in Laguna Beach, up to 60 days after the first hearing in Los Gatos.
Do you remove the story poles?
Yes. We remove our materials when the review period closes, scheduled to the town’s deadline.
Story pole requirements are set by each city, town, county or review board and change from time to time. Town details in this guide reflect published policies as of September 2026. Confirm current requirements with the planning department before your submittal.
