Cambrian Park, CA
166 local rules on file · Pop. 3,719 · Santa Clara County
Showing ordinances that apply to Cambrian Park, CA
Cambrian Park is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 3,719 in Santa Clara County, California. Because Cambrian Park is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara County may have different rules.
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🏡 Home & Property
🏠 Renting & Housing
🔊 Noise & Neighbors
🐾 Animals & Farming
🔥 Fire & Safety
🚗 Parking & Streets
💼 Business & Licensing
📋 Permits, Signs & Events
🌎 Environment & Utilities
🛡️ Privacy & Civic
🐔 Animal Ordinances
Chickens & Livestock
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County allows up to four roosters without a permit, but keeping five or more requires an annual rooster coop permit from the Animal Care and Control Manager…
Cat Rules
Some RestrictionsEvery cat over four months old kept in unincorporated Santa Clara County must be licensed with the County, with narrow exemptions for short visits and registered colonies.
Exotic Pets
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires a permit from the Animal Care and Control Manager before anyone keeps, sells, trades, or maintains a dangerous wild or exotic animal, with…
Beekeeping
Some RestrictionsBeekeepers in unincorporated Santa Clara County must set hives back 25 to 300 feet from property lines and roads depending on colony count, and must notify the Agricultural…
Dog Leash Laws
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires every dog to be on a leash no longer than six feet or fenced behind a six-foot barrier, with narrow exemptions for working and service dogs.
Pet Limits
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County addresses animal hoarding through its pet and kennel limits and public-nuisance authority under County Code Division B31, backed by California's…
Wildlife Feeding
Significant RestrictionsFeeding deer, geese, or other wildlife in a Santa Clara County Park is prohibited unless the Parks Director issues a Valid Permit; unincorporated county parks are declared wildlife…
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires both a use permit and a minimum 2.5-acre lot for veterinary clinics and hospitals in every rural base district, Exclusive Agriculture…
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County doesn't mandate spaying every pet, but caps each household at one unspayed female dog and one unspayed female cat before a kennel permit is required.
Pet Store Rules
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires any pet shop, kennel, grooming parlor or animal shelter to hold a County permit before operating; the code doesn't ban retail pet sales…
Breed Restrictions
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County does not ban or restrict any dog breed. The County Code instead regulates individual dogs by behavior, defining and managing 'potentially dangerous'…
🚗 Parking Rules
Overnight Parking
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County allows a vehicle to sit on a public highway continuously for up to 72 hours; beyond that, the California Highway Patrol or a Sheriff's deputy may tow…
EV Charging
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires electric-vehicle charging readiness in new construction under its all-electric reach code. New single-family homes and townhomes must include…
Street Parking Limits
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County the Board of Supervisors can post 2-hour, 1-hour, 30-minute, or 15-minute parking limits in congested areas, generally enforced only between 9 a.m…
Preferential Parking Districts
Some RestrictionsThe Board of Supervisors can designate residential permit parking areas in unincorporated Santa Clara County where only permitted residents and exempt vehicles may park.
Abandoned Vehicles
Some RestrictionsAbandoned, wrecked, and inoperative vehicles are regulated by the County's Stopping, Standing and Parking ordinance (Division B12, Chapter III, Article 4) and the Zoning Ordinance. A…
Loading Zones
Some RestrictionsCommercial loading zones on unincorporated county roads cap loading stops at 20 minutes, with default hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Curb Color Rules
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County, a red-painted curb marks an official bus zone reserved for commercial or school buses only: the code reserves the color red exclusively for that…
Driveway Rules
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires paved, dust-controlled driveways for single-family homes, caps driveway and parking-area coverage at 40 percent of the front yard, and bans…
Commercial & Oversized Vehicles
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County bars parking any commercial vehicle rated 10,000 pounds or more on a residential street, with narrow exceptions for daily-commute pickups, mounted…
RV & Boat Parking
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County, an RV, camper, trailer, or boat can sit in a front or side yard for only 72 hours per calendar month unless it's at least 75 feet from the front…
🧱 Fence Regulations
Neighbor Fence Rules
Some RestrictionsCost-sharing for a boundary fence between neighbors in unincorporated Santa Clara County is governed by California Civil Code Section 841, the Good Neighbor Fence Act. Adjoining owners…
Height Limits
Some RestrictionsFences in unincorporated Santa Clara County's urban residential districts are capped at 3 feet within 20 feet of the front lot line and 8 feet elsewhere, with tighter limits at…
Material Restrictions
Some RestrictionsIn the unincorporated New Almaden Historic Preservation combining district of Santa Clara County, new and replacement fencing must be built of wood similar to the area's original…
Retaining Walls
Some RestrictionsA retaining wall in unincorporated Santa Clara County needs a Grading Permit once the cut or fill it creates exceeds 150 cubic yards or is deeper than five vertical feet.
Fence Permit Requirements
Light RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County exempts fences 3 feet or less, and certain open fences, from design review; taller fences or those in combining districts need Zoning Administrator…
🏗️ Accessory Structures
Garage Conversions
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County lets homeowners rebuild or convert an existing, setback-nonconforming detached garage into an accessory dwelling unit without adding any new setback…
ADU Rental Restrictions
Significant RestrictionsAccessory dwelling units on unincorporated Santa Clara County land cannot be rented for less than 30 days, ruling out nightly or weekly short-term rental use of any standard ADU…
Tiny Homes
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County allows one movable tiny home per lot in place of a standard ADU, but only if it's ANSI 119.5-certified, DMV-registered, incapable of self-propulsion…
ADU Owner Occupancy
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires an owner to live in either the main house or the junior ADU whenever a junior accessory dwelling unit is added: standard ADUs carry no such…
ADU Rules
Some RestrictionsDetached accessory dwelling units in unincorporated Santa Clara County are capped at 1,200 square feet, must sit at least 4 feet from side and rear lines, and are limited to 16 feet in…
Shed & Carport Rules
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County, detached accessory buildings in urban residential zoning districts are capped at 12 feet in height and one story, and must sit in the rear yard or…
🔊 Noise Ordinances
Quiet Hours
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County bars residential noise disturbances from radios, stereos, and similar devices between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. across a neighboring property line.
Vehicle Noise
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County bars idling a heavy truck or its auxiliary equipment for more than 15 minutes an hour within 150 feet of a residential area between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Decibel Limits
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County caps exterior noise at 45 dBA nighttime / 55 dBA daytime for single-family homes, rising to 60-65 dBA for commercial land and 70-75 dBA for industrial…
Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County bans running loudspeakers or amplified sound for commercial use between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. if it disturbs neighbors, and caps residential exterior…
Barking Dogs
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County makes chronic animal noise a code violation once a bark, howl or squawk crosses a property line for 10+ minutes straight or 30+ minutes on and off.
Leaf Blower Rules
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County has no separate dedicated leaf-blower ordinance; gas leaf blowers fall under the County Noise Ordinance's exterior limits and 'domestic power tools'…
Aircraft Noise
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County, helicopters can't exceed 80 dBA daytime noise over residential or commercial areas, or violate nighttime limits, without a variance; military and…
Construction Hours
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County bars construction and demolition noise before 7 a.m. and after 7 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and all day Sunday and holidays, absent a variance.
🔥 Fire Regulations
Outdoor Burning
Heavy RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County bans burning refuse outright unless every agency with air-quality or fire jurisdiction, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the local fire…
Brush Clearance
Some RestrictionsProperties in unincorporated Santa Clara County must maintain 100 feet of defensible space under California Public Resources Code 4291. The county fire marshal inspects, and annual…
Smoke Detectors
Light RestrictionsSmoke alarm requirements in unincorporated Santa Clara County follow California state law: alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level, with carbon monoxide…
Fireworks
Heavy RestrictionsAll fireworks, including 'safe and sane' types, are banned in unincorporated Santa Clara County; only Fire Marshal-permitted public displays run by licensed operators are allowed.
Wildfire Zones
Some RestrictionsMuch of unincorporated Santa Clara County - the Santa Cruz Mountains and Diablo Range foothills - is mapped as High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and wildland-urban interface…
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County parks, open fires are barred except in a provided camp stove or fireplace, and every campfire needs five feet of cleared ground around it.
💼 Home Business
Zoning & Home Occupation Permits
Some RestrictionsHome-based businesses in unincorporated Santa Clara County must operate entirely inside the dwelling, employ no more than one nonresident worker, and keep client visits to three a day…
Home Daycare
Light RestrictionsState law treats a small family day-care home (six or fewer) as a residential use, and the County classifies it as a Residence allowed by right. A large-family day-care home (7 to 14…
Signage Rules
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County allows only one non-illuminated sign, no larger than one square foot, to identify a home-based business under the zoning code.
Customer Traffic Restrictions
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County limits home-business client visits to three per day and 10 per week so the use doesn't add traffic beyond what's normal for the neighborhood.
🌿 Landscaping Rules
Tree Trimming
Some RestrictionsRoutine pruning of trees on private property in unincorporated Santa Clara County generally does not need a permit, except for heritage trees and trees in protected areas. Trees in the…
Artificial Turf
Few RestrictionsArtificial turf is allowed in unincorporated Santa Clara County, and California Civil Code 4735 bars HOAs from prohibiting synthetic grass. Large new landscapes may need a Sustainable…
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Significant RestrictionsCutting down a protected tree, generally one 12 inches or more in trunk diameter, on private or public land in unincorporated Santa Clara County requires an administrative or…
Weed Ordinances
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County bans dead, diseased, or overgrown weeds and vegetation that create a fire hazard or spread 12 inches or more onto a public right-of-way.
Water Restrictions
Some RestrictionsOutdoor watering in Santa Clara County is governed mainly by Valley Water (the countywide water agency) and California state law, not by a County land-use ordinance. Common rules…
Composting
Light RestrictionsFor urban agriculture uses in unincorporated Santa Clara County, compost bins and refuse containers must sit at least five feet from any property line and be managed to keep out…
Rainwater Harvesting
Some RestrictionsRainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in unincorporated Santa Clara County. California's Rainwater Capture Act (AB 1750) lets owners collect rooftop rainwater without a state…
🏠 Short-Term Rentals
Short-Term Rental Permits
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires every short-term rental operator to register with the County Director of Finance and post a Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate…
Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsThere is no short-term-rental-specific parking requirement in unincorporated Santa Clara County. Parking is governed by the general off-street parking standards in the Zoning Ordinance…
🏊 Swimming Pools & Spas
Pool Permits
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County, a building permit from the Department of Planning and Development is required to construct a residential pool or spa. The County Code includes a…
Fencing & Safety Requirements
Some RestrictionsResidential pools and spas must meet California's Swimming Pool Safety Act. When a building permit issues for a new or remodeled single-family pool or spa, the owner must install at…
🎪 Special Events & Permits
Parade Permits
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County treats any parade, march, or procession of 50 or more people, animals, or vehicles moving on a county road as a special event requiring a permit from…
Street Fair Rules
Some RestrictionsStreet fairs on unincorporated Santa Clara County roads run under the county's special event permit process, and the Director can require food and beverage vendors to hold Public…
Park Event Permits
Some RestrictionsGroup picnics, facility rentals, and camping in Santa Clara County Parks require a reservation permit obtained one day to six months ahead, or up to a year for weddings.
Block Party Permits
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires a special event permit from the Director of Roads and Airports before any block party closes or restricts use of a county road, filed at…
🏨 Hotels & Lodging
Hotel Living Wage
Some RestrictionsSanta Clara County's Living Wage Policy requires county service contractors to pay minimum living wages and provide health benefits. The policy covers contractors providing services to…
Transient Occupancy Tax
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County hotels, motels and other short-term lodging must collect an 8% transient occupancy tax from every guest staying 30 days or less and remit it to the…
🏚️ Property Maintenance
Snow & Sidewalk Clearing
Some RestrictionsSnow is extremely rare in Santa Clara County's valley floor and Santa Clara County has no snow clearing ordinance; mountain properties should clear for safety.
Property Blight
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County declares any property with blight, unsecured or abandoned buildings, disrepair, overgrown vegetation, garbage, or illegal outdoor storage, a public…
🚁 Drone Rules
Park Drone Restrictions
Significant RestrictionsLaunching or landing a drone in any Santa Clara County Park requires a Valid Permit from the Parks Director; unauthorized flights from park land are prohibited countywide.
Commercial Drones
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County bans operating any drone, commercial UAS included, in a way that interferes with firefighting, law enforcement, or emergency response; only…
🔧 Building Safety
Plumbing Permits
Some RestrictionsPlumbing work in unincorporated Santa Clara County requires a permit under the 2025 California Plumbing Code, with plan-review and permit fees set by Board of Supervisors resolution…
Green Building Code
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires additional green building measures for new single-family homes of 3,000 square feet or more and multi-family projects of 25,000 square feet…
Elevator Maintenance
Some RestrictionsSanta Clara County elevators are regulated by Cal/OSHA under Labor Code 7300 to 7324. Every conveyance needs annual inspection and a current permit. HOA and condo elevators follow…
Electrical Permits
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County enforces the 2025 California Electrical Code, based on the 2023 National Electrical Code, with plan review and permit fees set by Board of Supervisors…
Fire Sprinkler Requirements
Heavy RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires automatic fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes and in additions that push a dwelling's fire area past 3,600 square feet.
Lead Paint
Some RestrictionsSanta Clara County pre-1978 home renovation follows EPA RRP rules and CA Health and Safety Code 17920.10. Contractors disturbing more than 6 sq ft interior or 20 sq ft exterior painted…
Anti-Mansionization
Some RestrictionsOn unincorporated county lots bordering Los Altos that carry the -n1 combining designator, homes are capped at a 0.35 floor-area ratio on smaller lots and a 27-foot maximum height, to…
Building Inspections
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County withholds a building's final inspection and certificate of occupancy until the County Fire Marshal clears its fire protection facilities and access…
Building Permits
Some RestrictionsBuilding additions in unincorporated Santa Clara County skip design review under 1,000 square feet, get administrative review from 1,001 to 2,000 square feet, and need full review…
🔑 Rental Property Rules
Security Deposit Rules
Few RestrictionsCalifornia Civil Code §1950.5, amended by AB-12 effective July 2024, caps residential security deposits at one month's rent statewide. Santa Clara County adds no local cap, so the…
Just Cause Eviction
Heavy RestrictionsSanta Clara County landlords must follow California AB 1482 just cause eviction rules, requiring specified reasons and relocation assistance for no-fault terminations.
Repairs & Habitability
Some RestrictionsRental units in unincorporated Santa Clara County must meet the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code, adopted as the county's Housing Code and enforced by the Development…
No-Fault Evictions
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County applies California's AB-1482 no-fault grounds: owner move-in, substantial remodel, demolition, government order, and Ellis Act withdrawal. Each path…
Tenant Anti-Harassment
Few RestrictionsSanta Clara County has not adopted a countywide tenant anti-harassment ordinance for unincorporated areas. Tenants rely on California Civil Code §1940.2 against forcible exclusion plus…
Rent Control
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County follows California AB 1482 statewide rent cap (5 percent plus CPI, max 10 percent) with no local rent control ordinance.
Pass-Through Charges
Some RestrictionsSanta Clara County has no countywide rent stabilization, so pass-through charges in unincorporated areas follow state law. AB-1482 caps annual rent increases at 5% plus CPI, capped at…
Source-of-Income Discrimination
Heavy RestrictionsCalifornia Government Code §12955, expanded by SB-329 in 2020, prohibits housing discrimination based on lawful source of income, including Section 8 vouchers. Santa Clara County…
Relocation Assistance
Some RestrictionsSanta Clara County has no countywide relocation ordinance for unincorporated areas. State law controls: AB-1482 requires one month of rent for no-fault terminations and the Ellis Act…
🌳 Tree Protection
Heritage & Protected Trees
Heavy RestrictionsA tree recommended by the Historical Heritage Commission and confirmed by the Board of Supervisors as historically or aesthetically significant is designated a heritage tree…
Parkway Planting
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County subdivisions must plant street trees and erosion-control landscaping in road rights-of-way when required by the advisory agency as a tentative map…
Protected Tree Species
Significant RestrictionsTrees the Historical Heritage Commission finds historically or biologically significant can be designated 'heritage trees' by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, triggering…
🗑️ Trash & Recycling
Yard Waste Collection
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County collects residential yard waste through its three-container system, but yard debris removed by a landscaper, gardener, or tree service counts as…
Collection Schedule
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires garbage and organic waste to be removed from homes and apartment complexes at least once a week, by a permitted refuse collector.
Recycling Requirements
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires source separation under its three-container system: recyclables go in the blue container, organics in the green container, and trash in the…
Illegal Dumping
Significant RestrictionsThrowing away, dumping, or burying refuse anywhere but an approved disposal site is unlawful in unincorporated Santa Clara County.
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Some RestrictionsResidential and nonresidential premises in unincorporated Santa Clara County must subscribe to the County's three-container (gray, blue, green) collection service from the permitted…
Bin Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsMulti-family and nonresidential properties in unincorporated Santa Clara County must screen trash enclosures on three sides with a six-foot masonry or wood wall, keep them out of view…
Mandatory Organics Recycling
Some RestrictionsUnder California SB 1383 and the County garbage code, residents and businesses in unincorporated Santa Clara County must separate organic waste (food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard…
Dumpster Rules
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County, dumpsters and roll-off bins serving nonresidential or multi-unit properties need the Director's approval, and every container, including…
🏪 Business Licensing & Operations
Adult Entertainment
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County keeps adult businesses at least 1,000 feet from residential/agricultural districts, other adult uses, and schools or playgrounds, sharply limiting…
Towing Companies
Some RestrictionsTow operators in unincorporated Santa Clara County cannot solicit business at accident scenes or park tow vehicles within 1,000 feet of one.
Secondhand Dealers
Some RestrictionsSecondhand and junk dealers operating in unincorporated Santa Clara County must hold a county license, pay a $30 fee, and produce business records and acquired property for inspection…
Tattoo & Body Modification
Some RestrictionsBody art practitioners and facilities anywhere in Santa Clara County, including San Jose and other cities, need Public Health Department permits and registration under the county's…
Auto Repair on Residential Property
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County, home auto repair is limited to vehicles registered to a resident, capped at two disabled vehicles per lot, and restricted to daytime hours on lots…
Tobacco Retail License
Significant RestrictionsSelling tobacco products in unincorporated Santa Clara County requires an annual Tobacco Retailer Permit, and new retailers can't locate within 1,000 feet of a school or 500 feet of…
🗺️ Zoning Overlays & Bonuses
🚜 Right to Farm
Farm Nuisance Protection
Few RestrictionsCalifornia Civil Code §3482.5 protects established agricultural operations from nuisance suits after three years of consistent activity. SCC layers this with the Williamson Act and…
Agricultural Zoning Protection
Few RestrictionsSanta Clara County's own ordinance shields lawfully run commercial agricultural operations from nuisance claims and sets up a Grievance Committee so disputes with new neighbors get…
🔫 Firearms
Firearms in Vehicles
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Penal Code sections 25400 and 25610 require firearms transported by vehicle in Santa Clara County to be unloaded, with handguns inside a locked container or trunk. Long guns…
Concealed Carry
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Penal Code section 25400 prohibits carrying a concealed firearm without a CCW. The Santa Clara County Sheriff issues permits to county residents under shall-issue rules…
Open Carry
Light RestrictionsCalifornia Penal Code section 26350 bans open carry of unloaded handguns in incorporated areas, and section 26400 bans openly carried unloaded long guns. All fifteen Santa Clara County…
🚷 Public Conduct
Aggressive Panhandling
Significant RestrictionsThe county can designate no-solicitation zones where soliciting money, work, or business from vehicle occupants on the roadway is a misdemeanor.
Skateboarding Rules
Significant RestrictionsRiding or propelling a skateboard on any unincorporated Santa Clara County highway is unlawful under the county's roadway code.
Loitering Rules
Some RestrictionsLoitering, standing, or sitting on a public highway, alley, sidewalk, or crosswalk that blocks or annoys passersby is unlawful in unincorporated Santa Clara County.
Loud Party Ordinance
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County treats gatherings of four or more where minors drink alcohol as a public nuisance; hosts face administrative citations up to $1,000 and liability for…
Public Urination
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County bars urinating or defecating anywhere in a County Park except in an enclosed restroom fixture the Parks Director has designated for that use.
Outdoor Smoking Restrictions
Heavy RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County, and on any County-owned property, smoking and vaping are banned in County parks and trails, within 30 feet of doorways, windows, and vents of…
📢 Noise from Specific Sources
HVAC & Mechanical Noise
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County caps air-conditioning and air-handling equipment noise at 50 dBA on a neighbor's property line and 45 dBA at a neighboring patio or window, absent a…
Delivery Truck Noise
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County bans loud loading, unloading, and container handling near homes between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and at any time if it breaches the Table B11-152 decibel…
Car Alarm Limits
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County, a motor vehicle burglar alarm that doesn't shut off within 15 minutes of activation is a noise-code violation.
🍔 Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors
🌙 Curfew Laws
Park Curfew
Some RestrictionsThe Parks and Recreation Director sets and posts each unincorporated Santa Clara County park's hours, and it's unlawful to enter or stay in a park after closing without a permit.
Juvenile Curfew
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County bars anyone under 18 from unsupervised public streets, parks, and lots between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or on a legitimate…
🚶 Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules
Encroachment Permits
Some RestrictionsPlacing, altering, or excavating in a County right-of-way in unincorporated Santa Clara County requires a written encroachment permit from the Director before work begins.
Obstruction Rules
Some RestrictionsTrees, hedges, and shrubs that block sightlines or block sidewalk and street passage in unincorporated Santa Clara County are a declared public nuisance owners must remove.
Sidewalk Repair
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Streets and Highways Code 5610 makes abutting property owners responsible for sidewalk repair in unincorporated Santa Clara County, with county-issued repair notices.
🌍 Environmental Rules
Stormwater Management
Some RestrictionsDumping anything but rainwater into storm drains or waterways in unincorporated Santa Clara County is illegal, and construction or development projects must install BMPs and get…
Flood Zones
Some RestrictionsBuilding, filling, or grading anywhere within a mapped special flood hazard area of unincorporated Santa Clara County requires a development permit from the Planning and Development…
Erosion Control
Some RestrictionsGrading or drainage alteration on unincorporated Santa Clara County land needs a county Grading Permit once cuts or fills exceed 150 cubic yards or five feet in depth, under the…
Flood Elevation Requirements
Some RestrictionsNew and substantially improved homes in unincorporated Santa Clara County's flood zones must have their lowest floor built two feet above the base flood elevation set on FEMA's flood…
🩺 Public Health Rules
Restaurant Grade Cards
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires every inspected food facility to post the Director's inspection placard within five feet of the front door, clearly visible to the public and…
Rodent Control
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County property is blighted when building walls, retaining walls, or roofs show termite or rodent infestation visible from a public area or neighboring…
Food Handler Certification
Some RestrictionsUnder California Health and Safety Code §113948, every food handler in Santa Clara County must obtain an ANSI-accredited food handler card within 30 days of hire. Cards are valid for…
Syringe Disposal
Heavy RestrictionsSharps manufacturers selling products in Santa Clara County must fund and run a County-approved take-back program, so residents get free mail-back kits and drop-off sites for used…
📐 Building Setbacks & Zoning
Lot Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County, single-family residential districts (R1, R1E, RHS, R1S, R2) carry no separate lot-coverage percentage, bulk is controlled through setback and…
Setback Rules
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires a 25-foot front and rear yard setback and a 5-foot side setback on standard R1 residential lots under the county Zoning Ordinance, separate…
Structure Height Limits
Some RestrictionsHomes in unincorporated Santa Clara County's R1 residential district are capped at 35 feet and two stories, dropping to 21 feet and one story on small flag lots, under the county's own…
🏘️ HOA Rules
Dispute Resolution
Few RestrictionsSanta Clara County HOAs must offer free Internal Dispute Resolution under Civil Code 5900 and Alternative Dispute Resolution under 5925 before filing enforcement lawsuits. ADR…
Architectural Review
Light RestrictionsSanta Clara County HOA architectural review runs under Civil Code 4765. Owners submit written applications and receive written decisions, and associations must apply fair and…
Assessment & Dues
Some RestrictionsSanta Clara County HOA dues follow Civil Code 5600 to 5740. Regular dues cannot rise over 20 percent yearly, special assessments over 5 percent need a member vote, and delinquencies…
CC&R Enforcement
Few RestrictionsSanta Clara County HOAs enforce CC and Rs under Civil Code 5850 to 5895. Fines require 10 day written notice and a board hearing, and cannot become a lien unless tied to assessments…
☀️ Solar Energy
Panel Permits
Some RestrictionsSanta Clara County issues expedited residential solar permits within 3 business days under AB 2188 and AB 1414. Title 24 mandates solar on new homes. PG and E interconnection runs…
HOA Restrictions
Few RestrictionsSanta Clara County HOAs cannot ban solar under Civil Code 714 and 4753. Aesthetic rules adding over 1000 dollars or losing 10 percent efficiency are void. Complete applications deem…
🚪 Soliciting & Door-to-Door
🛍️ Single-Use Items
Plastic Straw Rules
Some RestrictionsCalifornia AB-1884 (Public Resources Code section 42270) and AB-1276 make Santa Clara County a straws-on-request jurisdiction. Restaurants countywide cannot auto-distribute single-use…
Utensils-On-Request
Significant RestrictionsCalifornia AB-1276 (Health and Safety Code §42270 et seq.) prohibits full-service and takeout food facilities from providing single-use utensils, straws, or condiment packets unless…
🪧 Sign Regulations
Digital Billboards
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires a discretionary Use Permit for any billboard and limits sign illumination to continuous, non-blinking light, effectively barring changeable…
Political Signs
Some RestrictionsPolitical signs are permitted in any zoning district of unincorporated Santa Clara County without architecture and site approval, under Zoning Ordinance Section 4.40.100. Size limits…
Window Signs
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Santa Clara County, window signage on nonresidential buildings is capped at 25% of the window frame area and cannot be animated under the Zoning Ordinance's sign…
🚬 Tobacco & Vaping
Tobacco Age Restrictions
Some RestrictionsFederal Tobacco 21 (Public Law 116-94) and California Business and Professions Code section 22963 bar Santa Clara County retailers from selling cigarettes, cigars, vapes, or any…
Flavored Tobacco Bans
Heavy RestrictionsRetailers in unincorporated Santa Clara County can't sell any tobacco product with a characterizing flavor other than tobacco: menthol, fruit, candy, or dessert flavors are all…
💧 Water Use Rules
Recycled Water Rules
Few RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County's water-conservation limits on outdoor irrigation, hose-washing, and decorative fountains don't apply to water drawn from a recycled water, gray…
Leak Reporting Duty
Some RestrictionsProperty owners in unincorporated Santa Clara County must fix outdoor water leaks from broken pipes, sprinklers, or irrigation within seven days of County notification, or face…
📷 Privacy & Surveillance
License Plate Readers
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Santa Clara County requires Board of Supervisors approval before any county department acquires or uses automated license plate readers, with a public Surveillance Use…
Recording & Consent Laws
Some RestrictionsCalifornia is an all-party consent state. All parties to a confidential conversation must consent to audio recording under Penal Code §632. Video recording in public is legal…
🖥️ Data Centers & Crypto Mining
📋 Code Violation Reporting
Cities in Santa Clara County
Other Communities in Santa Clara County
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Santa Clara County ordinances.