Vehicles in unincorporated San Mateo County must be parked on legal paved parking areas. Blocking public roads or private easements is prohibited. Many hillside communities have very limited off-street parking.
San Mateo County zoning and traffic codes require vehicles on private property to be parked in approved paved or legally established parking areas. In hillside unincorporated communities, off-street parking is often very limited. Blocking fire access roads, private easements, or neighbor driveways is prohibited. ADU garage conversions do not require replacement parking under state law. Contact County Planning at (650) 363-4161.
Sidewalk blocking: parking citation $50 to $200. Unpaved parking: code compliance notice. Unpermitted driveway work: stop-work order.
San Mateo County, CA
Amplified music in unincorporated San Mateo County is regulated by County Code Chapter 4.88 Noise Control, which caps exterior noise at 55-75 dBA daytime and...
San Mateo County, CA
Unincorporated San Mateo County enforces California Swimming Pool Safety Act (H&S Code Β§115920-115929) and CBC Chapter 31B. Minimum 60-inch barrier, self-clo...
San Mateo County, CA
Unincorporated San Mateo County requires building permits for retaining walls over 4 feet measured from bottom of footing to top of wall, per California Buil...
San Mateo County, CA
Unincorporated San Mateo County allows backyard chickens on residential parcels of at least 2,500 sq ft under the County Zoning Regulations. 2,500 to 7,500 s...
San Mateo County, CA
San Mateo County requires 100 feet of defensible space around all structures in State Responsibility Areas (SRA) and designated Very High Fire Hazard Severit...
San Mateo County, CA
Rainwater harvesting for non-potable residential use (garden irrigation, lawn watering, toilet flushing with treatment) is legal in San Mateo County and enco...
See how San Mateo County's driveway rules rules stack up against other locations.
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