Pop. 43,646 · Santa Barbara County
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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 Building Code. Detached accessory structures must be located on the rear half of the lot, with at least 5 feet between the main building and any accessory structure. Side and rear setbacks may be reduced for small sheds subject to a height-at-property-line formula.
Santa Barbara County allows Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs) on most lots with an existing or proposed single-family dwelling, under Land Use and Development Code (LUDC) Section 35.42.075 and parallel provisions in the Coastal Zoning Ordinance and Montecito and Toro Canyon LUDCs. The County's standards were amended on May 18, 2021 (Ordinance 5230 and related actions), effective June 17, 2021 in the inland area, to comply with California Government Code Sections 65852.2 and 65852.22 (and as renumbered to Sections 66310-66342). One ADU and one JADU is allowed by right on a lot with a single-family dwelling; ADUs up to 800 sq ft are allowed with minimum 4-foot interior setbacks. The County prohibits use of ADUs and JADUs as short-term vacation rentals through a 30-day minimum rental term, as authorized by Government Code Section 66314.
Government Code 65852.2 expressly authorizes converting an existing garage into an ADU, with no replacement parking allowed and ministerial approval required.
California HCD guidance and Health and Safety Code 18007 classify many tiny homes on wheels as manufactured housing or ADUs, granting statewide siting protections.
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, whether a short-term rental (STR) or homestay is allowed depends on a parcel's zoning under the Land Use and Development Code (LUDC) Chapter 35, and whether the parcel is in the Inland or Coastal Zone. STRs (whole-house rentals where the owner is not present, less than 30 days) are permitted in most commercial zones; 'homestays' (rental of one or more rooms in an owner-occupied primary residence) are permitted in most residential zones; both require a Land Use Permit from Planning and Development. Operators must also obtain a Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate from the County Treasurer-Tax Collector within 30 days of starting business and collect the 14 percent County Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT). Within the Coastal Zone, STRs and homestays are currently administered separately under the Coastal Zoning Ordinance pending Coastal Commission certification of comprehensive rules. ADUs and JADUs cannot be used as STRs (30-day minimum rental term applies).
California law requires hosting platforms to verify or disclose liability insurance for short-term rental listings, applying uniformly across all California cities.
Unincorporated Santa Barbara County enforces the California Building Standards Code (California Building Code and California Residential Code, Title 24) through Santa Barbara County Code Chapter 10 (Building Regulations), together with the Swimming Pool Safety Act in California Health and Safety Code Sections 115920-115929. New or remodeled residential pools and spas at single-family homes require an enclosure at least 60 inches tall plus at least one additional drowning prevention feature, verified by Santa Barbara County Planning and Development Building and Safety at final inspection.
California's Swimming Pool Safety Act covers above-ground pools deeper than 18 inches, requiring uniform drowning-prevention features and barriers regardless of pool type.
Hot tubs and spas fall under California's Swimming Pool Safety Act when capable of holding water deeper than 18 inches, requiring barriers, covers, or other approved safety features.
California's Swimming Pool Safety Act and Title 24 Building Standards Code establish uniform anti-entrapment, drain cover, and safety equipment requirements for all residential pools.
Persistent or habitual dog barking in unincorporated Santa Barbara County is handled as a public nuisance under County Code Chapter 7 (Animals and Fowl), administered by Santa Barbara County Animal Services. Nighttime barking that is clearly discernible at 100 feet from the property line or that exceeds 60 dB at the property line during the 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (or midnight to 7 a.m. weekends) Chapter 40 quiet-hours window is also subject to citation by the Sheriff under Chapter 40. Owners are responsible for restraining their animals so they do not disturb the peace of neighbors.
Unincorporated Santa Barbara County regulates nighttime noise under County Code Chapter 40 - Nighttime Noise Restrictions. Quiet hours run from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from midnight to 7:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. During those hours, no person may make or allow any 'loud and unreasonable' sound that is clearly discernible at a distance of 100 feet from the property line, or that exceeds 60 dB at the property line. Within incorporated cities (Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Goleta, Carpinteria, Buellton, Solvang, Guadalupe) the relevant city noise ordinance applies instead.
California sets statewide airport noise limits under Title 21 CCR, with the state preempting most local aviation noise control because federal FAA authority dominates aircraft operations in flight.
In Santa Barbara County, residential open burning (yard-waste, brush, debris piles) is regulated jointly by the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (SBCAPCD) Rule 401 burn-permit program and by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department under the locally adopted California Fire Code (County Code Chapter 15). Recreational fires (fire pits, chimineas, outdoor fireplaces, charcoal grills, propane patio heaters) are governed by California Fire Code Section 307 as locally amended: any permanent or portable fire pit, outdoor fireplace, barbecue, or grill must be at least 30 feet from any grass, grain, brush, or forested area; have an approved spark arrester, screen, or door over the firebox; be maintained in good repair; and be attended at all times. Ashes and coals from any recreational fire may NOT be deposited or dumped in High Fire Hazard Areas. CAL FIRE issues 'Permissive Burn Day' or 'No Burn Day' status daily during fire season, and discretionary fires are also subject to the SBCAPCD daily-burn-day determination.
All fireworks - including 'Safe and Sane' state-approved fireworks - are ILLEGAL in unincorporated Santa Barbara County and in the cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Buellton, and Solvang. Possession, sale, or discharge of fireworks in those areas is a misdemeanor that can carry up to a $2,000 fine, plus the cost of any resulting wildfire suppression. 'Safe and Sane' fireworks (sold from licensed stands during a limited July window) are legal only inside the city limits of Santa Maria, Lompoc, and Guadalupe. Enforcement is led by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, CAL FIRE, and the Sheriff's Office, with joint patrols around July 4th and New Year's Eve.
Most of unincorporated Santa Barbara County lies in CAL FIRE's State Responsibility Area (SRA) and is mapped as High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ). The Santa Ynez Mountains foothills, Montecito, Mission Canyon, Painted Cave, Hope Ranch, Refugio Canyon, Gaviota, the Santa Maria foothills, Tepusquet, Sisquoc, the Cuyama Valley, and the Santa Ynez Valley wildland-urban interface are all in High or Very High FHSZ areas. Designation triggers Public Resources Code Section 4291 defensible space (100 ft), California Building Code Chapter 7A ignition-resistant construction standards, AB 38 sale-time inspections, and County Code Chapter 15 vegetation-management requirements. Recent major fires include the 2009 Jesusita Fire, the 2016 Sherpa and Rey Fires, the 2017 Thomas Fire (the largest in modern California history at the time), and the 2017-18 storm/debris-flow disaster that killed 23 in Montecito.
Santa Barbara County is one of California's highest wildfire-risk counties. Every owner of a structure in a State Responsibility Area (SRA) or in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) must maintain 100 feet of defensible space around the structure under California Public Resources Code Section 4291 and the locally adopted Fire Code in County Code Chapter 15. The Santa Barbara County Fire Department's Defensible Space Inspection Program inspects parcels annually and, on slopes greater than 30 percent in High Fire Hazard Areas, may require clearance beyond 100 feet - up to 200 feet on 30-40 percent slopes and 250-300 feet on 41-60 percent slopes. AB 38 (effective July 1, 2021) requires a compliant defensible-space inspection at the time of sale of any home in a designated fire hazard severity zone.
California requires permits for most outdoor burning, with statewide CAL FIRE and Air Resources Board rules that uniformly apply alongside local air district restrictions.
California uniformly applies the State Fire Marshal's propane storage standards through the California Fire Code, which all local jurisdictions must enforce as a minimum.
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, dogs in public places must be restrained on a leash not longer than 6 feet, held by a person able to control the animal. Dogs may be off-leash only in posted designated off-leash areas. County Code Chapter 7 (Animals and Fowl) administered by Santa Barbara County Animal Services governs leashing, licensing, rabies vaccination, and dog-at-large violations. Every dog four months of age or older must be currently rabies-vaccinated and licensed with the County. Within city limits (Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Goleta, Carpinteria, etc.) the corresponding city ordinance applies, though County Animal Services typically provides field enforcement under contract with most cities.
Whether you can keep chickens, goats, horses, pigs, or other livestock on your property in Santa Barbara County depends on your zoning under the Land Use and Development Code (LUDC) Chapter 35. Residential (R-1, R-2) and Mountainous (MTN) zones generally allow a limited number of hens (no roosters) for personal use, subject to coop setbacks from neighboring dwellings. Larger livestock - cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine - are allowed only in agricultural and rural-residential zones (AG-I, AG-II, RR, MTN with minimum lot sizes). County Code Chapter 7 (Animals and Fowl) imposes animal-care and nuisance standards regardless of zoning. Cities (Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Goleta, Carpinteria, etc.) each set their own backyard-chicken and livestock rules.
California Food and Agriculture Code section 31683 preempts cities from banning specific dog breeds, though localities may regulate spay-neuter and breeding by breed.
Parking and storage of recreational vehicles, trailers, and boats in unincorporated Santa Barbara County is regulated by County Code Chapter 23 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) for on-street parking and by the Santa Barbara County Land Use and Development Code (LUDC) Chapter 35 for on-site storage in residential zones. On-street recreational-vehicle parking is generally limited to 72 consecutive hours in any one location, after which the vehicle must be moved at least one-tenth of a mile. RVs may not be occupied as dwellings on a public street. On private property, the LUDC restricts the location and screening of stored RVs, trailers, and boats in residential zones, with specific setback and street-visibility limits and a prohibition on living in the RV as a primary residence outside of permitted RV parks. Cities (Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Goleta, Carpinteria, etc.) each apply their own street-parking rules.
California Vehicle Code sections 22651 and 22669 set uniform rules allowing peace officers and authorized agents to remove abandoned vehicles from public and private property after defined waiting periods, with statewide notice and lien procedures.
California Civil Code sections 4745 and 4745.1, plus Government Code 65850.7, create statewide rights for residents to install EV charging stations and require expedited local permitting that supersedes restrictive local rules.
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.
Government Code 65850.3 prevents California cities and HOAs from banning drought-tolerant artificial turf installed at single-family residential properties.
SB 1383 requires every California resident and business to separate food scraps and yard waste from trash, with universal collection or on-site composting.
AB-1572 prohibits using potable water to irrigate non-functional turf at commercial, institutional, and HOA-common areas, accelerating native and low-water landscape conversions statewide.
The 2012 Rainwater Capture Act allows California residents to capture rainwater from rooftops for non-potable outdoor use without a state water-right permit, preempting most local barriers.
California Civil Code Section 841, the Good Neighbor Fence Act, presumes adjoining landowners share equal benefit and equal cost responsibility for boundary fences, applying statewide regardless of city ordinance.
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 adopting weaker standards.
California Building Code under Title 24 universally requires permits and engineering for retaining walls over four feet measured from the bottom of the footing, applying statewide regardless of local variation.
The California Homemade Food Act, codified at Health and Safety Code sections 113758 and 114365, sets uniform rules for cottage food operations and bars local governments from prohibiting them in residential zones.
Health and Safety Code sections 1597.40 through 1597.465 require all California cities and counties to treat licensed family daycare homes as permitted residential uses, preempting any local prohibition or restrictive zoning.
While most home occupation rules are local, California Government Code section 65852.2 and Business and Professions Code provisions universally guarantee certain residential uses such as accessory dwelling units and licensed professional offices statewide.
Unincorporated Santa Barbara County is a participating NFIP community (CID 060331) that governs development in mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas through Santa Barbara County Code Chapter 15A - Floodplain Management Regulations, which adopts by reference the FEMA Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). The County Floodplain Administrator must review every development permit within an SFHA. Substantial improvements (50 percent or more of pre-damage market value) trigger full compliance, and lowest floors must be elevated to or above the Base Flood Elevation. After the January 9, 2018 Montecito Debris Flow and 2023 atmospheric-river floods, the County rigorously enforces floodplain rules along Mission, San Ysidro, Romero, Cold Spring, and Montecito Creeks, the Santa Ynez River, Santa Maria River, and coastal flood zones. FEMA released a preliminary FIRM on March 26, 2024 for portions of the County and City of Santa Barbara.
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, Montecito coastal, Summerland coastal, Carpinteria coastal, Rincon Point). Almost all development in the County's coastal zone requires a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) under the California Coastal Act of 1976 (California Public Resources Code Section 30000 et seq.) and the County's California Coastal Commission-certified Local Coastal Program (LCP), which consists of the Coastal Land Use Plan (CLUP) and the Coastal Zoning Ordinance / Article II Coastal Zoning. Santa Barbara County Planning and Development administers CDPs in unincorporated coastal areas, while the City of Santa Barbara and other coastal cities administer CDPs within their own boundaries. Many County CDP decisions are appealable to the California Coastal Commission.
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 municipal stormwater dischargers uniformly.
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, with local rules limited to ground-based regulation.
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 Government Code 853 applying uniformly statewide.
California sets a statewide minimum wage floor under Labor Code 1182.12, currently $16.50 per hour for all employers as of 2025. Local governments are not preempted and may set higher minimums; many cities exceed the state rate substantially.
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 or five days annually effective January 2024, applying universally.
California regulates concealed carry weapons licenses statewide under Penal Code 26150 through 26225. Senate Bill 2 (2023) imposes uniform sensitive-place restrictions and applicant standards, preempting local variations on issuance criteria and qualifications.
California preempts most local firearm regulation under Government Code 53071 and Penal Code 25605, reserving licensing, registration, and manufacture authority to the state. However, local governments retain limited authority over discharge, sensitive places, and zoning of gun businesses.
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 applies uniformly across all California cities and counties without local variation.
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 the vehicle's locked trunk; long guns must be unloaded but need not be locked.
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 prohibits state and local governments from requiring private employers to use the federal E-Verify system except where federal law mandates it, under Government Code 7285.1 and 7285.3. The restriction applies uniformly to every California city and county.
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 uniformly to every California agency and bars participation in most civil immigration enforcement.
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.
Civil Code 1947.12 limits annual rent increases to 5 percent plus CPI, capped at 10 percent total, on most California rental units regardless of local ordinances.
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 for ten-year minimum terms in exchange for reduced property tax assessment based on farming income.
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 law applies statewide and limits both private and local government nuisance actions.
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 as Proposition 67 in 2016. Recycled paper or reusable bags require a 10-cent minimum charge.
California restricts expanded polystyrene food containers statewide through SB 54 (2022) packaging requirements under Public Resources Code 42040-42081. The law mandates that polystyrene foodware achieve 25 percent recycling by 2025 or face statewide sales prohibition.
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. The on-request rule applies uniformly to dine-in restaurants statewide.
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 applies uniformly across all California jurisdictions.
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 November 2022. The ban applies uniformly to all California retailers.
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 establishes uniform retailer licensing, while local governments may adopt stricter rules.