Santa Maria, CA Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)

RVs, boats, and trailers in Santa Maria face two separate regimes. On public streets, the citywide 72-hour limit in Chapter 7-5 applies the same as for any other vehicle. Additionally, Section 7-5.17 (Long Vehicles) authorizes the City Council to designate streets where parking by any vehicle whose overall length exceeds 22 feet is prohibited; signs must be posted at intervals of not more than 165 feet. Most full-size travel trailers, fifth-wheels, and motorhomes exceed 22 feet and are barred from any signed long-vehicle-restricted street. On private residential property, Title 12, Chapter 32 controls. Section 12-32.27 (Parking in front yard setback and/or street side yard setback) prohibits any landowner, tenant, vehicle owner, vehicle operator or property manager from parking, or allowing to be parked, any vehicle as defined by the California Vehicle Code in the front yard setback or corner side yard setback of a property with a residential use except on a driveway with paving, or upon another area with paving or behind a solid fence or wall a minimum of six feet in height. The Code caps paved parking area: no more than 50% of the area and 50% of the frontage of the existing front yard setback or corner side yard setback may be paved or used for such parking. Driveways must be accessed through a City standard driveway approach, and vehicles cannot be parked on any parkway, sidewalk, or landscape/pedestrian easement. Violations are misdemeanors under Section 1-6.01. RVs and boats stored visibly in front yards beyond the paved driveway therefore violate the Code; storage behind a side gate or in the rear yard is the standard solution.