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Chico Municipal Code Chapter 9.38 sets dB-based limits at the property line. On residential property the cap is 70 dBA daytime (7 a.m.–9 p.m.) and 60 dBA nighttime (9 p.m.–7 a.m.). A…
Under CMC §9.38.060 categorical exemptions, construction is permitted 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 10 a.m.–6 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. For new residential development and for…
Amplified outdoor music in Chico is bounded by the dBA limits in §§9.38.030–9.38.050 unless the public works director issues a special-event permit under CMC §9.38.080. Applications…
Barking dogs are regulated under Title 7 (not Title 6) of the Chico Municipal Code. CMC §7.08.120 declares howling, barking, or unusual noises that disturb a neighborhood a public…
Chico has no local aircraft-noise ordinance. Aircraft in flight are exclusively regulated by the FAA under federal law (49 U.S.C. §40103), which preempts municipal noise rules. Chico…
Chico Municipal Code Ch. 9.38 contains no leaf-blower-specific time or gas-engine ban. Leaf blowers are regulated under the general residential noise caps in CMC §9.38.030 — 70 dBA at…
Amplified sound at public-property special events requires a permit application filed at least 14 days in advance (CMC §9.38.080). Vehicle-mounted sound systems are banned if audible…
Chico Municipal Code §9.38.040 caps noise from any commercial or industrial property at 70 dBA, measured at any point outside the property plane — a single flat limit with no day/night…
Chico sets explicit, meter-enforceable dBA limits by property type. Residential (CMC §9.38.030): 70 dBA day (7 a.m.–9 p.m.) / 60 dBA night (9 p.m.–7 a.m.) at the property plane, plus a…
CMC §9.38.056 regulates vehicle sound systems and horns. Sound amplification audible >50 ft from a vehicle on public property (other than a highway), or >25 ft / beyond the property…
Chico requires STR operators to obtain (1) a city business license, (2) a TOT registration, and (3) an administrative permit from the Department of Development Services. The municipal…
Chico does NOT impose a citywide primary-residence-only rule on short-term rentals. The administrative permit framework and Title 19 zoning allow non-owner-occupied STRs, though…
Chico's municipal code does not require short-term rental operators to carry a specific commercial liability insurance policy or name the City as additional insured. Insurance…
Chico imposes a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) on lodging stays of 30 days or less under authority of Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code §7280, collected by the operator and remitted to the City…
STR guest parking in Chico is governed by CMC Title 10 (Vehicles and Traffic) for on-street parking and CMC Title 19 (Land Use & Development Regulations) for off-street parking…
Short-term rental guests in Chico are bound by CMC Chapter 9.38 (Noise), which sets specific decibel limits and prohibits unreasonable noise that disturbs the peace, plus general…
Every STR operator in Chico must register with the city Finance Department for a Transient Occupancy Tax certificate and obtain a business license (renewed annually) before accepting…
Chico does NOT cap the number of nights per year an STR may operate, and does not distinguish between 'hosted' and 'extended unhosted' home shares the way San Francisco (90-day…
Chico has not adopted an annual night cap (e.g., 90-night or 120-night ceiling) on short-term rentals in its municipal code. STRs operate under CMC Title 19 zoning and CMC Title 5…
Chico does NOT require the operator/host to be physically present during STR stays. Instead, the administrative permit framework requires a designated local property manager available…
Chico does not publish a stand-alone overnight-guest cap for short-term rentals in its municipal code. STR occupancy is governed by the California Building Code/Title 24 occupancy load…
All fireworks — including those classified as 'Safe and Sane' by the State of California — are banned within Chico city limits. CMC 16R.42.100 amends CCR Title 19 Ch. 6 and California…
Chico adopts the California Fire Code via CMC 16R.42.010 — including Chapter 49 (Requirements for Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Areas). CAL FIRE released updated LRA Fire Hazard…
Chico Municipal Code Chapter 9.35 (Outdoor Warming Appliances with Open Flame) restricts where residents may operate fire pits, chimineas and similar open-flame warming devices. CMC…
Chico regulates propane/LP-gas storage primarily by adopting the California Fire Code via CMC 16R.42.010, with local amendments. CMC 16R.42.020 restricts above-ground tanks of…
The City Council declares weeds, rubbish, refuse and debris a public nuisance and runs an annual lot-clearing & weed-abatement program administered by Community Development under CMC…
Open burning of yard waste, vegetation, debris and similar material is prohibited inside Chico city limits year-round, regardless of lot size or burn-day status. The rule is enforced…
Backyard ('dooryard') burning at a single- or two-family residence in unincorporated Butte County is permitted only with a CAL FIRE burn permit, on a Permissive Burn Day, during posted…
Chico does not impose a citywide overnight street-parking ban. The key limit is Chico Municipal Code Section 10.20.200, which prohibits storing any vehicle, recreational vehicle, boat…
Chico Municipal Code §10.20.200 restricts storage and parking of recreational vehicles, boats, and trailers on city streets and public rights-of-way. Cross-reference with CMC §9.20.030…
Chico relies primarily on the California Vehicle Code to prohibit blocking driveways and parking on sidewalks. Off-street parking design - including driveway paving, dimensions, and…
Chico Municipal Code Chapter 10.52 (Abandoned Vehicles) treats any abandoned, dismantled, wrecked, or inoperative vehicle - or vehicle parts - left on public or private property for…
Chico Municipal Code Chapter 10.20 governs on-street parking citywide, supplementing the California Vehicle Code. Time-limited zones, preferential parking permit areas (CMC Ch. 10.30)…
EV-charger permitting in Chico is governed by California state law: AB 1236 (Gov. Code §65850.7) requires the City to use an expedited, ministerial permit process limited to…
Chico Municipal Code §10.20.160 prohibits parking any commercial vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more in residential zoning districts…
Chico Municipal Code Title 6 (Animals) prohibits dogs from running at large. Dogs must be restrained on a leash or otherwise under physical control when off the owner's premises…
Chico Municipal Code (CMC) Title 19.76.040 allows hens as accessory animal keeping at a ratio of 1 bird per 250 sq ft of lot area, with coops set back 50 ft from any dwelling. Roosters…
Chico does not have a stand-alone hive-density ordinance; beekeeping is regulated as accessory animal keeping under CMC §19.76.040. State law (Cal. Food & Agric. Code §29040) requires…
Chico does not impose breed-specific bans. California Food & Agricultural Code §31683 preempts cities from declaring a dog dangerous or vicious based solely on breed. Chico Municipal…
Chico has no local exotic-pet code; the controlling law is state. Cal. Fish & Game Code §2118 and 14 CCR §671 prohibit possession of restricted live wild animals (most primates, large…
Chico has no city-specific wildlife-feeding prohibition in its Municipal Code; the controlling rule is state. 14 CCR §251.1 defines feeding game and non-game mammals or birds in a way…
Chico Municipal Code Title 7 limits residential dog keeping to 3 dogs over 3 months of age per single street address. Hoarding beyond welfare capacity is prosecuted under Cal. Penal…
Butte County does not set a numeric cap on the number of household pets, but once an owner keeps enough dogs to trigger the 'kennel' definition in zoning section 24-165, a Minor Use…
CMC §19.60.060(F) prohibits barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fencing in all zoning districts unless approved by use permit in a commercial or industrial zone. Approved…
Chico defers to California Civil Code §841, the Good Neighbor Fence Act. Adjoining owners are presumed to share equally in the cost of a boundary fence's construction, maintenance, and…
Under Chico Municipal Code (CMC) §19.60.060, front-yard fences on standard parcels are capped at 3 feet, while side and rear yard fences may rise to 7 feet. Greater heights require an…
Per CMC §16.10.020 and the City of Chico Building FAQ, retaining walls 4 feet or less in height (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall) that do not support a surcharge are…
Chico enforces the California Swimming Pool Safety Act (HSC §115920–115929, amended by SB 442). New or remodeled pools/spas at single-family homes must install at least two of seven…
A building/zoning permit is generally required in Chico for fences over 6 feet or masonry/retaining walls; pool barrier fences must meet the California Building Code. Standard…
Butte County Zoning Code Section 24-60 limits residential fence materials to decorative masonry, ornamental steel or iron, or wood. Barbed wire, razor wire, and similar materials are…
Above-ground pools holding water more than 18 inches deep are 'swimming pools' under Cal. HSC §115921(a) and are treated the same as in-ground pools by the Chico Building Division. A…
Chico does not publish a standalone pool ordinance in the Municipal Code. Pool, spa, and hot tub installations are permitted by the Chico Building Division under Title 24 of the…
Chico follows the California Swimming Pool Safety Act (Cal. HSC §§115920–115929). At new pool construction or any pool/spa remodel requiring a building permit, the property must have…
Cal. Health & Safety Code §115921(a) expressly includes 'hot tubs, spas, portable spas' within the definition of 'swimming pool.' Chico enforces the Swimming Pool Safety Act and the…
Chico does not adopt a standalone pool fence ordinance; the controlling rule is the California Swimming Pool Safety Act enforced through the building permit process. If an isolation…
Chico has no fixed grass-height number in its code. Instead, weeds, rubbish, and dry vegetation are declared a public nuisance and abated each year through the City's annual Lot…
Each year the Chico City Council declares weeds, rubbish, refuse, and debris on private parcels a public nuisance and orders abatement under Cal. Gov't Code §§39501-39588. The program…
Chico has one of the stronger urban-forest ordinances in inland California. CMC Chapter 16.66 (Tree Preservation Regulations) requires a Tree Removal Permit for protected and heritage…
Under CMC §19.68.050 and §19.68.070, at least 90% of plants in non-turf areas must be suited to Chico's climate and require minimal water once established. Species must be drawn from…
Most Chico residents are served by California Water Service (Cal Water). Under Cal Water's Water Shortage Contingency Plan (CPUC Rule 14.1), outdoor irrigation is limited to two days…
Chico has no ordinance prohibiting rainwater catchment. California's Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (AB 1750, Cal. Water Code §10574) authorizes residential, commercial, and government…
Chico does not ban artificial turf and the City permits it as part of drought-tolerant landscapes. State law (AB 1572, Cal. Water Code §10608.14, eff. 2027) prohibits potable water for…
Chico is a Tree City with a strong tree-preservation ordinance; removing protected or heritage trees, including many on private property, requires a city tree-removal permit with…
SB 1383 requires every California resident and business to separate food scraps and yard waste from trash, with universal collection or on-site composting.
Per CMC 19.20.060, a Chico home occupation may not generate more than 10 additional pedestrian or vehicular trips per day beyond what is customary for the residential zoning district…
Chico Municipal Code Chapter 19.20 allows home occupations in any residential zoning district with an approved Home Occupation Permit issued by the Community Development Director. The…
California Health & Safety Code §1597.40 preempts local zoning of family daycare homes. Small family daycare homes (up to 8 children) are treated as residential use in every zone…
CMC 19.20.060 limits home occupation signage to one non-illuminated name plate not exceeding 1 square foot in area, with placement approved by the Community Development Director. No…
California's Homemade Food Act (Health & Safety Code §113758 et seq.) governs Cottage Food Operations (CFOs). Class A CFOs (direct sales) self-certify with Butte County Environmental…
Butte County's Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 24, Section 24-162) divides home businesses into three tiers: a Home Office (no permit), a Minor Home Occupation (Administrative Permit), and a…
Chico Municipal Code §19.76.130 authorizes ADUs on every R-zoned lot consistent with state law (Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2). Detached ADUs are capped at 16 ft height; attached ADUs may…
Under Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6) and CMC §19.76.130, an ADU may not be rented for terms of less than 30 days. Short-term/vacation rental of an ADU is prohibited in Chico. The…
Chico processes ADU applications ministerially via Community Development per CMC §19.76.130 and Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(b). No discretionary hearing, no public notice, no CEQA…
Under Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6) (as amended by AB 587/AB 671), Chico cannot require owner-occupancy for an ADU permitted between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2024. JADUs…
Chico Municipal Code §19.76.020 governs detached accessory structures including tool sheds. Sheds 120 sq ft or smaller without plumbing or electricity are exempt from a building permit…
Under Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(f)(3)(A), ADUs under 750 sq ft are statutorily exempt from impact fees (city, special-district, school, and water-corporation). ADUs at 750 sq ft and…
Chico Municipal Code §19.76.130 permits conversion of an existing attached or detached garage into an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) in R1 and R2 zones. When a garage, carport, or…
Chico Municipal Code §19.76.020 defines a carport as an attached or detached accessory building not enclosed on more than two sides, designed to shelter motor vehicles. Carports may…
Chico has no separate tiny-home ordinance; tiny dwellings are regulated under CMC §19.76.130 (ADUs) and California state law. A tiny home on a permanent foundation that meets the…
Under CMC Ch. 16.66 (Tree Preservation Regulations), Native Oak (Quercus) species or Sycamore (Platanus) species at 36-inch DBH (single trunk) or 36-inch cumulative DBH (multi-trunk)…
Planting a tree in the parkway (the strip between sidewalk and curb) or anywhere in the public right-of-way requires a permit from the City of Chico Public Works (Park Division) under…
CMC Ch. 16.68 (Voluntary Heritage Tree Program), established by CMC 16.68.010, identifies, promotes public awareness of, maintains, and protects designated Heritage Trees on public and…
CMC 16.66.085 (Tree Replacement) requires that for every six inches in DBH (diameter at breast height) removed, a new 15-gallon tree shall be planted on-site. If on-site replanting is…
Chico Municipal Code Ch. 16.66 (Tree Preservation Regulations) requires a permit from the Urban Forest Manager before removing any protected tree on regulated property. CMC Ch. 14.40…
Erosion control in Chico is enforced through the State Construction General Permit (Order 2022-0057-DWQ) for projects disturbing 1+ acre, the city's Phase II MS4 program for smaller…
Chico participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and adopts FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for Butte County. Construction in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs…
Chico is enrolled in the State Water Board's statewide Phase II Small MS4 General Permit (Order WQ 2013-0001-DWQ, as amended). The city must prohibit non-stormwater discharges into the…
Grading in Chico is regulated under California Building Code Appendix J as adopted in Chico Municipal Code Title 16, plus engineering and drainage standards administered by Public…
No local rule. Chico is an inland city in Butte County, roughly 100 miles from the Pacific coast, and is entirely outside the California Coastal Zone. The California Coastal Act…
Chico Municipal Code §19.22.020(F) limits residential garage/yard sales to two events per 12-month period, each not exceeding 3 consecutive days. Per CMC §19.74.060, one single- or…
Chico has no specific ordinance regulating residential holiday lights or seasonal decorations — no city-imposed put-up or take-down dates apply. General nuisance, light-trespass, and…
Chico exempts noncommercial (including political/campaign) signs on residential property from sign approval under CMC §19.74.060, provided each sign is ≤4 sq ft in area. Height is…
Yard waste is collected in the mandatory organics (green) cart under Chico Municipal Code Ch. 8.13 implementing California SB 1383. Subscription is required for all residences; the…
Illegal dumping in Chico is prohibited under CMC Chapters 8.04 (Solid Waste General Provisions) and 9.20 (Litter), with state backstops at Cal. Penal Code §374.3 (misdemeanor dumping)…
Chico Municipal Code Chapter 8.13 (adopted to implement California SB 1383) requires every residence and business to subscribe to recycling AND organics collection service. CMC…
Chico Municipal Code Title 8 mandates that every residential premises subscribe to franchised curbside collection for garbage, recyclables, and organics (3-cart system). Service is…
Chico residents served by Waste Management get two free on-call bulky item pickups per year (up to 3 large items per pickup). Recology Butte Colusa customers can schedule bulky pickups…
Chico Municipal Code Ch. 8.08 governs storage and curbside placement of solid waste containers. Carts must be at the curb by 6 a.m. on collection day, removed the same day, and stored…
Commercial drone work in Chico requires an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate; the city does not issue separate commercial UAS permits. Operations on city-owned land (Bidwell Park…
Chico has no standalone municipal drone ordinance for recreational hobbyists; FAA Part 107 and FAA recreational rules (49 USC §44809) govern airspace citywide. Local layer kicks in…
City of Chico parks — including the 3,670-acre Bidwell Park — restrict drone operations under CMC Title 12R; advance written permission is required. CARD-managed facilities prohibit…
California sets a statewide minimum wage floor under Labor Code 1182.12, $16.90 per hour for all employers as of January 2026. Local governments are not preempted and may set higher…
California's Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act under Labor Code 245-249 mandates paid sick leave for nearly all employees statewide. SB 616 (2023) raised the minimum to 40 hours…
California regulates concealed carry weapons licenses statewide under Penal Code 26150 through 26225. Senate Bill 2 (2023) imposes uniform sensitive-place restrictions and applicant…
California preempts most local firearm regulation under Government Code 53071 and Penal Code 25605, reserving licensing, registration, and manufacture authority to the state. However…
California broadly prohibits open carry of firearms statewide under Penal Code 25850 (loaded firearms in public) and Penal Code 26350 (open carry of unloaded handguns). The prohibition…
California prohibits carrying loaded firearms in vehicles statewide under Penal Code 25400 and 25850. Unloaded handguns transported in private vehicles must be in a locked container or…
California Retail Food Code (Health and Safety Code 113700-114437) sets uniform mobile food facility permit, equipment, and food safety standards enforced by counties statewide.
California's Safe Sidewalk Vending Act (SB 946) preempts most local bans on sidewalk vending, allowing only objective health, safety, and welfare regulations.
California HOAs may levy regular and special assessments, charge late fees and interest, record liens, and ultimately foreclose on delinquent owners under the Davis-Stirling Act. State…
California tightly regulates HOA governance. The Common Interest Development Open Meeting Act (Civil Code 4900-4955) governs board meetings and member access, sections 5100-5145…
California HOAs enforce recorded CC&Rs and architectural rules, but Civil Code section 4765 requires architectural decisions to be fair, reasonable, and in good faith, and sections…
California HOAs may fine members for rule violations, but only under a published schedule of fines and after strict due-process steps. Civil Code section 5855 requires written notice…
California overrides HOA governing documents on several owner protections. The Davis-Stirling Act and related Civil Code sections bar HOAs from prohibiting solar systems, U.S. flag…
California prohibits state and local governments from requiring private employers to use the federal E-Verify system except where federal law mandates it, under Labor Code 2812. The…
The California Values Act (SB 54, 2017) codified at Government Code 7284-7284.12 limits state and local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It applies…
California evictions run through the unlawful detainer process. Under Code of Civil Procedure § 1161, nonpayment requires a 3-day notice to pay rent or quit (excluding weekends and…
California landlords must keep rentals fit to live in. Civil Code §§ 1941 and 1941.1, reinforced by Green v. Superior Court, imply a warranty of habitability covering plumbing, heat…
Civil Code 1946.2 requires landlords statewide to have just cause to terminate tenancies of qualifying tenants who have lived in a covered unit at least 12 months.
California Civil Code § 1954 limits when a landlord may enter a rented home. Except in emergencies, abandonment, or with tenant consent, the landlord must give reasonable written…
California sets no fixed dollar or percentage cap on rent late fees, but a late fee in a residential lease is treated as liquidated damages. Under Civil Code § 1671, such a fee is…
To end a California month-to-month tenancy, a tenant gives 30 days' written notice. A landlord gives 30 days if the tenant has lived there under a year, or 60 days if a year or more…
California limits annual rent increases statewide to 5% plus the local change in the cost of living, capped at 10%, under the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB-1482). It also lets…
California requires written notice before raising a month-to-month tenant's rent. Under Civ. Code § 827, increases of 10% or less in 12 months need 30 days' notice; increases above 10%…
As of July 1, 2024, California landlords may collect no more than one month's rent as a security deposit, regardless of whether the unit is furnished. The deposit, minus any lawful…
California adverse possession requires five years of continuous, open, hostile possession AND payment of all property taxes during that period under Code of Civil Procedure § 325. A…
The California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (Williamson Act), Government Code 51200-51297.4, allows landowners to enter contracts with counties restricting land to agricultural use…
The California Right to Farm Act under Civil Code 3482.5 protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits brought by neighbors who moved in after farming began. The…
California prohibits grocery stores and large retailers from providing single-use plastic carryout bags under Public Resources Code 42280-42288, enacted by SB 270 (2014) and ratified…
California restricts expanded polystyrene food containers statewide through SB 54 (2022) packaging requirements under Public Resources Code 42040-42081. The law mandates that…
California Public Resources Code 42270-42273, enacted by AB 1884 (2018), prohibits full-service restaurants from providing single-use plastic straws unless requested by the customer…
Civil Code section 714 voids HOA covenants and rules that prohibit or unreasonably restrict residential solar energy systems, preempting private and local restrictions.
California's Solar Rights Act and the SolarAPP+ mandate (SB 379) require expedited permit review of small residential solar systems, preempting restrictive local processes.
California prohibits sale of tobacco and vapor products to anyone under 21 statewide under Business and Professions Code 22958, enacted by SBX2-7 in 2016. The Tobacco 21 standard…
California bans retail sale of most flavored tobacco products statewide under Health and Safety Code 104559.5, enacted by SB 793 (2020) and upheld by voters via Proposition 31 in…
California requires statewide licensing of tobacco and vape retailers under the STAKE Act and the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act. Business and Professions Code 22970…