100 local rules on file · Pop. 205 · Modoc County
Showing ordinances that apply to Adin, CA
Adin is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 205 in Modoc County, California. Because Adin is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Modoc County ordinances apply directly to residential and commercial properties here. The rules below are the county-level regulations that govern your area. Nearby incorporated cities in Modoc County may have different rules.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no general clock-based quiet-hours ordinance and no countywide decibel limit. Persistent disturbing noise is handled as a public nuisance under Chapter 8.20 (Government Code Section 25845) by the Sheriff and code enforcement, alongside California Penal Code Section 415 for disturbing the peace.
Modoc County's code sets no specific construction or grading hours for the unincorporated county and no construction-noise decibel limit. Construction noise is only restricted if it becomes a public nuisance under Chapter 8.20. Building work still requires permits under Title 15 and inspection per the county Building Department.
Modoc County's Dog Control chapter (Chapter 6.02) regulates dangerous and vicious dogs but contains no barking-noise standard. A continually barking dog is addressed as a public nuisance under Chapter 8.20 and through California Food and Agricultural Code provisions, rather than a dedicated barking ordinance with fixed time limits.
Modoc County has no leaf-blower ordinance. A search of the county code returned zero results for 'leaf blower' or 'blower,' so there are no time-of-day limits or noise caps on leaf blowers. Equipment noise is only restricted if it becomes a public nuisance under Chapter 8.20.
Modoc County regulates amplified sound mainly through Chapter 5.20 (Sound Trucks and Sound Amplifying Equipment). For mobile amplified sound it caps power at 15 watts, requires audibility within 100 feet, bars use near hospitals, schools, churches and courthouses, and limits hours. Other amplified music falls under nuisance Chapter 8.20.
Modoc County's code has no local vehicle-noise or muffler ordinance and no compression-brake (Jake brake) restriction. On-road vehicle noise is governed by California Vehicle Code Sections 27150-27151 (adequate muffler, no exhaust amplification), enforced by the Sheriff and CHP. Off-road motorboats need mufflers under county Chapter 8.12.
Modoc County sets no general decibel limit for the unincorporated county. The single numeric standard in the code is in zoning Section 18.100.010: home occupations may not create noise exceeding 55 decibels measured at the lot line (A-weighted scale, slow response). All other noise is handled as a public nuisance.
Modoc County has no dedicated outdoor-music or amplified-event ordinance. Mobile amplified sound is regulated under Chapter 5.20 (sound trucks). Fixed outdoor music and events are controlled through zoning use-permit conditions barring offensive noise and through the public-nuisance process in Chapter 8.20, plus Penal Code Section 415.
Modoc County has no industrial decibel standard. Industrial and commercial noise is controlled through zoning performance language requiring uses not to emit unacceptable noise across property lines, the use-permit process, and the public-nuisance chapter (8.20). Accepted agricultural operations are shielded from nuisance claims by Right-to-Farm Chapter 8.28.
Aircraft noise over Modoc County is governed by federal law (FAA) and the California State Aeronautics Act, which preempt local noise curfews. The county's airport rules (Chapter 16.04) set operational and safety standards but no noise limit. The Right-to-Farm chapter notes farm aircraft (crop-dusting) noise as an accepted rural condition.
Unincorporated Modoc County does not impose general on-street parking time limits or meters. Its traffic code (Title 10) mainly sets speed zones, through-highways, and stop/yield signs adopted from the California Vehicle Code. Day-to-day stopping, standing, and parking on county roads is governed by the state Vehicle Code.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no dedicated ordinance limiting how long a recreational vehicle, trailer, or boat may sit on private property. Zoning only sets RV parking-space ratios for mobile-home parks. On county roads, the statewide 72-hour rule and Vehicle Code removal authority apply rather than a local time cap.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no ordinance banning overnight parking on county roads, and no 2 a.m.-6 a.m. restriction in its code. Overnight parking is generally allowed unless a vehicle violates the statewide 72-hour rule or sits in a posted no-parking zone. State law lets counties add overnight limits only with posted signs.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no ordinance restricting commercial-truck parking in residential areas, but its code does regulate truck routing. Chapter 10.18 requires freight terminals to apply for designated truck-terminal access routes, and Chapter 10.16 bans vehicles with road-damaging lugs or cleats on paved county roads.
Modoc County Code Chapter 10.20 declares abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles on private or public property (not highways) a public nuisance subject to abatement, under the authority of California Vehicle Code Section 22660. The Director of Public Works issues a 10-day notice to remove, with a hearing right before the Planning Commission.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no ordinance regulating private driveway parking, but driveways and parking areas that connect to a county road must be reviewed by the county road department, and parking areas accessing a state highway are reviewed by Caltrans, under zoning Section 18.110.040.
Unincorporated Modoc County has one targeted oversized-vehicle parking rule: Section 10.12.030 makes it unlawful to park any vehicle six feet or more in height along a stretch of State Highway 299 near the Canby fire station. Elsewhere there is no general height or length parking limit, so the California Vehicle Code applies.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no ordinance specific to electric-vehicle charging stations or EV-only parking spaces in its code. EV charging installations are handled through standard building and electrical permits and statewide rules, including the California Building and Green Building Standards Codes adopted in Title 15.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no street loading-zone (yellow-curb) ordinance, but its zoning code requires off-street loading spaces for buildings that handle goods. Section 18.110.040 mandates at least one off-street loading space for the first 10,000 square feet of gross floor area, plus additional spaces above that.
High-elevation Modoc County does not have a dedicated snow-removal or winter no-parking ordinance in its code. The county road commissioner can post no-parking areas, and vehicles obstructing roads can be removed under the California Vehicle Code. Residents in Alturas, Cedarville, and Adin should watch for posted plowing restrictions.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no dedicated short-term rental permit or vacation-rental ordinance. STRs fall under general Title 18 zoning. The only county requirement is registering with the Tax Collector to collect the 4% transient occupancy tax once lodging opens for business.
There is no short-term rental registration system in unincorporated Modoc County. The only registration the county requires is with the Tax Collector for the transient occupancy tax, which must be done when a lodging establishment opens for business in the unincorporated area.
Short-term rental guests in unincorporated Modoc County pay a 4% transient occupancy tax on the price of lodging. Operators register with the Tax Collector, collect the tax, and remit it quarterly. The county charges no separate STR permit or license fee.
No Modoc County ordinance sets a guest-count cap for short-term rentals. With no vacation-rental ordinance in place, occupancy is governed by California's state housing and building standards rather than a local STR rule.
Modoc County has no short-term rental parking ordinance. No STR-specific off-street parking minimums apply in the unincorporated area; general Title 18 zoning standards for the underlying residential or rural use govern instead.
There is no short-term rental noise ordinance in unincorporated Modoc County. Noise from a rental is addressed through general county nuisance and zoning provisions and state law, not an STR-specific quiet-hours rule.
Modoc County imposes no primary-residence requirement on short-term rentals. With no vacation-rental ordinance, the county does not limit STRs to owner-occupied homes, and non-owner-occupied rentals are not prohibited.
No Modoc County rule requires a host or local contact to be present or on-call for short-term rentals. With no vacation-rental ordinance, the county imposes no on-site host, property-manager, or local-responsible-party mandate.
Modoc County sets no annual night cap on short-term rentals. With no vacation-rental ordinance, there is no limit on the number of rented nights per year; only the 30-day-or-less duration that defines a taxable transient stay applies.
Modoc County does not require short-term rental hosts to carry liability insurance. With no vacation-rental ordinance, there is no county-mandated coverage minimum; any insurance obligation comes from the host's own policy or booking platform, not county law.
In unincorporated Modoc County there is no local ordinance authorizing 'safe and sane' fireworks, so they default to prohibited under state law, and 'dangerous' fireworks (firecrackers, rockets, mortars) are banned statewide. Fireworks of any kind are always illegal on the surrounding Modoc National Forest and BLM lands.
Backyard fire pits in unincorporated Modoc County are governed by the 2022 California Fire Code, adopted by the county. A recreational fire must be kept small (fuel area under 3 feet) and at least 25 feet from anything that can burn, and an adult plus water and a shovel must always be present.
Outdoor open burning in unincorporated Modoc County requires a free CAL FIRE burn permit (mandatory for hazard-reduction burning from May 1, 2026) and may only happen on a permissive burn day approved by the Modoc County Air Pollution Control District. Only natural vegetation may be burned — never garbage, plastic, or household trash.
Properties in unincorporated Modoc County's State Responsibility Area must maintain 100 feet of defensible space around structures under California Public Resources Code 4291. Modoc County Code Chapter 8.31 adopts CAL FIRE's fire hazard severity maps and the PRC 4290/4291 clearance requirements.
Backyard fires in unincorporated Modoc County fall under the adopted 2022 California Fire Code and the county's burn rules. Small recreational fires must stay 25 feet from anything combustible; burning yard debris requires a free CAL FIRE permit and a permissive burn day from the Modoc County APCD, and only natural vegetation may be burned.
Smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm requirements in unincorporated Modoc County come from the 2022 California Residential and Building Codes, which the county adopts through Code Chapter 15.01. There is no separate county smoke-detector ordinance; the statewide code sets where alarms are required.
Propane (LP-gas) storage in unincorporated Modoc County is regulated by the 2022 California Fire Code, adopted through County Code Chapter 15.01, plus the California Mechanical Code. There is no separate county propane ordinance; tank installation requires a permit and must meet state clearance and NFPA 58 standards.
Modoc County Code Chapter 8.31 adopts CAL FIRE's fire hazard severity zone maps and the State Responsibility Area fire-safe standards. New rural dwellings must use Chapter 7A / R337 wildfire-resistant construction and maintain defensible space under California Public Resources Code 4290 and 4291.
Modoc County's zoning code does not regulate retaining walls specifically. They are governed by the adopted California Building Code (Modoc County Code §15.01.020): a building permit is required for taller walls and for any wall supporting a surcharge, regardless of height.
Modoc County's zoning code sets no general material restrictions for fences. The only material-related requirements are functional: screening fences for outdoor storage must be 'sight-obscuring' and junk-vehicle screening must be 'opaque' (§18.30.070).
Modoc County's zoning code (Title 18) has no general numeric fence-height limit for the unincorporated area. The only height figure is in §18.30.070, which requires sight-obscuring screening fences for outdoor storage to be at least 6 feet. Otherwise state building-code rules govern.
Modoc County requires no separate zoning/fence permit for ordinary fences. Permitting flows from the adopted California Building Code (Modoc County Code §15.01.020/.030): a building permit is required only when a fence exceeds 7 feet, or for retaining walls above the code threshold.
Modoc County's zoning code has no shared-fence cost rule, so California's 'Good Neighbor Fence' law (Civil Code §841) governs boundary fences in the unincorporated county. Adjoining owners are presumed equally responsible for a dividing fence, after 30 days' written notice.
Modoc County does not require fencing on ordinary lots, but §18.30.070 mandates sight-obscuring screening fences (at least 6 feet) around outdoor storage and junk vehicles, and §18.110.090 requires a gated, fenced outdoor area for emergency shelters.
No fence-material standards exist in Modoc County's zoning code for ordinary fences. Screening fences must be sight-obscuring or opaque (§18.30.070); masonry and concrete walls are classed as walls under the adopted California Building Code, affecting their permit treatment.
In unincorporated Modoc County, no person may let a dog roam or stray off the premises where it is kept unless it is in the company and under the control of a responsible person. Working stock dogs and lawful hunting dogs are deemed under control. A violation is a misdemeanor with a minimum $25 fine.
Modoc County is a rural high-desert ranching county and does not have a backyard-chicken ordinance or a hen-count limit in its animal code. Title 6 (Animals) regulates only dogs and bees. Keeping chickens and small livestock is governed by zoning, and most of the county is agricultural or open range.
Modoc County's Dog Control ordinance contains no breed-specific bans or breed-based licensing. Dog regulation is conduct-based, using California's potentially-dangerous and vicious-dog framework. California Food & Agricultural Code 31683 also bars local dog programs from being breed-specific, except for spay/neuter rules.
Modoc County has a detailed apiary ordinance (Chapter 6.06, adopted 2024). Hives generally must sit at least 300 feet from a dwelling and 100 feet from a public road, registered commercial apiaries keep a 1.5-mile buffer from other beekeepers, and Africanized honey bees are banned. The County Agricultural Commissioner enforces it.
Modoc County's animal code (Title 6) does not contain a county exotic-pet or wild-animal ordinance; it regulates only dogs and bees. Exotic and wild animals are therefore governed by California state law, chiefly the Fish and Game Code restricted-species rules and CCR Title 14 Section 671, which ban keeping most wild animals as pets without a permit.
Modoc is a major ranching county and is statutorily 'open range' under California Food & Agricultural Code Section 17123, which names Modoc among grazing counties. On open range the duty is to 'fence out': a landowner generally cannot take up straying stock unless the land is fully enclosed by a lawful fence. The county code adds no separate livestock chapter.
Modoc County's animal code sets no numerical limit on how many dogs, cats, or other pets a household may keep, and contains no kennel-licensing chapter. The only per-animal requirement is that each dog over four months old be licensed and vaccinated. Cats are not licensed under the County Code.
Modoc County's animal code does not regulate cats. The Dog Control ordinance applies to dogs only, so there is no county cat license, cat-leash, or cat-at-large rule. California's general rabies and animal-cruelty laws still apply, and cats are protected from neglect under state Penal Code 597.
Modoc County's code has no ordinance banning the feeding of deer, bears, or other wildlife. The county's animal code covers only dogs and bees. California state regulation (CCR Title 14 Section 251.3) prohibits intentionally feeding big game mammals such as deer and bears, and CDFW discourages feeding all wildlife.
Modoc County has no standalone hoarding ordinance and no pet-number limit or kennel cap in its code. Its animal code bars abandoning or dumping animals (Section 6.02.109) and requires care of impounded animals. Severe hoarding and neglect are prosecuted statewide under California Penal Code 597 and 597.1.
Hot tubs and spas in unincorporated Modoc County are treated like pools under the 2022 California Building Standards Code adopted by Ordinance No. 221-J, and are subject to California's Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code 115922). Electrical permits and proper bonding are required; a spa with an approved safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 can satisfy the barrier requirement.
In unincorporated Modoc County, a swimming pool is treated as a residential accessory use under the zoning code (Title 18) and requires a building permit from the Building and Safety Department, which enforces the 2022 California Building Standards Code adopted by Ordinance No. 221-J. There is no separate stand-alone pool permit form; pools are processed through the building-permit process.
Modoc County's zoning code sets no pool-fence height. Pool barriers are governed by California's Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code 115922) and the 2022 California Building Code Modoc adopted by Ordinance No. 221-J. New or remodeled residential pools and spas need at least two approved drowning-prevention features, one of which can be a 60-inch enclosure.
Residential pool and spa safety in unincorporated Modoc County is governed by California's Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code 115922) and the 2022 California Building Standards Code, adopted by Ordinance No. 221-J. New or remodeled pools and spas must include at least two of seven approved drowning-prevention features, enforced by the Building and Safety Department at inspection.
Above-ground pools in unincorporated Modoc County are treated as residential accessory structures under the zoning code (Title 18) and, like in-ground pools, fall under the 2022 California Building Standards Code adopted by Ordinance No. 221-J. A building/electrical permit is generally required, and the California Swimming Pool Safety Act barrier rules apply to pools deep enough to require them.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no ordinance setting a numeric grass or weed height for residential yards. Overgrowth is handled case-by-case as a public nuisance under County Code Chapter 8.20, and fire-driven vegetation clearance is set by California state law (PRC 4290/4291), which the county adopts by reference in Chapter 8.31.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no general tree-trimming ordinance or permit for private trees. Routine pruning is unregulated. The practical trimming obligations come from California's defensible-space law (PRC 4291) for clearance around structures, which the county adopts by reference, plus the airport-hazard zone limits on tree height near the airport.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no tree-preservation or tree-removal permit ordinance for private trees on developed residential parcels. Removing trees on your own land is generally unregulated by the county. Commercial timber harvesting on Timberland Production zoned land is instead governed by California's Forest Practice Act and CAL FIRE.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no standalone weed-abatement chapter; the old nuisance-abatement ordinance was repealed and replaced by Chapter 8.20. Hazardous vegetation is abated as a public nuisance under Chapter 8.20, while wildfire vegetation clearance follows California state law (PRC 4290/4291), adopted locally in Chapter 8.31.
Unincorporated Modoc County imposes no county-wide outdoor watering schedule. Water-use limits come from California state law: the State Water Resources Control Board's statewide conservation regulations and the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO), which the county incorporates by reference for qualifying landscape projects in County Code Section 8.03.130.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no ordinance specifically addressing rainwater harvesting; a search of the county code returns no 'rainwater' provisions. Residential rain barrels and rooftop catchment for outdoor use are governed by California state law, principally the Rainwater Capture Act, which lets property owners capture rooftop rainwater without a water-rights permit.
Unincorporated Modoc County does not require or restrict native or drought-tolerant landscaping; a code search returns no 'native plant' or 'drought-tolerant' provisions. The relevant guidance is California's defensible-space law (PRC 4291), adopted in County Code Chapter 8.31, which shapes fire-wise plant choices and spacing near structures.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no ordinance addressing artificial turf; a code search returns no 'artificial turf' provisions, and the zoning code does not regulate it. Synthetic turf is generally allowed on private property without a county landscaping permit, subject only to standard building, grading, and drainage rules.
Unincorporated Modoc County regulates organic waste through County Code Chapter 8.03 (Organic Waste Disposal Reduction), the county's SB 1383 implementation. Single-family residents are encouraged to manage organic waste on site through backyard or community composting, and qualifying landscape projects must use compost and mulch under the MWELO provisions in Section 8.03.130.
Both small and large family day care homes are permitted by right in unincorporated Modoc County. Section 18.100.010(D)(3) lets the principal dwelling be used as a family day care home, and California law (Health & Safety Code 1597.45 / SB 234) classifies family day care as a residential use by right. Only one 6-inch by 12-inch nameplate is allowed.
Unincorporated Modoc County allows home-based business as a 'home occupation' accessory to a dwelling under Title 18. A 'limited home occupation' is permitted by right under Section 18.100.010(D)(5) if it meets strict criteria; a larger 'home occupation' requires a use permit under Section 18.100.030(D). The activity must stay inside the dwelling or accessory building with no outdoor storage or activity.
For a home occupation in unincorporated Modoc County, signage is tightly limited. Under Section 18.100.010(D)(5)(c) and the home-occupation definition (Section 18.06.510), the only advertising allowed on the premises is one nameplate no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches, attached flush to the dwelling or accessory building. General sign rules are in Section 18.110.070.
In unincorporated Modoc County, a 'limited home occupation' that meets all of the Section 18.100.010(D)(5) criteria is allowed by right with no use permit. A larger 'home occupation' that exceeds those limits requires a use permit under Section 18.100.030(D), processed by the Planning Department under Chapter 18.128, with fees set by the Board of Supervisors.
Cottage food operations in unincorporated Modoc County are governed by California's Homemade Food Act (AB 1616) and the California Retail Food Code, administered locally by Modoc County Environmental Health. The county registers Class A operators and permits Class B operators (with a home-kitchen inspection). Cottage food is a home occupation under zoning (Title 18), so the home-occupation standards also apply.
In unincorporated Modoc County, an ADU cannot be a tiny home on wheels, RV, yurt or storage structure; the County's ADU guidance requires permanent units of at least 150 sq ft. A registered RV, mobilehome or travel trailer may be used as a temporary residence during construction under Zoning Code Section 18.100.040.
In unincorporated Modoc County, accessory and junior ADUs are allowed in every zone that permits single-family or multifamily homes, under Zoning Code Section 18.100.010(E). A statewide-exemption ADU may be up to 800 sq ft, 16 ft peak roof height, with 4-foot side and rear setbacks, approved ministerially by building permit within 60 days under California's ADU law.
In unincorporated Modoc County, a shed is an accessory structure permitted alongside a one-family dwelling under Zoning Code Section 18.100.010(D)(1). No accessory building may encroach into a required yard, so a shed must meet the setbacks of its zone (for example, in the Rural Residential zone, 20 ft front/side-street and 30 ft rear/side per Section 18.30.060).
In unincorporated Modoc County, converting a garage or accessory structure into living space is handled as an ADU under Zoning Code Section 18.100.010(E). A converted ADU within an existing accessory structure needs only side and rear setbacks sufficient for fire safety, and when a garage or carport is converted or demolished to build an ADU, replacement parking is not required.
In unincorporated Modoc County, a carport is an accessory structure permitted with a one-family dwelling under Zoning Code Section 18.100.010(D) and may not encroach into the required yards of its zone (Section 18.110.050). When a carport or covered parking is converted or demolished to build an ADU, replacement parking is not required per the County's ADU rules.
Barbecue and propane grill rules in unincorporated Modoc County come from the 2022 California Fire Code, adopted by the county. Charcoal and large LP-gas grills can't be used on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction, but one- and two-family homes are exempt.
Backyard smokers in unincorporated Modoc County are treated as open-flame cooking devices under the adopted 2022 California Fire Code. There is no separate county smoker ordinance, but the same 10-foot clearance rule applies (with a one- and two-family home exemption), and high fire risk means smokers must be kept clear of dry vegetation.
Setbacks in unincorporated Modoc County vary by zone. In the Rural Residential (RR) zone, front/side-street yards are 20 ft and rear/side yards are 30 ft (§18.30.060); the RL and RH residential zones require 20 ft front/side-street and 5 ft rear/side (§18.32.060, §18.36.060).
Building-height limits are set per zone. The Residential-Low (RL) zone caps buildings at 50 feet (§18.32.060) and the Residential-High (RH) zone at two stories not exceeding 50 feet, with other structures at 50 feet (§18.36.060). General height exceptions appear in §18.110.060.
Lot-coverage limits apply in the higher-density residential zones: both the Residential-Low (RL) and Residential-High (RH) zones cap coverage at 60 percent (§18.32.060(D), §18.36.060(D)). Multi-family projects are limited to 70 percent building/impervious coverage (§18.110.080).
No countywide garage- or yard-sale permit, fee, or frequency cap was found in unincorporated Modoc County's published code. Sales are treated as generally permitted, subject to the zoning trash/junk standard in Chapter 18.110 (don't let leftover goods or signs pile up) and California's tax rule that genuinely occasional sales of used personal property don't need a seller's permit.
In unincorporated Modoc County the County Code governs blight. Blighting conditions are reached through Title 8 (Health and Safety) nuisance and abatement chapters and the Title 18 zoning standards, rather than a single omnibus blight ordinance. Alturas is the county's only incorporated city and has its own code; everywhere else, the County's nuisance-abatement process applies. Enforcement is complaint-driven.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no curbside trash franchise covering the whole county; most residents self-haul to County transfer stations operated through Alturas Disposal. Refuse may not be allowed to accumulate as a nuisance under Title 8, and Chapter 18.110 bars trash or rubbish from accumulating on any lot or parcel. The County's solid-waste rules sit in Title 8 (Chapters 8.02/8.03).
Unincorporated Modoc County has no standalone 'vacant lot' ordinance. Neglected parcels are reached through Title 8 nuisance rules and the zoning standard in Chapter 18.110 (no trash/rubbish accumulation; no long-term junk vehicles). For fire safety, much of the county sits in a CAL FIRE State Responsibility Area, so California PRC 4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space around structures.
Unincorporated Modoc County publishes no cosmetic lawn-height limit. Overgrowth is regulated mainly as a wildfire hazard: much of the county is a CAL FIRE State Responsibility Area, so California PRC 4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space around structures. Junk-vehicle and trash accumulation on parcels is separately barred by zoning Chapter 18.110.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no countywide household curbside recycling mandate. CRV beverage containers redeem at Blue Water Recycling in Alturas, and the County offers free drop-off of batteries, used oil, oil filters, and paint at select transfer stations. California's AB 341 still requires qualifying businesses and 5-plus-unit apartments to recycle; the statewide CRV bottle bill applies.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no universal curbside garbage franchise. Most residents self-haul household trash to County transfer stations operated through Alturas Disposal — main site in Alturas plus outlying sites (Lake City, Newell, Lookout, Adin, Davis Creek, Fort Bidwell, Eagleville). Disposal is fee-per-can/per-yard. Environmental Health is the solid-waste enforcement agency.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no countywide curbside cart program, so there is no county-wide setout-time or bin-spacing ordinance. Most residents self-haul to transfer stations, where staff direct unloading. Where curbside service exists (mainly Alturas), the hauler asks for a ~33-gallon cart, bagged trash, and a lid that closes; that is a service term, not an unincorporated-county rule.
Unincorporated Modoc County residents dispose of bulky items by self-hauling to a County transfer station, where posted per-item fees apply — for example mattresses and furniture at a set price each and tires (no rims) at a per-tire rate. There is no countywide scheduled curbside bulky pickup. Free household-hazardous-waste drop-off (batteries, oil, oil filters, paint) is offered at select sites.
California's SB 1383 mandates organic-waste recycling statewide, but Modoc County qualifies as a rural jurisdiction (a county under 70,000 people, Public Resources Code §42649.8) and received a CalRecycle Rural Exemption effective January 1, 2022. So there is no mandatory residential green-organics cart in the unincorporated county. Edible food recovery and other universal SB 1383 duties still apply.
In unincorporated Modoc County, signs proclaiming political or other noncommercial messages are not regulated by the Zoning Code, except they are limited to one per abutting street and each sign area may not exceed 16 square feet (Zoning Code Section 18.110.070(A)(1)). No County sign permit is required, and nonappurtenant signs remain subject to the California Outdoor Advertising Act.
In unincorporated Modoc County, a garage sale sign is a temporary sign under Zoning Code Section 18.110.070(A)(5): one per lot, up to 32 square feet, except in the Residential-High Density, Residential-Low Density and Rural Residential zones, where total temporary sign area may not exceed 4 square feet. No County permit is required.
Despite its remote, dark high-desert skies, unincorporated Modoc County does not have a dedicated dark-sky or comprehensive outdoor-lighting ordinance in its published Zoning Code. The main lighting rule is Zoning Code Section 18.110.070(H), which requires sign illumination to be concentrated on the sign and to minimize glare or direct light onto public streets and adjacent lots.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no comprehensive light-trespass ordinance with a foot-candle property-line limit. Targeted rules address glare: sign illumination must minimize glare or direct light onto public streets and adjacent lots (Zoning Code Section 18.110.070(H)), and home-occupation glare detectable at the property boundary is prohibited (Section 18.100.010(D)(5)).
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Modoc County ordinances.