101 local rules on file · Pop. 2,296 · Madera County
Showing ordinances that apply to Ahwahnee, CA
Ahwahnee is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 2,296 in Madera County, California. Because Ahwahnee is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Madera 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 Madera County may have different rules.
Madera County Code Section 9.58.020(G) limits construction activities in unincorporated areas to 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. on Saturdays, with work outside those hours allowed only at the discretion of the Director of Public Works.
Madera County Code Section 6.04.410 makes it unlawful to permit any dog to habitually destroy the peace and quiet of a person or neighborhood by excessive barking or howling. Animal Control can investigate complaints and order abatement, and may impound a habitually noisy animal.
Madera County's noise ordinance (Chapter 9.58) does not contain any leaf-blower-specific rule, time window, or decibel cap. Leaf blowers in unincorporated areas are governed only by the general prohibition on disturbing, excessive or offensive noise.
Madera County Code Section 9.58.020(E)(2) restricts radios, TVs, musical instruments and other sound-amplification devices that disturb neighbors, strictly prohibits them between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. across residential property lines, and treats sound plainly audible at 50 feet as prima facie evidence of a violation.
Madera County Code Section 9.58.020(C) prohibits raucous off-road vehicle noise from racing or accelerating engines, willful backfiring, and tire screeching, and Section 9.58.020(E)(1) bars the use of horns and signaling devices that disturb the peace, on top of California Vehicle Code muffler and noise standards.
Madera County's noise ordinance (Chapter 9.58) does not set numeric decibel (dBA) limits. Instead it uses a qualitative 'disturbing, excessive or offensive' standard, a 'plainly audible at 50 feet' prima facie test for amplified sound, and a measurable vibration perception threshold.
Outdoor music and events in unincorporated Madera County fall under the amplified-sound rules of Section 9.58.020(E)(2): no disturbing amplified sound, a strict 10:00 p.m.-8:00 a.m. ban across residential property lines, and a 50-foot audibility test. Section 9.58.040 specifically lets the county cite the 'host of the event.'
Madera County Code Chapter 9.58 applies to all land uses, including industrial and commercial activity, and prohibits disturbing, excessive or offensive noise and over-threshold vibration at the property line. There is no separate industrial dBA table; the right-to-farm designation is weighed for agricultural sources.
Madera County's noise ordinance (Chapter 9.58) contains no aircraft- or airport-specific noise provisions. Aircraft operations are governed by the FAA under federal law, with airport-area land-use compatibility addressed through the County Airport Land Use Commission and California state planning law.
In unincorporated Madera County, the County Code prohibits disturbing, excessive or offensive noise at any time, and specifically bars sound-amplification devices (radios, TVs, stereos, instruments) between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. when the noise crosses a residential property line.
To operate a short-term vacation rental in unincorporated Madera County you must hold a Madera County business license and a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) certificate. A dedicated, non-transferable STVR land-use permit is in a draft ordinance that the Planning Commission was reviewing in 2026 but had not yet adopted.
Every short-term rental operator in unincorporated Madera County must apply for and obtain an Annual Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate and a business license, pay a non-transferable annual fee, and register within 30 days of starting business. A separate application is required for each rental property.
Unincorporated Madera County charges a 9% Transient Occupancy Tax plus a 2.5% Tourism Business Improvement District assessment, for a total guest levy of 11.5% on stays of 30 days or less. Operators collect both, file a quarterly return, and remit under Madera County Code Title 3, Chapter 3.20.
Madera County's proposed Short-Term Vacation Rental Ordinance would set occupancy limits tied to the size of each rental unit. The specific guest formula had not been published while the draft was under Planning Commission review in 2026, so no fixed per-bedroom cap is yet adopted for the unincorporated county.
Madera County's proposed STVR Ordinance would require operators to provide adequate on-site parking for guests, a response to parking congestion in mountain communities. The specific number of required spaces had not been published while the draft was under Planning Commission review in 2026.
Madera County's proposed STVR Ordinance would set quiet hours and acceptable noise levels for vacation rentals to protect neighbors in residential mountain areas. Specific quiet-hour times and decibel limits had not been published while the draft was under review in 2026.
Madera County does not limit short-term rentals to an owner's primary residence. The County's tax framework treats all qualifying operators the same, and the proposed STVR Ordinance described occupancy, parking, noise and fire standards rather than a primary-residence restriction.
Madera County does not require a host or owner to be present during a short-term rental stay. The proposed STVR Ordinance focused on a permit plus occupancy, parking, noise, trash and fire standards, and typically relies on a responsible local contact rather than on-site owner occupancy.
Madera County has not published an annual cap on the number of nights a property can be rented short-term. Neither the tax framework nor the publicly described draft STVR Ordinance set a maximum rental-nights-per-year limit for the unincorporated county.
Madera County's publicly described short-term rental rules do not state a specific liability-insurance requirement. The draft STVR Ordinance emphasized permits, occupancy, parking, noise, trash and fire safety; any insurance or indemnification condition was not published while it was in draft in 2026.
Madera County adopts the California Fire Code through county code Title 14, Division II (Fire Prevention), Chapter 14.35. Under California Fire Code Section 307, recreational fires must stay 25 feet from structures and combustibles; portable outdoor fireplaces must stay 15 feet away (with a one- and two-family dwelling exception).
Open/outdoor burning in Madera County is regulated by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD), not just the county. Residential yard-waste burning is heavily restricted; foothill/mountain hazard-reduction burning is allowed only in the State Responsibility Area under District Rule 4106 with a permit and on declared burn days.
Recreational backyard fires follow the California Fire Code adopted in county code Title 14 (25-foot setback). Residential wood burning in fireplaces and wood stoves is separately limited by San Joaquin Valley Air District Rule 4901, including 'Check Before You Burn' no-burn days from November 1 through the end of February.
Madera County follows California law. Health & Safety Code section 13113.7 requires State Fire Marshal-approved smoke alarms in dwellings intended for human occupancy, with rental units operable at each new tenancy and upgrades triggered by permitted alterations over $1,000. Carbon monoxide alarms are required under the CO Poisoning Prevention Act.
Madera County adopts the California Fire Code (county code Title 14, Ch. 14.35), whose Chapter 61 governs liquefied petroleum (LP) gas. Storage and equipment must comply with NFPA 58, larger installations need fire-code-official permits, and tanks over 2,000-gallon single or 4,000-gallon aggregate water capacity require construction documents.
Madera County's foothills and mountains lie largely in CAL FIRE's State Responsibility Area with High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The county adopts Fire Code/fire-zone provisions in Title 14 (Chapter 14.32 Fire Zones), and PRC 4291 defensible space plus WUI building standards apply in these areas.
Madera County splits by geography. In the eastern foothills and mountains (east of the Madera Canal, including Oakhurst, Bass Lake and North Fork), CAL FIRE states ALL fireworks, including 'Safe and Sane,' are illegal. A county ordinance imposes steep escalating administrative fines per firework.
In the State Responsibility Area, California Public Resources Code section 4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space around buildings (or to the property line). Madera County also abates flammable vegetation as a public nuisance under county code Title 7, Chapter 7.26 (Weed Abatement).
Unincorporated Madera County has no zoning rule banning operable, registered RVs or boats from residential yards or driveways. Recreational vehicles are expressly excluded from the commercial-vehicle weight limit. But an inoperative, wrecked, or unlicensed RV left over 72 hours becomes an abatable nuisance under County Code Chapter 10.34.
Unincorporated Madera County has no countywide on-street time-limit ordinance. Parking is generally governed by the California Vehicle Code. The county designates specific no-parking zones by red curb and signs under Code Chapter 10.36, and abandoned or 72-hour-parked vehicles are removable under Chapter 10.34 and Vehicle Code 22651(k).
Unincorporated Madera County has no general ordinance banning overnight parking on county roads. The main limit is the 72-consecutive-hour rule: under California Vehicle Code 22651(k) a vehicle left on a highway 72-plus hours may be removed, and County Code Chapter 10.34 abates inoperative or unregistered vehicles after 72 hours.
Madera County Code Section 18.102.140 provides expedited, streamlined permitting for electric vehicle charging stations that qualify under California Government Code 65850.7. Qualifying stations follow the administrative procedures in the county's EV charging station permit-expediting ordinance rather than discretionary review.
Madera County Code Section 18.102.090 bars parking any commercial vehicle of 10,000 pounds or more gross weight on a residentially zoned parcel or county road, except during active loading. One truck-tractor (no trailer) may park on a residential driveway only if the lot exceeds 15,000 square feet. Truck routes are set in Chapter 10.08.
Madera County Code Section 18.102.110 requires off-street loading spaces for commercial, industrial, and institutional development: at least one small-truck loading space for buildings under 10,000 square feet and one large-truck loading space for buildings 10,000 square feet or larger. On-street loading at curbs follows California Vehicle Code 21458 (yellow and white).
Madera County Code Chapter 10.34 declares wrecked, dismantled, inoperative, or unregistered vehicles left over 72 hours on public or private property a public nuisance, under California Vehicle Code 22660. Code Enforcement abates them via a 10-day notice of intention, optional hearing, towing, and assessment of removal costs against the property.
Madera County Code Chapter 18.102 sets residential parking and driveway standards. New single-family homes must provide two parking spaces, with covered parking required (one or both spaces depending on lot size). Parking enclosures must meet setbacks, and parking surfaces for single-family homes must be kept dust-free.
Heavy and oversized vehicles face two county limits. Zoning Code 18.102.090 bars commercial vehicles of 10,000 pounds or more from residential parcels and county roads except for loading. Code Chapter 10.08 confines trucks over three tons to designated truck routes, and Chapter 10.10 sets a 56,000-pound maximum on certain county roads.
Curb-color meanings in unincorporated Madera County are set by California Vehicle Code 21458, not a separate county color code: red means no stopping, yellow loading of freight, white loading of passengers/mail, green time-limited parking, and blue disabled parking. Only local authorities may use these colors. The county marks no-parking zones under Code Chapter 10.36.
Madera County's Zoning Ordinance (Title 18) does not set a general numeric fence height limit for residential or agricultural lots. The main constraints are vision-clearance rules at intersections (Section 18.98.050, 3-foot limit on visual obstructions) and the statewide building permit threshold of 7 feet.
Madera County adopts the California Building Code through County Code Title 14 (Chapters 14.04 and 14.08). Under the adopted Building Code (Section 105.2), a building permit is not required for fences 7 feet or less in height. Taller fences, and any fence in a regulated location, require review by the County.
Madera County has no boundary-fence cost-sharing ordinance. Shared-fence responsibilities are governed by California Civil Code Section 841, the Good Neighbor Fence Act, which presumes adjoining owners share equally in the reasonable cost of a common boundary fence and requires 30 days' written notice before work.
Madera County adopts the California Building Code (County Code §14.04.030, Chapter 14.08). Under the adopted Building Code Section 105.2, retaining walls over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall require a permit, as does any wall supporting a surcharge regardless of height.
Beyond the general zoning location rules in Title 18, fences in rural Madera County must also satisfy state fire-clearance standards. Parcels of one acre or more in State Responsibility Areas must meet Public Resources Code 4290 setback and clearance requirements (County Code §18.98.010 and §18.98.070).
Madera County's Zoning Ordinance (Title 18) does not list prohibited fence materials or restrict barbed wire, razor wire, or electric fencing for typical residential and agricultural lots. The main material-related constraint is the vision-clearance rule (§18.98.050), which requires open, see-through fencing in intersection sight areas.
Madera County's Zoning Ordinance does not prescribe approved fence materials. Wood, vinyl, masonry, ornamental metal, chain link, and agricultural wire fencing are all commonly used in the unincorporated county. The only material-related zoning rule is the clear-vision fencing requirement near intersections (§18.98.050).
Madera County Animal Services does not publish any breed-specific ban or breed-restriction ordinance for unincorporated areas. Aggressive-dog complaints are handled case by case based on a dog's behavior, not its breed. California state law (Food and Agricultural Code) also prohibits cities and counties from declaring a dog dangerous based solely on breed.
Madera County has no leash law for cats. Animal Services describes cats as "free-roaming agents" rather than strays, and asks that loose cats not be called in as strays or brought to the shelter unless they are sick or injured and need immediate care. The County runs spay/neuter programs for community cats.
Madera County's published animal rules focus on common domestic animals and livestock; the binding restrictions on exotic and wild animals come from California state law. California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 671 (administered by CDFW) lists "restricted species" that may not be kept without a permit, and many—including ferrets—are effectively prohibited as pets.
Madera County Code Chapter 6.04 includes an Article on Livestock at Large, with Section 6.04.170 addressing restraint of errant livestock, and Chapter 6.24 governs Grazing Area. Owners are responsible for keeping cattle, horses, and other livestock from straying. Bite or injury incidents involving livestock trigger a 14-day quarantine.
Madera County does not advertise a simple per-household pet cap, but its zoning code defines a "kennel" (Section 18.04.288), and Animal Services issues kennel permits. Keeping enough dogs to meet the County's kennel definition requires meeting kennel-permit requirements rather than relying on a flat household limit.
Madera County Animal Services materials do not publish a specific wildlife-feeding ban for unincorporated areas. In Madera's foothills and Sierra communities, intentionally feeding wildlife such as bears, coyotes, and deer is discouraged and is regulated under California state law, which prohibits feeding big game and certain predators.
Madera County Animal Services investigates animal cruelty and neglect; warning signs include caged animals with little room, lack of weather protection, and overly tight collars. Hoarding-type neglect is prosecuted under California Penal Code Section 597, and officers can seize animals in immediate danger under Penal Code 597.1.
In unincorporated Madera County, dogs must be under control at all times. Madera County Animal Services states a dog must be confined to the owner's property, and when taken off the property (such as on a walk) it must be on a leash. Dogs found running at large can be impounded or returned with a citation.
Madera County does not publish a dedicated backyard-beekeeping ordinance for unincorporated areas; placement is tied to the parcel's agricultural/rural zoning. Statewide, California's Food and Agricultural Code requires every apiary owner to register colonies and apiary locations annually with the county agricultural commissioner.
Madera County is heavily agricultural, and keeping chickens and small livestock is broadly allowed in rural and agricultural zones. The County's zoning code addresses "small livestock farming" (18.04.490) and agricultural zone districts (Ch. 18.53). What you can keep, and how many, depends on your parcel's zoning rather than a single countywide chicken limit.
Madera County has no decorative-lawn height limit, but its Weed Abatement ordinance (Code Ch. 7.26) controls tall, dry vegetation as a fire hazard in the unincorporated areas. On improved lots under three acres, owners may mow the entire lot to within one-half inch to one inch of the ground and keep it there through fire season.
Madera County does not publish a general permit requirement for trimming trees on private property in the unincorporated areas. The main trimming duty comes from fire law: under California Public Resources Code 4291, owners in wildfire-prone areas must remove dead limbs, keep branches clear of chimneys, and maintain defensible space around structures.
Madera County does not publish a general private-property tree-removal permit ordinance for the unincorporated areas. Native oak woodlands are addressed through the County General Plan's natural-resource policies and CEQA review (Code Title 16) on development projects, rather than a numbered tree-removal code section. Removing oaks as part of a project can trigger mitigation.
Madera County Code Chapter 7.26 declares weeds in the unincorporated areas a seasonal, recurring fire and public-health nuisance. The Fire Department mails notice on or before March 1 each year, and properties must be abated by May 1. Failure to comply brings a $250 fine plus the County's abatement costs, recoverable as a special assessment.
Madera County has no published countywide landscape watering-day schedule for the unincorporated areas; outdoor water use is governed mainly by California State Water Resources Control Board rules. State regulation (Cal. Code Regs. tit. 23, § 995) permanently bans wasteful uses such as runoff onto pavement, hosing down hardscape, and irrigating within 48 hours of measurable rain.
Capturing rooftop rainwater for landscape use is broadly allowed in unincorporated Madera County. California's Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (Water Code § 10574) lets property owners collect rooftop rainwater without a water-right permit. Rain barrels and cisterns are generally permissible; larger or plumbed systems may need County building review.
Native and drought-tolerant landscaping is encouraged in unincorporated Madera County, and California law protects a homeowner's right to install it. Government Code § 53087.7 bars counties from prohibiting drought-tolerant living-plant landscaping on residential property, and the state Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance promotes climate-adapted, low-water plants.
Madera County does not publish a countywide ban on artificial turf for the unincorporated areas. California Civil Code § 4735 protects a homeowner's right to install synthetic grass against HOA bans. Note that the state's drought-landscaping protection in Government Code § 53087.7 covers living plants, not artificial turf.
Backyard composting of yard and food scraps is allowed in unincorporated Madera County if it does not create odor or vector nuisances. Statewide, California's SB 1383 (effective January 1, 2022) requires jurisdictions to provide organic-waste collection and requires residents to keep food scraps and green waste out of the landfill.
In unincorporated Madera County, a residential swimming pool or spa requires a building permit from the County Building Division, which has adopted the California Building Code. Pool permits are issued as flat-fee permits through the County's online permitting portal.
Unincorporated Madera County enforces California's Pool Safety Act. A pool enclosure must be at least 60 inches high, have no bottom gap over 2 inches, reject a 4-inch sphere through any gap, and use a self-closing gate that self-latches at 60 inches or higher.
Pool safety in unincorporated Madera County is governed by California's Swimming Pool Safety Act. New residential pools must include at least two of seven approved drowning-prevention features, verified at the County building inspection, in addition to the required isolation enclosure.
Above-ground pools in unincorporated Madera County are regulated under the adopted California Building Code and the state Pool Safety Act. Pools capable of holding water deeper than a state-defined threshold need a building permit and a compliant safety barrier.
Hot tubs and spas in unincorporated Madera County follow the adopted California Building Code and Pool Safety Act. A spa with an approved safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 is exempt from the separate enclosure requirement; otherwise the 60-inch barrier rules apply.
Unincorporated Madera County regulates home-based businesses through the Cottage Industry Home Occupation rules in Zoning Ordinance Chapter 18.89. A cottage industry must be clearly secondary to the residence, occupy no more than 25 percent of one floor, and sit on a lot of at least one-half acre.
A cottage industry in unincorporated Madera County may identify itself only with a small nameplate. Chapter 18.89 limits on-site advertising to a two-square-foot nameplate, and the sign rules in Chapter 18.90 cap residential-zone signs at small dimensions with no general business advertising.
Unincorporated Madera County requires a cottage industry permit before a home occupation can begin. Under Zoning Ordinance Section 18.89.040, no cottage industry may be established until an application has been submitted to and approved by the Planning Department.
Cottage food operations in unincorporated Madera County are governed by California's Cottage Food Law. A Class A operation registers with the County Environmental Health Division and a Class B operation obtains a permit after inspection, with state-set gross-sales caps of $75,000 and $150,000.
In unincorporated Madera County, family day care homes are protected by California state law. Both small and large family day care homes are a residential use by right under Health and Safety Code Section 1597.45, so the County cannot require a conditional use permit or zoning prohibition.
Madera County has no separate carport ordinance. A carport is an accessory structure regulated under Chapter 18.98 structure regulations and the residential development table in Chapter 18.11, so it must meet the zoning district's setbacks and the 15-foot accessory building height limit, plus a building permit under Title 14.
Unincorporated Madera County permits one accessory dwelling unit per legally created parcel under Zoning Code Section 18.04.153. The codified 2017 rules reference former Gov. Code 65852.2 and a one-acre minimum, but current state ADU law (Gov. Code 66310-66342) now controls: ministerial approval, 4-foot setbacks, and no minimum lot size.
In unincorporated Madera County, detached sheds and accessory buildings follow the zoning district's setbacks under Chapter 18.98 and the residential development tables in Chapter 18.11. Accessory building height is capped at 15 feet in residential zones, and side/rear offsets may be reduced to 5 feet on narrow lots, but never closer than 10 feet to a dwelling.
Madera County does not have a separate garage-conversion chapter. Converting a garage into living space is treated as a building and zoning change under Title 14 and the zoning code, and converting to an accessory dwelling unit is governed by Section 18.04.153 plus California's ADU law (Gov. Code 66310-66342), which expressly protects garage-to-ADU conversions.
Madera County has no dedicated tiny-home ordinance. A tiny home on a permanent foundation is treated as a dwelling or accessory dwelling unit under the zoning code (Section 18.04.153) and California ADU law, while a tiny home on wheels is a recreational vehicle and generally cannot be used as a permanent residence outside a licensed RV or mobile home park.
Backyard barbecuing with small propane cylinders is generally allowed at homes in Madera County. Rules come from the adopted California Fire Code (county Title 14): keep fires/grills away from combustibles and structures, and in foothill State Responsibility Areas observe defensible space and seasonal fire restrictions.
Backyard meat smokers are generally allowed in Madera County and are not separately licensed. Wood- and charcoal-fired smokers are treated like recreational/cooking fires under the adopted California Fire Code (25-foot setback, attended, extinguisher ready). On San Joaquin Valley Air District no-burn days, solid-fuel use can be restricted.
Setbacks in unincorporated Madera County are set by zoning district in Title 18. Typical residential and agricultural zones require a 25-foot front setback, 10-foot side setback, and 20-foot rear setback (e.g., the AR-5 district per §18.53.030). Setbacks are measured from the base setback line under Chapter 18.98.
Maximum building height is set by zoning district in Title 18. Most residential and agricultural zones limit dwellings to 35 feet, with accessory buildings capped at 15 feet and agricultural buildings at 45-60 feet (e.g., AR-5 per §18.53.030). Section 18.98.100 makes the district height the binding limit.
Maximum lot coverage is set per zoning district in Title 18's development-standards tables. Agricultural zones are very low (10% in AR-5, 5% in larger ARE zones per §18.53.030), while residential zones range from about 20% in rural/mountain single-family zones up to 80-85% in urban zones (§18.11.120).
In unincorporated Madera County, accumulated junk, debris, dead vegetation and dry brush on residential property are treated as nuisances. Code Enforcement (200 W. 4th St., 559-675-7703) investigates complaints, and abandoned/distressed homes fall under Chapter 7.40, which requires properties be maintained to neighborhood standards.
Solid waste collection in unincorporated Madera County is provided by exclusive franchise haulers (Red Rock in the valley, Emadco in the mountains) under Chapter 7.24 of the county code. Article III of that chapter governs 'Impounding Unauthorized Containers,' so only the county's franchised carts and bins may be used for collection service.
Owners of vacant lots in unincorporated Madera County must clear weeds under Chapter 7.26. Section 7.26.030 requires a thirty-foot-wide strip cleared from each property line and street frontage. Failure to abate by the deadline can trigger a $250 fine plus county abatement costs charged to the property.
Madera County Code Chapter 7.26 declares hazardous weeds and dry grass a nuisance. On improved lots a 30-foot defensible strip must be cleared around structures; lots under three acres may instead be mowed to one-half to one inch. Owners get 15 days' notice; the fire chief may set deadlines around May 1.
Madera County does not appear to have a dedicated garage-sale or yard-sale permit ordinance for unincorporated areas. Occasional residential yard sales are generally treated as an accessory residential activity under the zoning code (Title 18), but signs are limited by the county Sign Regulations (Chapter 18.90) and sales cannot become a continuous business.
Madera County does not publish a separate countywide ordinance dictating curbside cart set-out times or screening for unincorporated areas. Bin placement, set-out and retrieval are governed by the franchise hauler's service rules under Chapter 7.24, and only authorized franchise containers may be used (Article III, Impounding Unauthorized Containers).
Under California SB 1383, property owners within Madera County's designated SB 1383 compliance area must comply starting July 1, 2025. Residents in the area must subscribe to organics collection, self-haul source-separated food waste, or manage organics on-site. Residential owners cannot get a waiver; only some commercial generators qualify for de minimis or physical-space waivers.
Unincorporated Madera County uses two exclusive franchise haulers split by elevation: Red Rock Environmental Group serves the valley (below ~1,000 ft) and Emadco Disposal serves the mountains (above ~1,000 ft). Service, schedules and rates are set through these franchises under County Code Chapter 7.24, not by a separate countywide pickup-schedule ordinance.
Roll-off and bulky-waste services in unincorporated Madera County require franchise authorization under Chapter 7.24. Residents can also self-haul bulky and construction debris to the Fairmead Landfill (21739 Road 19, Chowchilla) or the North Fork Transfer Station, and free household hazardous waste drop-off is offered Saturdays at Fairmead.
Recycling services in unincorporated Madera County are provided through the franchise haulers and county facilities, with the Mammoth Material Recovery Facility at Fairmead processing recyclables. Beyond the local program, California's AB 341 (commercial) and AB 1826 (organics) recycling mandates apply to qualifying businesses and multifamily complexes.
In unincorporated Madera County, residential properties may display campaign signs totaling up to 32 square feet under Zoning Code Section 18.90.110, in addition to other allowed residential signage. Signs are prohibited on public property and may not create traffic hazards. Content-based limits on political messages are also constrained by the First Amendment.
Unincorporated Madera County has no garage-sale-specific sign ordinance. Temporary yard or garage-sale signs fall under the general Chapter 18.90 sign rules: residential parcels are limited to 8 square feet total (no single sign over 4 sq ft or 6 feet tall), signs are banned on public property, and any sign creating a traffic hazard is prohibited.
Unincorporated Madera County has not adopted a countywide dark-sky or outdoor lighting ordinance. The only codified lighting controls are sign-illumination limits in Section 18.90.150 and a shielding requirement for emergency shelters in Section 18.88. General glare is addressed case-by-case through conditional use permit findings under Chapter 18.92.
Unincorporated Madera County has no general light-trespass ordinance limiting light spilling onto neighboring property. The only codified containment requirement applies to emergency shelter lighting (Section 18.88). For other uses, glare and light spill are addressed through discretionary conditional use permit findings under Chapter 18.92.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Madera County ordinances.