22 local rules on file · Pop. 1,321 · Placer County
Showing ordinances that apply to Newcastle, CA
Newcastle is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 1,321 in Placer County, California. Because Newcastle is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Placer 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 Placer County may have different rules.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Placer County ordinances.
Unincorporated Placer County regulates noise under Placer County Code Chapter 9, Article 9.36. Daytime (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.) exterior sound at residential property lines is generally limited to 55 dBA Leq hourly average, and the standard drops at night (10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.).
Placer County Code Section 9.36.030 exempts construction noise from the County's general noise standards between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, provided equipment is fitted with factory muffling and maintained.
Habitual barking that disturbs the peace of neighbors is regulated under the Placer County animal control regulations in Chapter 6 (Article 6.08) of the Placer County Code, in combination with the general noise standards in Chapter 9.36. Complaints are handled by Placer County Animal Services.
All fireworks — including California 'Safe and Sane' fireworks — are illegal in unincorporated Placer County. Violations are prosecuted as misdemeanors with fines up to $2,000 per violation. The ban does not include licensed public displays approved by the County.
Residential pile burning in unincorporated Placer County requires a free annual CAL FIRE burn permit (issued through burnpermit.fire.ca.gov) and is only allowed on Placer County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) permissive burn days. Burning household garbage is prohibited.
Placer County Code Chapter 9.32 (Hazardous Vegetation and Combustible Material Abatement), effective May 21, 2020, requires 100 feet of defensible space around all structures, consistent with California Public Resources Code §4291. Local fire agencies inspect annually.
Most of unincorporated Placer County is mapped by CAL FIRE and the Placer County Fire Department as Moderate, High, or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ). Properties in High or Very High zones must comply with Chapter 7A Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) building standards and 100-foot defensible space.
Placer County Code Article 6.08 makes it unlawful for an owner to allow any dog to run at large in unincorporated Placer County. Off-premises, dogs must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet held continuously by a person capable of controlling the dog.
Placer County's beekeeping ordinance (Placer County Code 17.56.050.G, adopted 2021) allows hobbyist beekeeping countywide subject to setbacks of at least 50 feet from a property line, a 5-hive-per-acre density cap, and a 100-hive total cap. In the RS zone, no more than 2 colonies are allowed.
Placer County Code Section 17.56.050 allows up to 6 hens (no roosters) on lots of at least 5,000 sq ft in RS, RM, and RES zones; 9 hens on combining-AG parcels under half an acre; and 15 hens in the RF zone on parcels under one acre. Roosters, guinea hens, and peafowl are prohibited in residential zones.
Most of western and central Placer County is served by the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA), which sets watering practices and stage-based restrictions. PCWA's standing guidance is to water before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m. and to follow the California Water Code §365 prohibitions on watering during/within 48 hours of measurable rain.
Removal of native, landmark, and riparian-zone trees in unincorporated Placer County is regulated under Placer County Code Article 19.50 (Woodland Conservation). A Minor Tree Permit is required for tree removal on single-family residential lots when no other discretionary permit is being processed.
Placer County Code Sections 17.56.095, 17.56.180, and 17.56.200 allow one Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and one Junior ADU (JADU) on each residentially zoned parcel, in addition to the primary dwelling. Detached ADUs may be up to 1,200 sq ft; JADUs are capped at 500 sq ft.
Under California Building Code §105.2 (adopted by Placer County Code Chapter 15) and Placer County Code 17.56.020, one-story detached storage sheds, playhouses, and similar accessory structures up to 120 sq ft and 12 feet in height do not require a building permit, but must still meet zoning setbacks. Electrical or plumbing work requires permits.