42 local rules on file · Pop. 193 · Solano County
Showing ordinances that apply to Elmira, CA
Elmira is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 193 in Solano County, California. Because Elmira is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Solano 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 Solano County may have different rules.
Solano County allows one Accessory Dwelling Unit and one Junior ADU per single-family lot in unincorporated areas under Solano County Code §28.72.10(B)(2), as amended by Ordinance 2020-1817 to conform with California Government Code §65852.2. Detached ADUs require 4-foot side and rear setbacks, and one off-street parking space is required unless the property is within ½ mile of public transit.
In unincorporated Solano County, converting a garage into living space requires a building permit through the Solano County Building and Safety Division. Conversions of an existing garage into habitable space are most commonly permitted as a Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU) or Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) under Solano County Code §28.72.10, as amended by Ordinance 2020-1817.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Solano County ordinances.
All fireworks — including California-approved 'Safe and Sane' fireworks — are prohibited in the unincorporated areas of Solano County. Solano County Code Chapter 12.5 makes it unlawful to possess, use, discharge, offer for sale, or sell any fireworks, firecrackers, torpedoes, or other pyrotechnics in the unincorporated county, and a violation is a misdemeanor. Safe-and-sane fireworks legally bought in a city that permits them (Dixon, Rio Vista, Suisun City) may not be brought into or used in unincorporated Solano County.
In unincorporated Solano County, recreational fire pits are governed by the California Fire Code (adopted by Solano County Code Chapter 6.3 — Building Standards and Codes) together with Solano County Code Chapter 12.5 (Abatement of Fire Hazards). The Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District (YSAQMD) regulates the air-quality side and bans burning on "Don't Light Tonight" no-burn days in the northeast portion of the county (Vacaville, Dixon, Rio Vista area); the Bay Area AQMD regulates the southwest portion (Vallejo, Benicia, Fairfield, Suisun area).
Outdoor burning in Solano County requires authorization from one of two air districts plus, for most burns, a CAL FIRE burn permit. The Yolo-Solano AQMD regulates the northeast (Vacaville, Dixon, Rio Vista); the Bay Area AQMD regulates the southwest (Vallejo, Benicia, Fairfield, Suisun). All burning is prohibited on declared 'Don't Light Tonight' (no-burn) days, and CAL FIRE LNU declares an annual fire season closure (typically late spring through fall) during which open burning is suspended.
Solano County Code Chapter 12.5 (Abatement of Fire Hazards) requires owners to keep land clear of dry grass, stubble, brush, rubbish, litter, and other flammable material. In State Responsibility Area (SRA) lands, California Public Resources Code §4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space around every habitable structure; in the Local Responsibility Area's Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, Government Code §51182 imposes the same 100-foot standard. After the 2020 LNU Lightning Complex fires, Solano County and CAL FIRE LNU have intensified inspections.
Much of unincorporated Solano County — including the Vaca Mountains, the western hills around Green Valley and Cordelia, the area around Lake Berryessa, and rural land north and east of Vacaville — is mapped in CAL FIRE's State Responsibility Area (SRA) and Local Responsibility Area (LRA) as Moderate, High, or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ). On February 24, 2025 the State Fire Marshal released updated LRA FHSZ maps for Solano; the County adopted them with enforcement beginning July 2025. Map zone determines defensible-space requirements (PRC §4291 / Govt. Code §51182), Chapter 7A ignition-resistant construction standards, and Real-Estate disclosure (Civil Code §1103).
In unincorporated Solano County, Chapter 4 (Animals and Fowl), Section 4-13 of the Solano County Code prohibits any dog from running at large. Off the owner's property a dog must be on a leash, lead, or chain, or at heel beside a competent person. Sheriff's Animal Care Services enforces (707-784-4733). California Food & Agricultural Code Section 30951 et seq. provides state authority.
Solano County does not impose a countywide beekeeping permit. All apiary locations must be registered annually with the Solano County Agricultural Commissioner under California Food & Agricultural Code Section 29040, typically through the statewide BeeWhere system. Cities within the county set their own siting rules: Vacaville requires a beekeeping permit, Dixon and Benicia impose setbacks and ag-commissioner registration.
Unincorporated Solano County allows poultry and livestock in agricultural and rural-residential zones per the Solano County Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 28). Chapter 4.1 caps roosters at fewer than five per parcel countywide. Large operations are governed by Chapter 27 (Large Confined Animal Facility Standards). Individual cities (Vacaville prohibits, Dixon and Fairfield allow with limits) impose their own rules.
Solano County does not have any breed-specific ordinance. California Health & Safety Code Section 122331 prohibits local jurisdictions from declaring any specific breed inherently dangerous, vicious, or potentially dangerous. The county and its cities instead regulate individual dogs through the state's potentially-dangerous and vicious-dog process under Food & Agricultural Code Section 31601 et seq.
Solano County allows fences up to 6 feet in height without a building permit per the Solano County Building and Safety Division. Fences over 6 feet require a building permit. Fence placement is also subject to the Chapter 28 zoning standards for sight-distance and setbacks.
Solano County does not require a building permit for fences 6 feet or less in height. Fences over 6 feet require a building permit issued by the Solano County Building and Safety Division. Retaining walls over 4 feet (footing to top) likewise require a permit.
Unincorporated Solano County requires Vacation House Rental (VHR) operators to provide on-site parking adequate for the maximum permitted occupancy and to identify all parking spaces on the application site plan. Parking conditions are set through the Minor Use Permit and posted in the county-approved Good Neighbor Flyer under Solano County Code Chapter 28.
Vacation House Rental operating standards in unincorporated Solano County impose enforceable quiet hours of 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., during which outdoor amplified sound, large gatherings, and disruptive noise are prohibited at the rental property. These rules are conditions of the STR/VHR permit issued under Solano County Code Chapter 28 and operate alongside the countywide noise standards. The permittee is responsible for guest conduct; repeated verified noise complaints can trigger permit suspension or revocation by the Department of Resource Management. Operators must post the 24-hour local contact and quiet-hour rules conspicuously inside the unit, and guests must be given written house rules at booking. Outdoor music and parties extending past 9:00 p.m. are common complaint triggers and a basis for code-enforcement action.
Unincorporated Solano County regulates short-term lodging (rentals of 30 consecutive days or less) under Chapter 28 of the Solano County Code, including agricultural homestays, bed and breakfast inns, hosted rentals, and Vacation House Rentals (VHRs). Before listing on any platform, an owner must (1) apply for the appropriate land-use permit from the Department of Resource Management — Planning Services, (2) obtain a Solano County business license under Chapter 14, and (3) register for a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) certificate. The permit type depends on location and access: VHRs on public roads typically qualify for an Administrative Permit, while VHRs on private roads require a Use Permit. VHRs are prohibited outright in Rural Residential zone districts (RR-2.5, RR-5, RR-10) and in High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Proof of commercial liability insurance is required as part of the operating permit package.
All short-term rentals in unincorporated Solano County must register for and collect Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) at the current rate of 5% of the total listing price, including any cleaning fees, on stays of 30 consecutive days or less. Operators register for a TOT certificate through the Solano County Department of Resource Management before accepting bookings, file returns on the schedule set by the Treasurer-Tax Collector, and remit collected tax to the County. Platform-collected tax (where the booking platform remits on the operator's behalf) does not eliminate the registration requirement. On top of TOT, operators pay the Solano County business license fee under Chapter 14 and the land-use permit application fee — a Minor Use Permit was approximately $6,831 (2021 schedule); the Administrative Permit fee for VHRs on public roads is lower but still substantial. Failure to register or remit TOT can result in penalties, interest, and permit revocation.
Maximum overnight occupancy for Vacation House Rentals in unincorporated Solano County is set by the County as a condition of the VHR operating permit issued under Chapter 28 of the Solano County Code. Occupancy is sized to the dwelling — based on bedroom count and on-site parking, water/septic capacity, and fire-safety considerations — rather than a single fixed countywide number, and the approved maximum is printed on the permit and required to be posted inside the rental. Owners may not advertise or accept bookings exceeding the permitted maximum. The County also limits daytime guests (visitors beyond overnight occupants) by permit condition to prevent gatherings that overwhelm parking and septic systems, and a minimum stay of two consecutive nights applies. VHRs are prohibited entirely in RR-2.5, RR-5, and RR-10 districts and in High/Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, regardless of occupant count.
Solano County enforces a Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO) consistent with California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (Cal. Code Regs. Title 23, Section 490 et seq.). New residential landscapes over 500 sq ft and rehabilitated landscapes over 2,500 sq ft must submit landscape and irrigation plans to Solano County Planning Services. Statewide prohibitions on runoff irrigation, hose-washing without a shutoff nozzle, and decorative non-recirculating fountains also apply.
Unincorporated Solano County does not have a heritage-tree or general tree-removal ordinance in its County Code. Trees on private property may generally be removed without a county permit, subject to grading rules in Chapter 31 (Grading, Drainage, Land Leveling, and Erosion Control) and any tree-mitigation conditions attached through Chapter 28 (Zoning) discretionary permits. Incorporated cities differ sharply - Benicia and Vacaville each protect heritage or significant trees by permit.
Solano County does not set a specific inch-limit for residential grass height. Tall dry grass and weeds are regulated indirectly through county fire-hazard weed abatement and the agricultural commissioner's noxious-weed program, and through California Public Resources Code Section 4291, which requires 100 feet of defensible space around buildings in State Responsibility Areas.
Solano County controls weeds through two tracks: (1) the Solano County Agricultural Commissioner's Weed Management Area (WMA) program targeting state-listed noxious weeds under California Food & Agricultural Code Section 5004, and (2) general nuisance abatement under California Government Code Section 39561 et seq. for overgrown lots. Defensible space under PRC 4291 layers in on rural parcels. There is no single 'weed ordinance' chapter in the County Code.
Unincorporated Solano County has no standalone amplified-music ordinance. Amplified sound is enforced through Solano County Code §21-10 (Disturbing the Peace) — any non-agricultural noise above 65 dBA at the property line between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. is per se a disturbance. In county parks, sound amplification requires a permit under §19-160(j).
Unincorporated Solano County enforces nighttime quiet hours through Solano County Code §21-10 (Disturbing the Peace). Any non-agricultural noise that exceeds 65 dBA at the property line between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. is per se a disturbance of the peace. California Penal Code §415 provides backup authority statewide. Cities (Vallejo, Fairfield, Vacaville, Suisun City, Benicia, Dixon, Rio Vista) have their own ordinances.
Unincorporated Solano County has no dedicated construction-hours ordinance. Construction noise is governed indirectly by Solano County Code §21-10 (Disturbing the Peace), which makes any non-agricultural noise exceeding 65 dBA at the property line between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. a per se disturbance. In practice construction work is therefore limited to roughly 6:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. Cities set their own stricter limits.
Solano County Code §4-73 declares any dog, cat, fowl, or other animal that 'by habitual howling, yelping, barking or other noise disturbs or annoys persons in the neighborhood' to be a public nuisance. A complaint signed by three or more separate-residence neighbors triggers an abatement notice from Animal Control. Failure to abate is a misdemeanor.
Unincorporated Solano County has no leaf-blower-specific ordinance — no decibel cap, time-of-day restriction, or gas-blower ban beyond the general noise rule. Leaf blowers are only restricted via Solano County Code §21-10: they cannot produce non-agricultural noise above 65 dBA at the property line between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Statewide, AB 1346 phases out new gas-powered SORE sales after Jan. 1, 2024.
In unincorporated Solano County, RVs and boats are treated as accessory residential storage under Chapter 28 (Zoning Regulations). The Solano County Code does not authorize occupancy of a recreational vehicle as a dwelling on a private residential lot, and storage of inoperable RVs or boats falls under Chapter 6.5 abandoned-vehicle rules.
In unincorporated Solano County, commercial vehicles associated with a home-based business are limited by Solano County Code §28.72.40 (Home Occupations). Type I home occupations may keep no more than one work vehicle or truck of one-ton or less capacity at the residence; cottage industries are capped at one work vehicle plus two employee vehicles in public view.
Solano County Code Chapter 6.5 (Abandoned, Wrecked, Dismantled or Inoperative Vehicles) makes it a misdemeanor to keep any inoperable vehicle on public or private property in unincorporated Solano County for more than ten days unless it is completely enclosed within a building.
Solano County Code §28.94 requires adequate off-street parking and driveway treatment to control dust on private property in unincorporated areas. Driveway encroachments onto county-maintained roads require an encroachment permit from the Solano County Department of Public Works.
Signage for home occupations in unincorporated Solano County is tightly limited by Solano County Code Section 28.72.40 and the countywide sign rules in Chapter 28.96. A Type I home occupation may display NO sign of any kind — Section 28.72.40 expressly bars signage advertising the business at a Type I residential site. A Type II home occupation is allowed exactly one nonilluminated sign, not exceeding two square feet in area. Both tiers must avoid any external evidence of business activity beyond the permitted sign — no window displays, no flashing or animated signs, no off-site advertising on the parcel, and no signage that creates traffic, glare, or visual impact inconsistent with the residential character of the neighborhood. The general residential-zone sign standards in Sec. 28.96 supply size, height, and placement defaults and prohibit illumination of residential signs. Violations are handled through code enforcement under Chapter 28 and can result in fines and revocation of the home-occupation permit.
Home occupations in unincorporated Solano County are regulated by Solano County Code Section 28.72.40 (Home Occupations, Cottage Industries, Hosted Rentals, and Other Commercial Uses), under Chapter 28 (Zoning Regulations). The County distinguishes two tiers. A Type I home occupation is a low-impact service business: only resident family members may participate, no clients or customers may come to the property, total area used cannot exceed 400 square feet (plus up to 120 sq ft of incidental storage in an accessory structure), and on-site equipment is limited to one vehicle/truck up to one-ton capacity plus one trailer. A Type II home occupation allows limited retail and customer visits — up to 10 customers per day, area up to 640 square feet, family members plus one outside employee if the parcel is at least two net acres — and is generally permitted only on larger lots through an Administrative or Use Permit. All home occupations require a Solano County business license (Chapter 14) and must remain accessory and subordinate to the residential use.
Solano County does not set a flat closing hour in code; under Solano County Code §19-70, the Parks Division is authorized to close any county park or restrict the times it is open. Posted hours at Lake Solano, Belden's Landing, Sandy Beach, and other county parks govern. Camping outside designated overnight areas is prohibited under §§19-220 to 19-240. Juvenile curfew §16-10 (10 p.m.–sunrise) also applies.
Solano County Code §16-10 makes it unlawful for any person under 18 to loiter in or about any public street or public place in the unincorporated county between 10:00 p.m. and sunrise unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other adult having legal care. Section 16-11 makes the parent or guardian responsible. Section 16-12 prohibits restaurants, bars, and dance halls from letting minors stay after 10:00 p.m.
Unincorporated Solano County has not adopted a local just-cause eviction ordinance. Tenants in the unincorporated county are protected by the California statewide Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482, codified at Cal. Civil Code Sections 1946.2 and 1947.12). AB 1482 requires "just cause" to terminate tenancies after a tenant has continuously occupied a dwelling for 12 months (or 24 months if any additional adult tenant joined later). Just cause is split into at-fault grounds (e.g., nonpayment, lease breach, nuisance) and no-fault grounds (owner move-in, withdrawal from rental market, government order, substantial remodel), with relocation assistance equal to one month of rent required for no-fault terminations. Single-family homes and condos owned by individuals (not corporations or REITs) are exempt if the landlord delivers the statutory exemption notice. Three-day pay-or-quit notices follow Cal. Code of Civil Procedure Section 1161, and self-help evictions are barred by Cal. Civil Code Section 789.3.
Unincorporated Solano County has no local rent control ordinance. Rent increases are governed by the statewide rent cap in the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482), codified at Cal. Civil Code Section 1947.12. AB 1482 caps annual rent increases on covered units at the lesser of 5% plus the regional April-to-April CPI (San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward CPI applies in Solano County) or 10%, measured over any 12-month period. The cap covers most multi-family rentals and corporate-owned single-family homes once the unit has a Certificate of Occupancy more than 15 years old (a rolling exemption). New construction within the prior 15 years, individually-owned single-family homes and condos with proper exemption notice, owner-occupied duplexes, and pre-1995 deed-restricted affordable housing are exempt. Costa-Hawkins (Cal. Civ. Code Sec. 1954.50 et seq.) further preempts local vacancy control. The AB 1482 cap expires January 1, 2030 unless extended.
Solano County Code Chapter 31 — Grading, Drainage, Land Leveling, and Erosion Control — is the County's grading and erosion-control ordinance. Most ground-disturbing work in unincorporated Solano County requires a grading permit issued by the Resource Management Department, and that permit incorporates erosion- and sediment-control conditions. Small-fill projects (under 50 cubic yards, under 5,000 sq ft, under 3 ft deep, on slopes flatter than 7:1) are exempt if they meet narrow criteria.
Solano County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and regulates development in mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) under Solano County Code Chapter 12.2 — Flood Damage Prevention. Large floodplain areas exist along the Sacramento River and Suisun Marsh, around Putah Creek, and along many smaller drainages. Any building, zoning, use, or grading permit within an SFHA is referred to the Floodplain Administrator before approval.
Unincorporated Solano County operates under a Phase II NPDES Small MS4 stormwater permit from the State Water Resources Control Board. Any construction or grading project that creates 2,500 square feet or more of impervious surface in the unincorporated county must obtain a grading permit under Solano County Code Chapter 31, which incorporates NPDES stormwater requirements including a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for larger sites.