2 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Santa Barbara County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Santa Barbara County protects native trees through several overlapping ordinances. The most important is Land Use and Development Code (LUDC) Chapter 35, Article IX (Deciduous Oak Tree Protection and Regeneration), which regulates the removal of native deciduous oaks (valley oak, blue oak, black oak, scrub oak) on parcels in the inland area. Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) and other native species are protected through the County's environmental review process and the General Plan's Conservation and Open Space Element, plus the Coastal Land Use Plan in the coastal zone. A removal permit, processed through Planning and Development, is generally required before any protected oak may be cut down, and the Planning Commission has jurisdiction over discretionary Oak Tree Removal Permits. Removal of dead, uprooted, or hazard trees is typically exempt, as is removal of trees within 50 feet of an existing residential structure for fire-safety reasons.
Santa Barbara County is chronically water-stressed and operates under a layered set of restrictions: California's permanent statewide Water-Wise Outdoor Use Prohibitions (California Code of Regulations Title 23, Sections 996-997) apply at all times, individual water suppliers (Goleta Water District, Montecito Water District, Carpinteria Valley Water District, City of Santa Barbara, City of Santa Maria, Cachuma Operation and Maintenance Board service areas, Cuyama and rural districts) declare their own Stage 1-3 drought stages with specific watering-day and runoff rules, and the State Water Resources Control Board imposes statewide emergency regulations during drought emergencies. Universal rules include: no runoff that crosses the property line, no irrigation during or within 48 hours of measurable rainfall, no use of potable water in non-recirculating ornamental fountains, and required 72-hour leak repair after notice. Lake Cachuma (the South Coast's main reservoir) and the State Water Project allocation are the key supply indicators.
Cal. Code Regs. tit. 23, §§ 490-495 - Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO)
New development and retrofitted landscape water efficiency standards are governed by the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) . The MWELO is also referenced by Title 24, Part 11, Chapters 4 and 5 CalGreen Building Code. All local agencies must adopt, implement, and enforce the MWELO or a local Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO) that is at least as effective as the MWELO. Us...
1 cities in Santa Barbara County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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