5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Sonoma County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Sonoma County residents receive three weekly-collected carts (gray garbage, blue recycling, green compost) from franchised hauler Recology Sonoma Marin. Carts come in 20-, 32-, 64-, and 96-gallon sizes and must not be overstuffed; loose material set out without prior arrangement is not collected.
In unincorporated Sonoma County, Permit Sonoma's Code Enforcement Division responds to complaints about junk, debris, and substandard property. Violations are typically declared public nuisances and must be abated, usually within 30 days, under the County Code's administrative enforcement procedures.
Under Sonoma County Code Chapter 13A, hazardous vegetation and combustible material on unimproved (vacant) parcels in unincorporated areas is a declared public nuisance. Owners must clear flammable growth within 10 feet of structures and roadway frontage and may face County abatement with cost recovery.
Sonoma County publishes no specific garage-sale permit ordinance for unincorporated areas, and operating a business in the unincorporated county does not require a county business license. Occasional household yard sales are generally treated as incidental residential activity, not a regulated business use.
Sonoma County Code Chapter 13A requires year-round defensible space in unincorporated areas. On improved parcels, owners must keep grass cut to 6 inches or less and maintain a 30-foot defensible space; the County Fire Warden can order abatement and recover costs as a property lien.
1 cities in Sonoma County have their own property maintenance rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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Sonoma County Ordinance Hub →