Alhambra, CA Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Outdoor RV/boat storage
- Prohibited without designated CC&R area
- Setback from interior/rear line
- 3 feet minimum
- Allowed yard location
- Interior side or rear only
- Screening required
- 6-ft masonry wall + opaque gate
- Living in stored RV
- Prohibited
Summary
Alhambra bans outdoor storage of boats, trailers and recreational vehicles on residential lots unless the development plan sets aside a dedicated, CC&R-protected storage area. Where allowed, RVs must sit in the side or rear yard behind a six-foot masonry wall and opaque gate, stay unoccupied, and stay disconnected from utilities except to prep for departure.
Storage of boats, trailers, recreational vehicles and other similar vehicles shall be prohibited unless specifically designated areas for the exclusive storage of such vehicles are set aside on the development plan and provided for in the project covenants, conditions and restrictions. Where such areas are provided, they shall be permitted in the interior and rear yards setback with a minimum of three feet from interior and rear property lines, shall be prohibited in the front and corner street side yards, enclosed and screened from view by a six-foot high decorative masonry wall and opaque gate, and landscaping, with adequate security lighting directed away from adjacent residences. (A) The trailer or recreational vehicle shall not be occupied for living purposes. (B) The trailer or recreational vehicle shall not be connected to any utility except for the purpose of preparing the trailer or recreational vehicle to leave the site.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-25: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 4851, passed 10-27-25).
Full Breakdown
110 makes outdoor storage of boats, trailers, recreational vehicles and similar vehicles unlawful on a residential property unless the site's development plan specifically designates a storage area for that exclusive use, with the arrangement locked in through the project's covenants, conditions and restrictions. Even where a designated area exists, it must sit in the interior side or rear yard, set back at least three feet from interior and rear property lines, and it is barred outright from front yards and corner street-side yards. The storage area itself has to be enclosed and screened from view by a six-foot decorative masonry wall with an opaque gate, plus landscaping, and any security lighting serving it must point away from neighboring homes rather than toward them.
Subsection (A) bars anyone from living in a stored trailer or RV, and subsection (B) bars connecting one to any utility except briefly, to ready it for leaving the site. Together the rules mean a homeowner cannot simply park a travel trailer in a side yard or driveway indefinitely: without an approved, CC&R-backed storage pad meeting the setback, screening and wall standards, outdoor RV and boat storage is not a permitted residential use in Alhambra at all, regardless of yard size.
Violations & Fines
Storing an RV, boat or trailer outside a designated, screened storage area, or living in or hooking utilities up to one that is parked, is a Title 23 zoning violation. Code Enforcement can cite the property and order the vehicle relocated or the storage area brought into compliance. Because the chapter carries no dedicated fine, § 1.12.010's general penalty applies: a City Council-set fine or up to six months' imprisonment, chargeable as an infraction, with each day of continued storage a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my RV in my Alhambra driveway?
Can someone live in an RV parked at an Alhambra home?
What screening does an RV storage area need in Alhambra?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alhambra
How Alhambra compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Alhambra to another location·View the California parking rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
RV & Boat Parking in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle rv & boat parking.