What story pole construction means here
Story pole construction is the building of a temporary, full-scale outline of a proposed structure on its own lot, from poles, string line and orange netting or flagging. The point is that a planning department, design review board or HOA can see the real height and bulk before approving it. This guide walks through how we build one, from the approved plan to the surveyor’s certification, and where California towns’ rules change the details. (Masons and carpenters also use “story pole” for a marked layout stick; that is a different subject.)
Step 1. Start from an approved story pole plan
No pole goes in without a plan. The plan is a simplified roof plan that shows each pole’s location, the top-of-roof elevation it must reach, and which poles connect along the ridges and eaves. Most towns require the planner to approve it before installation, and several specify its format. Burbank wants an 11 x 17 hardcopy and a PDF with the poles drawn in red on black-and-white sheets, on both the roof plan and the elevations (City of Burbank, Story Pole Instructions); Mill Valley wants numbered poles and a table with ground elevation, structure elevation, pole height and the maximum height allowed at that point.
A good plan simplifies the roof to its main ridges and major eaves. Tiburon and Santa Barbara put it plainly. Show a simple box that outlines the mass; do not draw every articulation.
We draft these plans in each town’s format, usually within 1 to 2 business days. Story pole plans.
Step 2. Lay out the pole locations
On a vacant lot, a licensed surveyor stakes the perimeter points from the plan, tied to a benchmark, because there is nothing on site to measure from. On a lot with an existing house, our crew measures pole locations and heights from the existing structure. Some towns (Los Altos Hills, for example) require the project surveyor or civil engineer to determine the perimeter points; others leave it to the installer and check at certification.
Step 3. Set and brace the poles
We use metal poles. Towns accept 2×4 lumber, metal or other sturdy material; several reject plastic pipe (Malibu, Burbank, Los Altos Hills), while a few accept PVC (Tiburon, Santa Barbara). Each pole is set at its plotted location and brought to the planned elevation, with grading accounted for so the pole shows the final building height, not the height above today’s dirt. On slopes and in wind we brace with guy wires or supports; Malibu requires the guy wires to be flagged for safety. Every policy requires the installation to withstand weather and to stay accurate until removal, and most say unsafe or fallen poles must be reset immediately.
Where do the poles go? At minimum, every outside building corner (to the wall line, not the eave edge, in Mill Valley, Tiburon and Santa Barbara), and at the ends of the main ridges including the highest. Towns add elements as they see fit, from decks to the top of the railing (Burbank) through chimneys, balconies, accessory buildings (Malibu, Calabasas), towers and cupolas (Los Gatos). One-story portions under the height trigger may be staked at ground level instead (Hillsborough).
Step 4. String the ridges and eaves
String line runs from pole top to pole top along each ridge and eave the plan shows. This is what draws the roof in the air. The line is tensioned so it does not sag; Calabasas specifically asks for a visually crisp, non-sagging representation.
Step 5. Attach flagging or netting
The connecting material is where towns differ most, so we match the policy.
- Pennant flagging in international orange along the string line is the most common request and reads well from a distance. We stock other high-visibility colors where different elements need to be distinguished, such as balconies, railings, trellises or trees to be removed.
- Mesh netting (orange woven plastic snow fencing or construction mesh) in a set width where the town wants a solid band: about 12 inches in Hillsborough, Malibu, Calabasas and Santa Barbara County; 24 inches in Burbank, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos and Monte Sereno.
- Double-row flagging as an alternative to netting in Los Gatos, with the rows two feet apart (Town of Los Gatos, policy PDF).
- Heavy-duty tape where a town allows it (Mill Valley, Tiburon, Santa Barbara). Police caution tape is not allowed in Mill Valley; flags, string and rope are not acceptable as netting in Burbank.
Step 6. Mark the poles
Several towns want heights readable by eye.
- Hillsborough: every pole painted with alternating black and white stripes 12 inches high.
- Burbank and Malibu: the top one foot painted black, height marked on the base; Malibu adds marks at 18 feet above grade and every foot above.
- Calabasas: the tallest pole marked in black at every one-foot increment.
- Los Gatos: one pole per elevation labeled in five-foot increments from grade.
- Mill Valley: each pole numbered to match the plan, in numbers large enough to read on site.
Step 7. Ground staking where required
Beyond the building outline, policies may require ground-level marking. That covers the building footprint and each floor level in colored ribbon (Monte Sereno); pools, tennis courts, driveway changes and open-space easements in stakes and ribbon (Hillsborough, Los Altos Hills); property lines and the footprint in stakes and string or chalk (Tiburon, Santa Barbara); and tape or tags on trees to be removed (most towns).
Step 8. Photograph the installation
Almost every town requires photographs after installation, from the street and from neighbor vantage points, sometimes from more distant public viewpoints where scenic views are involved, and often keyed to a map with the direction of each shot. Tiburon and Santa Barbara recommend one photo with a person beside a pole for scale. Some towns will not mail the hearing notice until the photos are in. We shoot them the day of the install and send you the set.
Step 9. Certification
Where the town requires it, a licensed professional inspects the poles against the plan and the benchmark and signs a certification, which may be a letter, the town’s own form or affidavit, or a stamp on the plan. Who may sign varies from surveyor-only (Hillsborough, Mill Valley, Monte Sereno, Laguna Beach) to any licensed professional including a contractor (Tiburon, Santa Barbara, Calabasas). Owners may never certify. We coordinate a licensed land surveyor on every certified job, usually the day after the install. Story pole certification.
Step 10. Maintenance and removal
The poles stay up through the notice period, the hearing and the appeal window. If they are damaged, the applicant must repair them; if the design changes, several towns require re-installation and re-certification before the next hearing. When the review closes, the poles come down inside the town’s deadline, which runs from 48 hours (Calabasas) to weeks. We remove our materials on that clock.
How long story pole construction takes
Most residential installations are completed in 1 to 2 days on site. Larger or steeper sites take longer. We are typically scheduled 1 to 2 weeks out, and the town’s lead time before the hearing (7 days to four weeks depending on the jurisdiction) sets the real deadline. Our requirements guide lists the lead times for 13 towns.
Story pole construction in California
All American Story Poles builds story poles to each town’s policy across Northern and Southern California, with the plan, photographs and certification handled by the same team. Send the plan set and project address to hello@AllAmericanStoryPoles.com, or call or text (650) 613-1721 (Northern California) or (310) 980-2543 (Southern California). How our installations work.
Frequently asked questions
What are story poles made of?
Metal poles or 2×4 lumber (PVC is rejected by several towns), braced with guy wires, with string line along the ridges and eaves carrying orange pennant flagging or a band of orange mesh netting in the width the town requires.
How are story poles installed?
Working from an approved plan, the pole locations are staked or measured, each pole is set and braced at its top-of-roof elevation with grading accounted for, the ridges and eaves are strung, flagging or netting is attached, the poles are marked as the town requires, and the installation is photographed and, where required, certified.
Can I build story poles myself?
Some towns allow owner installation, but most require a planner-approved plan, specific materials and markings, and certification by a licensed professional who is not the owner. Inaccurate poles get the hearing continued.
Why do some towns require netting and others flagging?
Netting shows a solid band along the roofline and reads better on view-sensitive lots; flagging is lighter and easier to keep up in wind. Each town chose based on its sites; Burbank requires mesh and rejects flagging, Los Gatos allows either.
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.
