Moving to Alameda, CA?

The City of Alameda's Noise Regulations (AMC Section 4-10) define nighttime as 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and set lower exterior noise limits during those hours. Loud loading, unloading, and handling of containers across a residential property line between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. is specifically prohibited.

City of Alameda Municipal Code Section 4-10.5 limits construction to 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. Construction outside these hours is a prohibited act, with limited exceptions for permit-exempt work, emergencies, and homeowners on their own property.

City of Alameda Municipal Code Section 4-10.5 makes it a violation to keep any animal or bird that barks, howls, or makes noise continuously for 10 minutes, or intermittently for one-half hour or more, in a way that causes a noise disturbance across a residential or commercial property line.

Since January 1, 2023 the City of Alameda has banned gasoline, diesel, and other combustion-engine leaf blowers citywide under Municipal Code Section 24-14.1 (Ordinance No. 3307). Only electric or battery-powered blowers are allowed. Violations are infractions punishable by a fine of up to $250.

City of Alameda Municipal Code Section 4-10.5 prohibits operating any radio, television, phonograph, musical instrument, or similar device so as to create a noise disturbance. Music and speech noise are treated more strictly: the applicable dB(A) limits are reduced by 5 dB(A) for noise consisting primarily of speech or music.

City of Alameda Municipal Code Section 4-10.6 bars operating recreational motorized vehicles off a public highway, and repairing or testing any vehicle, motorboat, or aircraft, in a way that creates a noise disturbance or exceeds the City's dB(A) standards. On public highways, California's Vehicle Code exhaust limits control.

City of Alameda Municipal Code Section 4-10.4 sets numeric exterior dB(A) limits that scale with how long a level is exceeded each hour. Residential daytime limits run 55-75 dB(A) and nighttime 50-70 dB(A); commercial limits are higher. Music, tonal, and impulsive noise gets a 5 dB(A) tighter standard.

Fixed and industrial noise sources in Alameda must meet the exterior dB(A) standards in Section 4-10.4 at neighboring properties. Persistent commercial or industrial sources that exceed the limits can be ordered through the Section 4-10.8/4-10.9 process to implement noise reduction or cease and desist; new equipment can seek a Certificate of Compliance.

Outdoor music in Alameda must meet the City's exterior dB(A) standards in Section 4-10.4 (reduced 5 dB(A) because it is music). Section 4-10.5 also caps sound in any place of public entertainment at 95 dB(A) where customers stand unless a hearing-warning sign is posted. City park recreational activities are exempt 9 a.m.-10:15 p.m.

The City of Alameda cannot regulate aircraft in flight - the FAA controls airspace and flight paths, and the Port of Oakland operates Oakland International Airport (OAK), whose flight tracks affect Alameda. The City's own code (Section 4-10.7) yields to State and Federal law, so aircraft-noise complaints go to OAK's noise office, not the City.

The City of Alameda has not adopted a dedicated short-term rental permit. As of 2026 there is no STR-specific license; hosts instead need a general City business license and zoning sign-off, and must collect the 14% Transient Occupancy Tax. A draft STR ordinance has been in development since early 2025 but is not yet in force.

Short-term rentals in the City of Alameda are subject to the City's 14% Transient Occupancy Tax on stays of 30 nights or fewer, charged on the listing price including cleaning fees. Hosts also pay for a City business license. Airbnb collects and remits Alameda's TOT on behalf of hosts; other-platform and direct bookings must be filed with the City.

Alameda has no STR-specific registry. A host registers indirectly by obtaining a City business license from the Finance Department, submitting a Zoning Clearance form to the Permit Center, and obtaining a Home Occupation Permit when operating from a residence. A dedicated STR registration program is part of the draft ordinance under development but not yet adopted.

Alameda currently has no host-presence (hosted-stay) requirement for short-term rentals, because no dedicated STR ordinance is in force. Whole-home, unhosted rentals are not prohibited by current code. However, the Planning Board signaled in 2025 that it prefers hosted and semi-hosted rentals, so a host-presence rule may appear in a future ordinance.

Alameda's Municipal Code sets no short-term-rental-specific occupancy cap, because the City has no dedicated STR ordinance. Guest occupancy is governed instead by general building, housing, and zoning standards. Occupancy limits for STRs were among the topics the Planning Board flagged for the draft ordinance, but no STR guest-count rule has been adopted.

Alameda imposes no short-term-rental-specific parking requirement, since it has no dedicated STR ordinance. STR guests are subject to the same on-street parking, residential permit, and zoning parking standards as anyone else. The City's draft STR ordinance could add parking conditions, but none has been adopted.

Alameda has no STR-specific noise clause, but short-term rentals must comply with the City's general Noise Regulations in the Alameda Municipal Code (Chapter IV, Offenses and Public Safety, Article II). These prohibit noise disturbances across residential property lines, including loud music and certain late-night activity between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Alameda's code imposes no short-term-rental-specific insurance or liability-coverage requirement, because the City has no dedicated STR ordinance. Hosts are not required by City code to carry a minimum liability policy. Platform-provided coverage (such as Airbnb's host protection) and a host's own insurance are the practical safeguards.

Alameda does not require a short-term rental to be the host's primary residence, because it has no dedicated STR ordinance. Both owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied STRs operate under the same general business-license and tax baseline. A primary-residence or 'hosted' framework is being considered in the City's draft ordinance but is not yet law.

Alameda imposes no annual night cap or rental-day limit on short-term rentals, because it has no dedicated STR ordinance. There is no maximum number of nights a property may be rented per year. The Planning Board considered capping annual rental days for unhosted units in 2025, but called day limits 'not a high priority' and adopted nothing.

Alameda is a flat, fully developed bay island with no wildland-urban interface, so California's PRC 4291 defensible-space (100-foot clearance) requirement does not apply here. General weed and fire-hazard abatement under the Fire Code still applies to overgrown or hazardous vegetation that threatens property.

All fireworks are illegal in the City of Alameda. The Alameda Municipal Code makes it unlawful to fire, discharge, or set off any fireworks in the City, with the only exception being a public display authorized by the City Council. There is no legal 'safe-and-sane' sale or use here.

Alameda has no special citywide fire-pit ordinance beyond the California Fire Code, which the City adopted as its 2022 edition. Recreational fires must stay at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible material, be constantly attended until out, and have on-site extinguishing equipment ready.

Alameda enforces California smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements (CRC Sections 314 and 315). Smoke alarms are required in each sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every level. New and altered construction must have interconnected, hardwired alarms with battery backup.

Open burning of yard waste, debris, or trash is effectively prohibited in Alameda. The California Fire Code, adopted by the City, bans open burning unless conducted under an approved permit, and Bay Area air-quality rules further restrict residential burning. Recreational cooking/warming fires are treated separately.

Propane (LP-gas) storage in Alameda follows the California Fire Code adopted by the City. Small residential barbecue and patio-heater cylinders are allowed, but larger quantities and installations require a Fire Department permit. The Fire Prevention Bureau administers LP-gas permits and inspections.

Backyard fires in Alameda are permitted as small recreational fires under the California Fire Code, but must meet clearance and attendance rules and are banned on Bay Area Winter Spare the Air Alert days. Wood smoke complaints are enforced by BAAQMD with escalating fines.

The City of Alameda is not in a CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone. As a flat, low-lying, fully developed island in San Francisco Bay with no wildland fuels or slopes, it carries no wildfire-zone designation, and wildfire defensible-space and ember-resistant construction mandates do not apply here.

AMC 8-8.9, adopted in 2025, lets the Public Works Director reserve designated curbside and city-facility spaces for electric vehicles that are actively connected to a charger, and makes it unlawful to park in a posted EV charging space unless your vehicle is plugged in.

Alameda Municipal Code 8-7.11 bans parking or leaving any recreational vehicle, trailer, or boat trailer on city streets at any time. The only exception is a temporary Police Department permit, capped at 24 hours and two permits per vehicle each calendar month.

Alameda has no blanket overnight parking ban for ordinary cars, but AMC 8-7.10 prohibits parking any large vehicle on any city street between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., and AMC 8-25.1 bars sleeping or living in campers and house cars on public ways from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

On this dense island, the Public Works Director sets posted time limits, restricted hours, and No Parking zones street by street. Posted street-sweeping signs require moving your car on sweep days, and enforcement runs during scheduled sweeping (except city holidays).

AMC 8-7.9 bars parking a heavy commercial vehicle more than three hours on any residential-district street, except while actively loading/unloading or performing a service in that block. Heavy commercial vehicles are also banned along all City Park frontages where signs are posted.

Alameda actively enforces against vehicles blocking driveways, crosswalks, curb ramps, and sidewalks. Residents can request a red curb at their driveway by contacting Public Works, and California Vehicle Code 22500 governs the underlying prohibitions on blocking driveways and sidewalks.

AMC 8-7.8 makes it unlawful to leave any vehicle parked on an Alameda street for more than 72 continuous hours; a vehicle that has not moved at least one mile in any 72-hour window counts as left unattended and may be towed at the owner's expense.

AMC 8-7.10 defines a large vehicle as anything over 80 inches wide, 20 feet long, or 10,000 pounds gross weight, and bans parking such vehicles on any city street or property between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. RVs, trailers, and boat trailers face an even broader all-hours ban.

Alameda uses standard California curb colors: white curbs are passenger loading only, yellow curbs are commercial loading with brief passenger stops, and green curbs are short-term parking limited to the time on the sign. Stops must be only as long as needed to load or unload.

In Alameda only the city installs and maintains curb markings - residents may not paint curbs themselves. Curb colors follow California Vehicle Code 21458 (red, white, green, yellow, blue), and residents can request a red curb at a driveway by emailing Public Works.

Alameda's fence section (AMC 30-5.14) does not set a separate retaining-wall height standard; a retaining wall that also functions as a barrier counts toward fence height. Retaining walls are regulated as structures through the building permit and Design Review process. Under the California Building Code, retaining walls over 4 feet (bottom of footing to top) typically require a building permit.

Alameda fences must meet AMC 30-5.14: front yards 3 ft, side/rear yards 6 ft, nothing over 3 ft in visibility zones, and height measured from grade within 18 inches. The stated purpose includes protecting neighborhood character and the objectives of the Design Review Manual. See-through material allows limited height extensions; arbors and decorative posts need Planning Director approval.

Per the City of Alameda's Planning & Building fence handout, a building permit is required for fences over 7 feet tall and for masonry/solid walls regardless of height. Fences 6 feet or under generally need no building permit but must still meet zoning (AMC 30-5.14). Exterior work requiring a permit also triggers Planning Design Review under AMC 30-37.

Under Alameda Municipal Code 30-5.14, residential front-yard barriers (fences, walls, hedges) max out at 3 feet, and side/rear-yard barriers at 6 feet. See-through fencing allows higher: 4 ft in front yards (5 ft with Planning Director approval) and 8 ft in side/rear yards. Visibility-zone barriers cannot exceed 3 feet.

AMC 30-5.14 bans barbed wire, razor wire, and similar materials on any fence, and prohibits chain-link on residentially zoned or developed property except in limited cases. Chain-link up to 6 ft is allowed in some interior rear/side yards; otherwise it needs a use permit. "See-through" material (under 50% opaque) is required to gain extra fence height.

Alameda's Municipal Code (AMC 30-5.14) sets fence heights and placement but does not assign cost-sharing between neighbors. Shared boundary fences are governed by California Civil Code 841 (the Good Neighbor Fence Law), which presumes adjoining owners share equally in the cost of construction, maintenance, and replacement, with 30 days' written notice before incurring costs.

Alameda's fence code rewards open, see-through materials. Under AMC 30-5.14, "see-through style" fencing (under 50% opaque per square foot, e.g., pickets, lattice, wrought iron) earns extra height: 3 ft to 4 ft (5 ft with approval) and 6 ft to 8 ft. Solid and masonry fencing gets no bonus; masonry or any fence over 7 ft needs a permit.

The City of Alameda's Municipal Code Section 7-4.1 lets residents keep up to six (6) chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, or other domestic fowl. Fowl must be kept in an enclosure no part of which is within 20 feet of any neighboring dwelling. Quarters and yards must be kept sanitary under Section 7-4.2.

The City of Alameda's Municipal Code Chapter VII (Animal Control) contains no beekeeping ordinance, and beekeeping is not listed among the City's regulated animals. Beekeepers in Alameda are governed primarily by California's Apiary Protection Act, which requires every hive owner to register annually with the County Agricultural Commissioner under Food & Agricultural Code Section 29040 (via the BeeWhere system).

The City of Alameda's Municipal Code Section 7-3.8 makes it unlawful to allow a dog on any public street, alley, or public place unless it is securely fastened by a rope, chain, or leash of sufficient length and strength to maintain control. The rule does not apply inside City-designated dog parks or dog runs.

The City of Alameda's Municipal Code does not restrict or ban any dog breed. Chapter VII regulates dogs by behavior through its dangerous and potentially dangerous animal rules (Sections 7-10.1 to 7-10.13), which apply to any animal regardless of breed. California Food & Agricultural Code Section 31683 also bars cities from declaring a dog dangerous based solely on its breed.

The City of Alameda's Municipal Code Section 7-9.6 makes it unlawful to keep any wild or exotic animal, reptile, fish, or insect in the City. The ban expressly covers endangered, threatened, and candidate species, species listed in California Fish & Game Code Section 2118, fully protected species, and any venomous animal, even if rendered harmless.

The City of Alameda's Municipal Code regulates farm animals directly. Cows may not be stabled within 40 feet of any dwelling (Section 7-5.2); horses, mules, and donkeys may not be kept within 40 feet of a dwelling, school, or church (Section 7-6.1); and swine need a 300-foot separation, capped at five head (Section 7-7.1).

The City of Alameda's Municipal Code Section 7-3.7 limits households to no more than three (3) dogs over four months old, except for permitted veterinary hospitals, kennels, breeders, and pet shops. The City code sets no numeric limit on cats. Dogs and cats over four months must be licensed under Section 7-3.1.

Unusually for California, the City of Alameda's Municipal Code requires cats to be licensed: under Section 7-3.1, every cat over four months old in the City must be licensed and rabies-vaccinated. The city code sets no cat number limit and no cat leash or confinement rule, but Section 7-9.5 makes it unlawful to willfully abandon a cat.

The City of Alameda's Municipal Code Chapter VII contains no ordinance specifically banning feeding wild animals such as gulls, pigeons, or coyotes. Related city rules apply: keeping animal feed sanitary (Section 7-4.2) and not creating a public nuisance (Section 7-4.3). California regulation 14 CCR 251.1 separately prohibits feeding certain big game and predatory mammals.

The City of Alameda's Municipal Code has no ordinance using the term 'animal hoarding,' but several city rules apply: the three-dog limit (Section 7-3.7), the cruelty prohibition against depriving animals of food or water (Section 7-9.1), and sanitation/nuisance rules for animal quarters (Sections 7-4.2, 7-4.3). California Penal Code Section 597 also criminalizes neglect that hoarding typically involves.

In the City of Alameda, no protected tree may be removed without a Certificate of Approval from the Historical Advisory Board under AMC Section 13-21.7(c). Protected trees include designated palms and street trees plus any Coast Live Oak 10 inches or larger in diameter. Oaks removed must be replaced with at least two 10-gallon oaks.

The City of Alameda's municipal code does not set a numeric lawn or grass-height limit. Overgrown vegetation is handled as a public nuisance under the City's health-nuisance and code-enforcement authority, and as a fire hazard under the adopted Alameda Fire Code. The County's 6-inch weed rule applies only to unincorporated areas, not the island City.

Alameda encourages native, climate-appropriate planting. The City's Bay-Friendly and Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (AMC Section 30-58) implements StopWaste.Org Bay-Friendly protocols, promotes greywater, and expressly aims to discourage the planting of invasive plants. Native landscaping is allowed and rewarded under the Bay-Friendly scorecard; no ordinance forces lawns.

The City of Alameda Public Works Department maintains trees and surface roots in the public right-of-way, trimming or removing City trees that affect streets, sidewalks, or sewers. Protected street trees on designated streets cannot be pruned or altered in ways that amount to removal without a Certificate of Approval under AMC Section 13-21.7.

The City of Alameda controls overgrown weeds and noxious vegetation through nuisance abatement (AMC Section 24-1) and the adopted Alameda Fire Code, not a numeric weed-height ordinance. Once noticed, an owner must abate within 48 hours or the City may abate at the owner's expense. The County's six-inch weed rule covers unincorporated areas only.

Alameda's drinking water is supplied by EBMUD (East Bay Municipal Utility District), which enforces permanent water-waste prohibitions: no irrigation runoff, no watering within 48 hours of measurable rain, no washing down hardscapes, and no hose without a shutoff nozzle. EBMUD - not the City - sets and enforces these rules and any drought-stage restrictions.

The City of Alameda requires organic-waste (compost) collection service for all properties under AMC Chapter XXI (Ordinance 3310), implementing California SB 1383 and 14 CCR rules. Service is provided by the City's franchised hauler, with the Alameda County Waste Management Authority (StopWaste) as the regional enforcement agency. Home and community composting are allowed alternatives.

Alameda has no ordinance prohibiting rainwater harvesting. The City's Bay-Friendly and Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (AMC Section 30-58) actively promotes greywater systems and sustainable landscape practices, and EBMUD offers rebates. Rain barrels are generally allowed; larger or plumbed greywater and cistern systems follow the California Plumbing Code and require permits.

The City of Alameda has no ordinance banning artificial turf, but new and rehabilitated landscaping is shaped by its Bay-Friendly and Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (AMC Section 30-58), which incorporates the state MWELO and StopWaste Bay-Friendly protocols that favor living, permeable, climate-appropriate landscapes. Artificial turf installations should follow stormwater and permit requirements.

California's Cottage Food Act bars Alameda from banning home food businesses. The city must treat a registered cottage food operation as a permitted residential use, so it qualifies as a home occupation under AMC §30-2. The operation is registered/permitted by Alameda County Environmental Health, with Class A and Class B operator tiers under state law.

A home occupation in Alameda must stay incidental to the residence and not change the residential character of the property or neighborhood. On-premises commercial signage in residential zones is tightly limited by the city's sign regulations (AMC §30-6), and home occupations are not permitted business identification signs like those allowed in commercial districts.

Before getting a business license, anyone running a business from an Alameda home must file a Home Occupation Registration with the Planning, Building and Transportation Department. It is valid for the life of the business at the registered address, carries a one-time processing fee, and confirms the business meets the §30-4.1b home-occupation standards.

Alameda allows home occupations in residential zones if the business is incidental to the home and registered with the city. Under AMC §30-2 and §30-4.1b, the use may occupy no more than 50% of the floor area, no more than six customers may be on site at once, and a required-parking garage cannot become business space without a Use Permit.

State law (SB 234 / Health & Safety Code §§1597.40–1597.45) makes both small and large family daycare homes a by-right residential use, so Alameda must treat them like any home and cannot require a special zoning permit, conditional use permit, or business license/tax for them. Licensing is handled by the California Department of Social Services, not the city.

Alameda's zoning code (§30-5.12) sets where a pool may sit — in-ground pools and equipment may be in a required rear or side yard with a 5-foot setback from any property line. The pool barrier itself follows California state law (CBC §3109.2, Pool Safety Act), which the city enforces rather than a separate city fence-height ordinance.

The City of Alameda requires building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits through its Permit Center to construct or alter a pool or spa. California defines a 'swimming pool' as water over 18 inches deep, so most permanent pools, spas and hot tubs need a permit even though some prefabricated pools under 24 inches are exempt.

Small prefabricated above-ground pools (under 24 inches deep, no more than 5,000 gallons, accessory to a home) are exempt from a building permit in Alameda, but any deeper or larger pool, and any electrical connection, requires a permit. Zoning code §30-5.12 also keeps pools and equipment at least 5 feet from property lines.

Pool safety in Alameda is governed by California's Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code §§115920–115929), which the city enforces at permit issuance. New or remodeled pools and spas at single-family homes must include at least two of seven approved drowning-prevention features, and suction outlets must meet anti-entrapment rules.

California treats hot tubs and spas holding more than 18 inches of water as 'swimming pools,' so Alameda's permit, barrier and safety rules generally apply. Alameda zoning §30-5.12 lets a portable hot tub the Building Official deems non-structural skip the pool setback, but its mechanical equipment still must stay at least 5 feet from any property line.

Carports are accessory buildings under Alameda Municipal Code Section 30-5 and are subject to the same one-story height, rear-yard coverage, setback, and separation limits as garages and sheds. Off-street parking they provide must comply with AMC Section 30-7. A building permit is required; verify standards for your zoning district.

The City of Alameda permits accessory dwelling units and junior ADUs ministerially under Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) Section 30-5.18, implementing California ADU law (formerly Gov. Code 65852.2/65852.22, now Gov. Code 66310 et seq.). A detached ADU up to 800 sq ft, 16 ft tall, with 4-ft setbacks is allowed by right; total ADU floor area cannot exceed 1,200 sq ft.

Storage sheds are 'accessory buildings' under Alameda Municipal Code Section 30-5. They may sit in required side and rear yards but cannot exceed one story (10 ft sidewall, 15 ft at the ridge), may cover no more than 600 sq ft or 60% of the required rear yard (whichever is greater), and must keep a 6-ft separation from other buildings.

Alameda allows garage-to-ADU conversions ministerially under AMC 30-5.18. When a garage, carport, or covered parking is converted in connection with an ADU, replacement parking is NOT required. A garage converted to an ADU may expand up to 150 sq ft beyond its existing dimensions. Converting a pre-1942 garage requires a historic Certificate of Approval first.

Alameda has no separate 'tiny home' ordinance. A tiny house on a permanent foundation is regulated as an ADU under AMC 30-5.18 (detached ADU up to 800 sq ft by right, 1,200 sq ft max, 16 ft height, 4-ft setbacks). A tiny house on wheels is an RV/trailer and cannot be used as a permanent dwelling on residential lots.

Propane and charcoal barbecues are legal in Alameda. Barbecues used solely for cooking are exempt from recreational-fire rules. However, the California Fire Code restricts open-flame and LP-gas grills on or near combustible balconies of apartments and condos unless protected by sprinklers.

Backyard smokers and wood/charcoal cookers are legal in Alameda as cooking appliances and are exempt from recreational-fire permits. The same California Fire Code balcony limits as grills apply at apartments and condos, and the Bay Area Air District discourages wood/charcoal smoking during Spare the Air Alerts.

Under Alameda Municipal Code Section 30-6.7, signs containing noncommercial, political, religious, or public-service messages are EXEMPT from the sign regulations, provided they comply with the advertising-structure controls in subsection 6-3 of Chapter VI. State law (Bus. & Prof. Code 5405.3) separately limits temporary political signs near highways to 32 sq ft and 90-days/10-days timing.

Alameda Municipal Code Section 30-6 defines a 'garage sale sign' as a sign advertising the resale of a resident's used personal property. Garage-sale signs are temporary signs that, like other signs, require Planning Director approval and may not be placed in the public right-of-way or affixed to public property without authorization. The City lists no flat exemption for them.

Alameda's franchised hauler, Alameda County Industries (ACI), provides wheeled garbage, recycling, and organics carts. Carts must be set at the curb by 5 a.m. on the collection day, placed about three feet apart, and removed after pickup. Carts should be stored out of public view between collections.

The City of Alameda requires property owners and occupants to keep portions of their property visible from public rights-of-way free of accumulated waste matter. Code Enforcement, in the Planning, Building and Transportation Department, investigates blight and nuisance complaints citywide.

Garage and yard sales in the City of Alameda are treated as temporary residential household sales under the zoning code (AMC Chapter XXX, §30-5). Such occasional residential sales are generally allowed in residential districts as a temporary use; check current limits with the Permit Center before holding a large or frequent sale.

Lots in the City of Alameda must be kept in good order. Under the zoning code, a person, company, or corporation utilizing a lot must maintain it at all times; vacated or abandoned streets and parcels are subject to the regulations applying to abutting property. Vacant parcels remain subject to the City's blight and fire-prevention rules.

The City of Alameda addresses overgrown weeds and combustible vegetation through its Fire Prevention chapter (AMC Chapter XV) and property-maintenance provisions, rather than a single fixed grass-height limit. The County's six-inch weed standard (Chapter 6.65) applies only to unincorporated areas, not the incorporated city.

Alameda's Dark Skies ordinance (AMC Section 30-5.16) requires all exterior lighting fixtures to be fully shielded and directed downward, caps LED color temperature at 2,700-3,000 Kelvin, and limits light cast onto adjacent property to 1 foot-candle. The ordinance also protects migrating and local birds. It is stricter than typical state requirements.

Alameda Municipal Code Section 30-5.16(b) caps light trespass at 1 foot-candle measured at the property line: no light, combination of lights, or activity shall cast more than one foot-candle onto an adjacent or nearby property. Exterior lighting must be directed downward and away from property lines to prevent glare beyond the subject property.

Each single-family, multiplex, and multi-family household in Alameda gets one free on-call bulky/cleanup collection per year through ACI. A set-out may include up to 3 cubic yards of material plus up to 3 large bulky items (max 150 lbs each). Schedule by phone or email; extra pickups cost a fee.

Organics (compost) collection is mandatory in Alameda under California SB 1383 and Alameda County's ORRO. Since 2022, all residents and businesses must have organics service through ACI or obtain a waiver. Food-service businesses must also donate edible food. Alameda exceeds 70k population, so it is not SB 1383 rural-exempt.

Alameda County Industries (ACI) provides weekly curbside collection of garbage, recycling, and organics to Alameda households under an exclusive City franchise. Service is bundled in one integrated quarterly rate. Carts must be out by 5 a.m. on the collection day; collection runs Monday through Friday.

ACI directs Alameda residents to place carts at the curb by 5 a.m. on their collection day, facing the street with wheels against the curb, with three feet between carts and clear of parked cars, hydrants, and low branches. Carts stay out until emptied, then must be removed.

Recycling is mandatory in Alameda. Under Alameda County's Organics Reduction and Recycling Ordinance (ORRO / StopWaste), all residents and businesses must subscribe to recycling and compost collection through an authorized hauler—ACI in Alameda—or obtain a waiver. ACI provides blue recycling carts in 32, 64, and 96-gallon sizes.

Under Alameda Municipal Code Chapter XXIII (Parks), it is unlawful to be present in any park except during hours it is open to the public. The Recreation and Park Commission sets each park's hours by resolution and posts closing signs. It is separately unlawful to be on the pier/deck east of the Miller-Sweeney Bridge between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

Alameda setbacks are set by zone in AMC 30-4. R-1 through R-5 residential districts require a 20-ft front yard, 5-ft side yard, 10-ft street side yard on corner lots, and 20-ft rear yard. Architectural features may project up to 2 ft into a required yard but no closer than 3 ft to the line (AMC 30-5.7).

Alameda caps main building coverage by zone in AMC 30-4: 48% of lot area in R-1, 53% in R-2 through R-5, and 60% in R-6. R-1 also requires a 5,000-sq-ft minimum lot and 50-ft width. These caps work with the 20-ft front/rear and 5-ft side setbacks, and may be relaxed for SB 9 lot splits and ADUs.

Building height limits in Alameda are set by zone in AMC 30-4: 30 ft in R-1 and R-2, 35 ft in R-3 and R-4, 40 ft in R-5, and 50 ft in R-6. AMC 30-5.8 allows certain rooftop features (chimneys, towers, antennas, mechanical appurtenances) up to 25 ft above the district limit, but not for living space.

Removing a protected tree in the City of Alameda requires a Certificate of Approval from the Historical Advisory Board under AMC Section 13-21.7(c). Protected trees include designated palms and street trees plus any Coast Live Oak 10 inches or larger in diameter. Applications require an arborist's or contractor's report, and mandatory replacement applies.