Pop. 43,646 · Santa Barbara County
Lompoc Zoning Code Title 17 exempts one-story detached accessory structures (tool/storage sheds, playhouses) up to 120 square feet from building permits, consistent with the California…
California's statewide ADU law (Gov. Code §65852.2) requires Lompoc to allow accessory dwelling units on residential lots by right — detached ADUs up to 1,200 sq ft, 4-foot side/rear…
Converting a garage to living space in Lompoc requires a building permit and zoning review for egress, light/ventilation and parking; converting to a separate unit is often processed…
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, a tiny home on a permanent foundation is reviewed as an ADU or dwelling under California ADU law and the County LUDC. A tiny home on wheels…
Carports in unincorporated Santa Barbara County are accessory structures under the Land Use & Development Code. A carport (a roof supported by columns or walls) must meet the parcel…
Lompoc regulates noise through its municipal code, prohibiting loud and disturbing noise with stricter nighttime limits (generally 10 p.m.–7 a.m.). California sets no statewide…
Persistent dog barking in Lompoc is enforced under the noise ordinance and animal provisions as a disturbance; chronic barking that disturbs neighbors can be cited.
Construction noise in Lompoc is limited to daytime hours under the noise ordinance — typically 7 a.m.–7 p.m. weekdays with reduced weekend hours. Work outside the window is a…
Unincorporated Santa Barbara County has no ordinance banning or restricting gas-powered leaf blowers. The well-known leaf-blower ban (a 1997 ordinance) applies inside the City of Santa…
County Code Sec. 40-2 prohibits loud, unreasonable amplified music broadcast outdoors at night in the unincorporated county. Loud and unreasonable sound is defined as clearly…
Santa Barbara County does not have its own vehicle-noise ordinance for unincorporated roads; vehicle exhaust and amplified car-sound noise are governed by the California Vehicle Code…
Santa Barbara County's only numeric noise threshold in the nighttime ordinance is in Sec. 40-2: sound is 'loud and unreasonable' if it exceeds 60 decibels at the edge of the property…
In Isla Vista, County Code Sec. 6-70 defines 'outdoor festivals' and Sec. 6-70.01-.02 prohibit large amplified gatherings. Outdoor festivals over 250 attendees on Isla Vista…
Santa Barbara County has no standalone industrial-noise decibel ordinance in the nighttime noise chapter. Industrial and commercial noise is controlled mainly through land-use permits…
Aircraft noise in unincorporated Santa Barbara County is governed by federal law, not a county ordinance. The FAA controls aircraft in flight and flight paths, so the County cannot…
Lompoc is one of only three Santa Barbara County jurisdictions (with Santa Maria and Guadalupe) where California 'Safe and Sane' fireworks are legal. They may be used only during the…
Open burning in Lompoc is regulated by the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District and the fire department; residential yard-waste burning is generally prohibited and…
Recreational fires in approved fire pits using clean, dry wood are generally allowed in Lompoc subject to fire-code clearances and no-burn / red-flag day restrictions; fires must be…
A small backyard recreational fire (cooking or ceremonial) is permit-exempt only if the device is 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height. Burning yard waste is heavily…
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements in unincorporated Santa Barbara County come from California law and the adopted California Residential/Building Codes, not a special county…
Propane (LP-gas) storage in unincorporated Santa Barbara County is governed by the adopted California Fire Code Chapter 61 and NFPA 58, not a special county rule. Storage, handling…
Much of unincorporated Santa Barbara County lies in CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zones rated Moderate, High, or Very High. CAL FIRE released updated Local Responsibility Area maps on…
Santa Barbara County Fire requires defensible space clearance of not less than 100 feet around all structures (or to the property line, whichever is closer), under California Public…
California restricts exotic pets through the Fish & Game Code and CDFW regulations — ferrets and hedgehogs are illegal statewide, and many wild/exotic species are prohibited. These…
Lompoc requires dogs to be leashed or confined and prohibits dogs running at large; animal control enforces and may impound loose dogs. California requires dog licensing.
Beekeeping is permitted in Lompoc subject to local zoning standards on hive number, placement and setbacks. California has no statewide ban; hives must be registered with the county…
California prohibits breed-specific bans, so Lompoc cannot ban a breed outright; only breed-specific spay/neuter rules are allowed. Dangerous dogs are regulated by behavior.
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, livestock is regulated by lot size and zone under Land Use & Development Code Section 35.42.060. In residential and agricultural zones, large…
Santa Barbara County does not require cats to be licensed — cat licensing through County Animal Services is voluntary. Cats are not subject to a leash law, but the general…
We found no Santa Barbara County ordinance that specifically bans feeding wildlife in unincorporated areas. Feeding wild animals is instead controlled by California law: Department of…
Santa Barbara County does not have a standalone animal-hoarding ordinance. Hoarding and neglect are addressed through County Code Chapter 7 nuisance and impound authority combined with…
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, chickens and poultry are regulated as "small non-hoofed animals" under the County Land Use & Development Code Section 35.42.060. Hens are…
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, Land Use & Development Code Section 35.42.060.F.1 limits households to no more than three dogs per lot as an accessory residential use. County…
Driveway approaches in Lompoc require an encroachment permit and must meet city standards; vehicles generally must be parked on an approved paved surface, not on the lawn.
RV, trailer and boat storage on residential lots in Lompoc is regulated by zoning, which restricts placement (typically a paved area) and prohibits living in a parked RV.
On-street parking in Lompoc is governed by the city vehicle code; a vehicle left on a street more than 72 hours is deemed abandoned under CA Vehicle Code §22651 and may be cited or…
Parking or storing large commercial vehicles in Lompoc residential zones is restricted by zoning, with weight/length thresholds limiting what may be kept overnight at a home.
A vehicle left on a county road more than 72 hours can be removed as abandoned under California Vehicle Code 22651(k). State law (CVC 22660-22669) lets the County abate abandoned…
California Vehicle Code 22507 lets Santa Barbara County restrict parking of vehicles six feet or more in height within 100 feet of an intersection, but only where signs are posted. The…
Santa Barbara County Ordinance 5163 (Sec. 12A-25) makes it unlawful to park in a designated EV charging stall in a County parking lot unless the vehicle is an electric vehicle that is…
Santa Barbara County may establish loading zones by Board resolution and regulates truck loading zones under County Code (Sec. 23-11 and Sec. 23-305). California curb-color law (CVC…
Curb colors in unincorporated Santa Barbara County follow California Vehicle Code 21458: red means no stopping, yellow is loading only, white is brief passenger loading, green is…
Unincorporated Santa Barbara County has no blanket overnight ban on residential roads; the limit is the 72-hour rule. The County may post county highways as no-parking between 1:00…
Lompoc zoning typically allows fences up to 6 feet in side and rear yards and 3–4 feet in front yards, with corner sight-visibility limits. Taller fences require a permit or variance.
Shared boundary fences in California are governed by the Good Neighbor Fence Act (CA Civil Code §841), presuming adjoining owners share the cost equally after 30 days' notice. Spite…
Lompoc zoning permits standard residential fence materials (wood, vinyl, masonry, ornamental metal, chain link). Barbed wire, razor wire and electric fencing are generally restricted…
A building/zoning permit is generally required in Lompoc for fences over 6 feet or masonry/retaining walls; pool barrier fences must meet the California Building Code. Standard…
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, a retaining wall that retains earth only and is not over four feet (footing to top) and needs no grading permit is exempt from a Coastal…
Fences in unincorporated Santa Barbara County must comply with LUDC Section 35.30.070: stay within the height thresholds for their location, never exceed the underlying zone's height…
Santa Barbara County's LUDC Section 35.30.070 regulates fences by height and location rather than by a general list of banned materials. It does not set a countywide ban on barbed wire…
California's Swimming Pool Safety Act in Health and Safety Code Section 115920 mandates statewide drowning prevention barriers around residential pools, with cities prohibited from…
Pools in Lompoc must be enclosed under the California Building Code and Swimming Pool Safety Act: a barrier at least 60 inches (5 feet) high with self-closing, self-latching gates…
Pool construction in Lompoc must meet the California Building Code and Swimming Pool Safety Act — barriers, anti-entrapment drain covers, and electrical bonding. A building permit and…
Above-ground pools holding more than 18 inches of water in Lompoc require a building permit and the same barrier protection as in-ground pools; ladders must be removable or secured…
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, a building permit from the Planning & Development Building & Safety Division is required to construct or remodel a residential swimming pool or…
Spas and hot tubs in unincorporated Santa Barbara County are accessory structures that must keep at least five feet from any property line under the County Land Use & Development Code…
Home occupations in Lompoc are permitted as an accessory use under zoning with a home-occupation permit/business license, subject to conditions keeping the business subordinate to the…
Home occupations in Lompoc must not generate traffic, parking demand or deliveries beyond what is normal for a residence; significant customer visits can disqualify the use.
Home-occupation signage in Lompoc is tightly limited by the zoning sign rules — typically a single small, non-illuminated sign, if any, in residential zones.
Most home occupations in unincorporated Santa Barbara County require a Land Use Permit (or a Coastal Development Permit in the Coastal Zone) under Land Use & Development Code Section…
Cottage food operations in unincorporated Santa Barbara County must register or permit with County Environmental Health Services under California's Cottage Food law (Health & Safety…
Under Santa Barbara County Land Use & Development Code Section 35.42.090, small and large family day care homes are treated as residential uses, consistent with California state law…
Owners maintain trees on their own property in Lompoc; street trees and trees in the public right-of-way are managed by the city, which requires approval before pruning or removing…
Owners may remove trees on private property in Lompoc; removal of street trees or protected trees requires city approval, and replacement may be required during development.
Lompoc enforces a property-maintenance/weed-abatement code requiring owners to control overgrown grass, weeds and vegetation as a fire and nuisance hazard. Violations can lead to…
Outdoor watering in Lompoc is subject to the city water department's conservation rules, including assigned watering days/times and runoff prohibitions during drought. California's…
Rooftop rainwater harvesting is broadly allowed in unincorporated Santa Barbara County. No County ordinance prohibits rain barrels, which are exempt from permitting under California's…
Santa Barbara County encourages native and low-water-use plants and incentivizes them through rebates, but does not mandate native planting on existing private yards. Through the State…
Under California's SB 1383, unincorporated Santa Barbara County residents must divert organic waste from the trash. Backyard composting is allowed and actively encouraged as an…
Santa Barbara County has no specific ordinance banning or broadly permitting synthetic lawn. Artificial turf is treated through the building, zoning and fire codes: in wildfire…
Unincorporated Santa Barbara County enforces a fire-hazard weed-abatement program. Under County Code Chapter 15 (Fire Code Section 4911) the fire chief can declare a parcel a fire…
California has no statewide STR licensing framework, so Lompoc regulates short-term rentals through its zoning and business-license requirements. Confirm whether STRs are permitted in…
Short-term rentals in Lompoc are subject to the city's Transient Occupancy Tax on stays under 30 days (commonly 10–12% in CA cities). Operators must register and remit TOT.
STR guest parking must comply with Lompoc zoning off-street parking standards; on-street parking is limited and subject to the city vehicle code.
STR guests in Lompoc are bound by the noise ordinance — loud or disturbing noise, especially at night (10 p.m.–7 a.m.), can be cited.
Inland hosts must file a Land Use Permit with a Homestay Supplemental Application, Indemnification Form, and Agreement for Payment, then renew the permit annually. Every operator…
A homestay in unincorporated Santa Barbara County may use up to three bedrooms of a legal dwelling, and occupancy is capped at two persons per bedroom (up to six total), not counting…
In unincorporated inland Santa Barbara County, residential-zone short-term rentals must be homestays - the owner or a long-term tenant (six months or more) must live on the property…
A Santa Barbara County homestay requires the host - the owner or long-term tenant - to be on the property at the same time the guests are staying. Hosting is defined by simultaneous…
Santa Barbara County's published homestay rules do not impose an annual cap on the number of nights a homestay may be rented. Stays are limited to 30 consecutive days or less to…
Santa Barbara County's published homestay guidance does not list a specific liability-insurance minimum, but applicants must sign an Indemnification Form and Agreement for Payment as…
Lompoc participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and enforces floodplain-development standards in FEMA-mapped special flood hazard areas near the Santa Ynez River. Building…
Santa Barbara County has roughly 110 miles of Pacific coastline (the Gaviota Coast, Refugio, El Capitan, Goleta, Hope Ranch coastal areas, Mesa, Mission Canyon coastal slopes…
California Water Code sections 13260 and 13383 implement the federal Clean Water Act through statewide MS4 NPDES permits issued by the State and Regional Water Boards, binding all…
Grilling rules in unincorporated Santa Barbara County come from the adopted California Fire Code, not a special county BBQ ordinance. Charcoal grills and LP-gas grills with a container…
A BBQ smoker is treated as cooking, not open burning, so it needs no burn permit in unincorporated Santa Barbara County. Under the adopted California Fire Code, a charcoal or wood…
Building setbacks in unincorporated Santa Barbara County are set by the zone (Article 35.2) and measured under LUDC Section 35.30.150. They vary widely - for example, R-1/E-1 front…
Maximum structure height in unincorporated Santa Barbara County is set by the zone and measured under LUDC Section 35.30.090. Common residential limits are 25 feet in the Coastal Zone…
Maximum lot coverage in unincorporated Santa Barbara County is set by zone in the LUDC's development-standards tables. Many residential zones (R-1/E-1, R-2) set no fixed coverage cap…
An Oak Tree Removal Permit is required to remove protected valley or blue oaks above acreage-based thresholds in the inland rural unincorporated County, under Article IX of Chapter 35…
California provides statewide protections for native oak woodlands and heritage trees through CEQA review, Public Resources Code, and Forest Practice Rules that apply uniformly.
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, accumulations of combustible waste and rubbish that the fire code official determines to be a fire hazard are prohibited on any yard, vacant…
Unincorporated Santa Barbara County does not set a single statewide-style screening rule for residential carts, but the Land Use & Development Code (Section 35.24.050) requires trash…
Vacant lots in unincorporated Santa Barbara County must be kept clear of fire hazards. Under the County Fire Code (Chapter 15), combustible waste, weeds, and rubbish may not remain on…
Unincorporated Santa Barbara County does not set a fixed lawn-height limit. Instead, under County Fire Code Section 304.1.2, weeds, grass, and other growth that can be ignited and…
Unincorporated Santa Barbara County does not have a dedicated countywide garage-sale permit ordinance in its Land Use & Development Code. Occasional residential yard sales are…
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, trash, recycling, and organics collection is provided through a County franchise. As of July 1, 2024, MarBorg Industries is the franchise hauler…
Unincorporated Santa Barbara County residents served by MarBorg receive four free bulky-item clean-ups per year, with up to five items per pickup. Items must be brought to the roadside…
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, the franchise hauler MarBorg sets the curbside placement rules: carts must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on the collection day and removed from…
Recycling service is provided to unincorporated Santa Barbara County residents and businesses through the County franchise with MarBorg, and recycling carts are included with service…
California SB 1383 (effective January 1, 2022) requires organic waste recycling statewide. In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, compliance varies by region: South Coast, Santa Ynez…
The unincorporated Santa Barbara County sign code (LUDC Chapter 35.38) does not create a separate political-sign category; temporary political signs on private property are protected…
The unincorporated Santa Barbara County sign code (LUDC Chapter 35.38) has no dedicated garage-sale-sign category. Such temporary signs follow the general sign standards, must stay out…
Under the Land Use & Development Code (Section 35.30.120), all exterior lighting in the unincorporated County must be hooded, with no unobstructed beam directed toward residential…
The unincorporated County's lighting rule (LUDC Section 35.30.120) directly addresses light trespass by prohibiting any unobstructed beam of exterior light from being directed toward…
Commercial drone operations in California follow uniform federal rules under 14 CFR Part 107 plus statewide California provisions in Civil Code 1708.8 and Public Utilities Code 21401…
Recreational drone flight in California is governed primarily by FAA regulations under 14 CFR Part 107 and 49 USC 44809, with state-level rules added by Civil Code 1708.8 and…
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…