101 local rules on file · Pop. 3,212 · San Benito County
Showing ordinances that apply to Ridgemark, CA
Ridgemark is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 3,212 in San Benito County, California. Because Ridgemark is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, San Benito 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 San Benito County may have different rules.
San Benito County's Building Inspection Services states that hours of construction are 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with no work on Sundays or National Holidays, and cites San Benito County Code Section 19.39.010 for the times. The rule is part of Chapter 19.39 and applies outside Hollister and San Juan Bautista, which set their own construction hours.
In unincorporated San Benito County, animals are regulated under Chapter 13.01 (Animals and Fowl), and persistent barking can also be addressed as a 'noise disturbance' under Section 19.39.020. Barking-dog complaints are typically handled by County Animal Control with the Sheriff. Confirm the exact section and fine schedule with the County, as verbatim text was not published in the sources reviewed.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no stand-alone leaf-blower ordinance. Leaf-blower use falls under the general noise framework in Chapter 19.39 - the disturbance rule (Sec. 19.39.020), sound limits (Sec. 19.39.030), and equipment hours (Sec. 19.39.010). California's CARB rule under AB 1346 has banned sale of new gas leaf blowers since January 1, 2024; existing equipment stays legal.
Amplified music in unincorporated San Benito County is regulated under Chapter 19.39: Section 19.39.020 bars unreasonable noise disturbances and Section 19.39.030 sets maximum permissible sound levels at the property line. The chapter's exemption for unamplified public speech (not plainly audible beyond 100 feet) does not cover amplified music. Winery and venue events are also conditioned through County land-use permits.
Outdoor music and events in unincorporated San Benito County are governed by Chapter 19.39 (Sections 19.39.020 and 19.39.030) and, for recurring or large events, by land-use permits from the County Resource Management Agency. Winery, ranch, and festival events in the Cienega and Paicines wine country typically carry permit conditions on sound levels, setbacks, and end times.
Vehicle noise on public roads in unincorporated San Benito County is governed mainly by the California Vehicle Code, enforced by the Sheriff and CHP. Section 27150 requires a working muffler, and Section 27151 bars modifying an exhaust to amplify noise. Stationary or off-road vehicle noise on private property can also fall under the County's disturbance rule in Section 19.39.020.
Unincorporated San Benito County sets objective noise limits in Section 19.39.030 ('Maximum Permissible Sound Pressure Levels'), part of Chapter 19.39. The limits are measured at the affected property line and back up the general disturbance rule in Section 19.39.020. Confirm the exact decibel figures in Section 19.39.030 itself, as verbatim numbers were not published in the sources reviewed.
Industrial and commercial noise in unincorporated San Benito County is controlled by the maximum permissible sound levels in Section 19.39.030 (measured at the property line) and the disturbance rule in Section 19.39.020 of Chapter 19.39. New or expanded industrial uses also receive project-specific noise conditions through County land-use and CEQA review by the Resource Management Agency.
Aircraft noise is largely outside San Benito County's control. Federal law (the FAA and Noise Control Act) preempts local regulation of aircraft operations and airspace, as confirmed in City of Burbank v. Lockheed Air Terminal. California regulates airport noise through Caltrans Aeronautics under the Airport Noise Standards (Title 21 CCR). The County's Chapter 19.39 ordinance does not set aircraft-noise limits.
Unincorporated San Benito County regulates noise through Chapter 19.39 (Noise Control Regulations). Section 19.39.020 bars unreasonable 'noise disturbances,' and Section 19.39.030 sets maximum permissible sound pressure levels at the property line. These rules cover rural communities outside Hollister and San Juan Bautista, which run their own city noise codes. Enforcement is complaint-driven through the Sheriff and County code enforcement.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no short-term-rental-specific parking requirement, because it lacks a dedicated STR ordinance. Parking is governed by the general off-street parking standards in the County Zoning Code (Title 25) for the residential use, not by an STR rule.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no standalone short-term rental permit ordinance. STRs are treated under the County's general zoning code (Title 25) and must register for transient occupancy tax and a County business license. No dedicated STR use permit program exists as of mid-2026.
Operators renting to transients in unincorporated San Benito County must register with the Tax Administrator within 30 days of commencing business and obtain a transient occupancy registration certificate, posted conspicuously on the premises. A County business license is also required. There is no separate STR registry.
Unincorporated San Benito County levies a 12% Transient Occupancy Tax on stays of 30 nights or less. Voters raised the rate from 8% to 12% on June 5, 2018 (effective January 1, 2019), under Code section 5.03.052. Operators collect the tax and file quarterly returns; a County business license is also required.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no short-term-rental-specific occupancy cap because it lacks a dedicated STR ordinance. Occupancy is instead governed by general zoning (Title 25), building and health codes, and California habitability standards rather than a per-guest STR limit.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no short-term-rental-specific noise standard, because it lacks a dedicated STR ordinance. Noise from rentals is addressed through the County's generally applicable noise and nuisance provisions and California law, not an STR-specific quiet-hours rule.
Unincorporated San Benito County imposes no primary-residence requirement on short-term rentals, because it has no dedicated STR ordinance. Whether a non-owner-occupied rental is allowed turns on the parcel's zoning (Title 25), not on an owner-occupancy mandate.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no host-presence or on-site-host requirement for short-term rentals, because it lacks a dedicated STR ordinance. Both hosted and unhosted (whole-home) rentals turn on zoning rather than a host-presence mandate.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no annual night cap on short-term rentals, because it lacks a dedicated STR ordinance. The Transient Occupancy Tax applies to stays of 30 nights or less, but there is no County-imposed limit on the number of nights a property may be rented per year.
Unincorporated San Benito County imposes no short-term-rental-specific insurance or liability-coverage requirement, because it has no dedicated STR ordinance. Operators carry insurance as a private business matter; the County's published rules cover TOT registration and business licensing, not coverage minimums.
Open burning of yard waste in unincorporated San Benito County is regulated by the Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD) and requires a CAL FIRE burn permit. Residential backyard burning is allowed only in a limited winter season (Dec 1 to Apr 30) on declared permissive burn days; trash burning is banned year-round.
Backyard fire pits and recreational fires in unincorporated San Benito County follow the California Fire Code (Section 307) enforced by CAL FIRE / county fire, plus Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD) smoke rules. Recreational fires must stay 25 feet from anything combustible; portable outdoor fireplaces 15 feet (with a one- and two-family dwelling exception).
Rural parcels in the San Benito County hills - the Diablo Range, Panoche, and grassland foothills - fall in the State Responsibility Area and Fire Hazard Severity Zones where California Public Resources Code 4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space around structures. Grass must be kept to 4 inches, with layered Zone 0, 1, and 2 clearance.
Small backyard recreational fires in unincorporated San Benito County are allowed under California Fire Code Section 307, with a 25-foot clearance from anything combustible, constant attendance, and an extinguisher on hand. Burning yard waste or trash is a separate, more restricted activity controlled by MBARD and CAL FIRE permits.
San Benito County does not publish its own smoke-alarm ordinance; statewide California law applies. Health & Safety Code section 13113.7 requires smoke alarms in all dwellings, and section 17926 requires carbon monoxide alarms in any home with a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace, or attached garage. Both are enforced as part of the adopted California Building Standards Code.
Propane storage in unincorporated San Benito County follows the California Fire Code (Chapter 61, Liquefied Petroleum Gases) and NFPA 58, applied by CAL FIRE / county fire. Tank-to-building and property-line clearances scale with tank size; small BBQ-grill cylinders are stored outdoors, and larger installations require a permit.
Much of rural San Benito County - the Diablo Range, Panoche, and dry grassland-oak foothills near Pinnacles - lies in CAL FIRE's State Responsibility Area. The 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps designate Moderate, High, and Very High zones across the unincorporated county, triggering PRC 4291 defensible-space and disclosure duties.
All fireworks, including state-approved 'Safe and Sane' items, are illegal in the unincorporated areas of San Benito County. Consumer fireworks are sold and used lawfully only inside the city limits of Hollister and San Juan Bautista. County Code Chapter 11.05 governs the ban; California Health & Safety Code section 12500 et seq. controls statewide.
On unincorporated County roads, parking is governed primarily by the California Vehicle Code, which San Benito County applies through Chapter 17.02. Section 17.02.004 authorizes the Sheriff to remove vehicles parked over 72 consecutive hours or in violation of Sections 17.02.001 through 17.02.003.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no general overnight street-parking ban. The main control is the 72-consecutive-hour limit in County Code Sec. 17.02.004, after which the Sheriff may remove a vehicle, mirroring California Vehicle Code Section 22651(k).
Unincorporated San Benito County does not publish a dedicated residential commercial-vehicle parking ban. The County applies Chapter 17.02 and the California Vehicle Code on public roads, and treats commercial-equipment storage in residential front yards under the zoning code's outdoor-storage rule (Sec. 25.07.015).
San Benito County Code Chapter 17.01, Article II declares abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicles left over 30 days on private or public property a public nuisance subject to abatement, with penalties under Sec. 17.01.033. The County runs a Vehicle Abatement Program funded by a vehicle registration fee.
Building or altering a driveway approach onto a County-maintained road in unincorporated San Benito County requires a Transportation Encroachment Permit from Public Works, aligned with the County Code and the California Streets and Highways Code. On-lot driveway parking is also subject to zoning outdoor-storage limits.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no standalone oversized-vehicle parking ordinance. On public roads it relies on Chapter 17.02 and the California Vehicle Code; on private lots, oversized-vehicle and equipment storage is limited by the zoning outdoor-storage rule (Sec. 25.07.015).
San Benito County has adopted an expedited permit process for electric-vehicle charging stations in Chapter 21.01, Article XI of the Building & Engineering title, and its zoning code counts EV charging spaces as standard parking and requires EV-ready infrastructure under California's CALGreen standards.
Off-street loading and parking for development in unincorporated San Benito County is set by zoning Chapter 25.31 (Parking Regulations) and Section 25.31.002 (Parking Space Requirements). On public curbs, yellow and white loading zones derive their meaning from California Vehicle Code Section 21458.
San Benito County does not publish a separate ordinance redefining curb colors; in unincorporated areas the meaning of painted curbs follows California Vehicle Code Section 21458. The County and Public Works place official markings, and unauthorized private curb painting is not a recognized restriction.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no dedicated front-yard RV ordinance, but the zoning code's outdoor-storage rule (Sec. 25.07.015) bars storage in any front or street-side yard, and inoperative or wrecked RVs/trailers fall under the County's abandoned-vehicle abatement provisions in Chapter 17.01.
Under County Code Section 25.07.013, retaining walls more than 48 inches high in unincorporated San Benito County must be stepped. Separately, the California Residential Code requires a building permit for any retaining wall over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing, or any wall supporting a surcharge.
In unincorporated San Benito County, fences and walls up to 3 feet may stand in any front yard, and fences up to 6 feet in any side or rear yard, under County Code Section 25.07.013. Where land grades abruptly at a boundary, a fence may reach the upper lot's limit but never more than 12 feet.
Most residential fences in unincorporated San Benito County need no building permit, because the California Residential Code exempts fences up to 7 feet and retaining walls up to 4 feet. Fences must still meet the County's zoning height and location standards in Section 25.07.013, and taller or grade-related fences may need planning review.
San Benito County has no special county ordinance on shared boundary fences, so California's Good Neighbor Fence Act (Civil Code Section 841) controls. Adjoining owners are presumed equally responsible for the reasonable cost of building, maintaining, or replacing a dividing fence, and an owner planning the work must give neighbors 30 days written notice.
On lots near road or driveway intersections in unincorporated San Benito County, County Code Section 25.29.013 prohibits any fence, wall, structure, or planting that obstructs cross-visibility between 30 inches and 6 feet above the road within a sight-distance triangle formed by 25-foot legs along the abutting rights-of-way.
County Code Section 25.07.013 restricts certain fence materials in unincorporated San Benito County: barbed wire and electrified fencing are allowed in agricultural zones but prohibited in residential, commercial, and industrial zones unless approved; razor and concertina wire are prohibited; and chain link is not allowed in a required front yard or street side yard.
Common fence materials such as wood, masonry, and ornamental metal are allowed in unincorporated San Benito County under County Code Section 25.07.013, subject to height limits. The main material limits are that barbed wire and electric fencing are confined to agricultural zones, razor and concertina wire are banned, and chain link is excluded from front and street side yards.
In unincorporated San Benito County, dogs off their owner's property must be restrained by leash or confined in a vehicle, cage, or similar enclosure. Loose, unrestrained dogs may be impounded, with a reclaiming fee to retrieve them. Enforcement is handled by San Benito County Animal Care & Services.
San Benito County is an agricultural county where cattle, horses, sheep, and goats are common. Livestock keeping is set by the County Zoning Code by district: small farm animals are limited to 12 on RS/RL parcels under Section 25.08.013, while agricultural and rural districts allow broader livestock use. A 2025 proposal to tighten rural livestock density was pending, not adopted.
San Benito County does not impose breed bans. California Food & Agricultural Code Section 31683 prohibits cities and counties from adopting breed-specific dog ordinances, except for spay/neuter and breeding programs. The County regulates individual dogs by dangerous or vicious behavior, not by breed, under its Title 13 animal ordinance.
Anyone keeping bees in San Benito County must register their apiary annually with the County Agricultural Commissioner under California Food & Agricultural Code Section 29040, by January 1 (or within 30 days). A $10 annual fee applies; counties may waive it for hobbyists with nine or fewer colonies. Hive placement on residential property is governed by the County Zoning Code.
Possession of exotic and wild animals in San Benito County is governed mainly by California law. California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 671 lists 'restricted species' that may not be kept without a state permit, and the Department of Fish & Wildlife does not issue permits for exotic pets. Counties may add their own restrictions.
In residential areas of unincorporated San Benito County, the general allowance is roughly 2 dogs and/or 2 cats, with the exact number depending on the parcel's zoning. Dog and cat keeping is addressed in the County Zoning Code's animal-keeping section (25.08.013); rural and agricultural zoning allows more, and keeping many animals may require a kennel permit.
Cats are not required to be licensed in unincorporated San Benito County, but they must have a current rabies vaccination. There is no cat leash law. Like dogs, cats count toward household animal limits under the County Zoning Code, and a cat that bites is subject to California's rabies-quarantine rules.
We found no San Benito County ordinance that specifically bans feeding wild animals in unincorporated areas. Wildlife is primarily managed under California Department of Fish & Wildlife rules, and intentionally feeding big-game mammals such as deer and bears is prohibited statewide. Feeding that attracts nuisance wildlife can still trigger County nuisance and animal-keeping rules.
San Benito County Animal Care & Services investigates animal cruelty and neglect, which often underlies hoarding. California Penal Code Section 597 makes it a crime to neglect or fail to provide proper food, water, shelter, and care for animals, and Section 597.1 lets officers seize neglected animals. Keeping excess animals also violates County zoning animal limits.
On single residential (RS) and rural living (RL) zoned property in unincorporated San Benito County, residents may keep up to 12 small farm animals total in any combination, per Zoning Code Section 25.08.013. Coops must be kept clean, vermin-free, and odor-free, and animals may not disturb the peace.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no fixed numeric grass-height limit in its code. Overgrown, dead, or hazardous vegetation that creates a fire hazard or attracts vermin is handled as a public nuisance under the County Code, and properties on rural fire-prone land must also meet California's 100-foot defensible-space law.
Routine pruning of trees on your own property in unincorporated San Benito County generally does not need a permit, but heavy cutting that effectively removes or kills a protected tree can fall under the County's tree-protection and woodland-conservation rules. Owners on fire-prone land must also keep defensible space clear.
Unincorporated San Benito County regulates tree removal under both a Tree Protection ordinance (County Code Chapter 25, Article 7) for residential districts and a Woodlands chapter (Chapter 19.33) protecting native trees countywide. Removing a protected tree generally requires a permit from the Planning Director.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no specific ordinance banning or expressly authorizing residential artificial turf. Installations must meet general zoning, drainage, and setback rules, and synthetic lawn can count toward the low-water landscape goals in the County's Water Efficiency Landscape Ordinance.
San Benito County requires owners of unincorporated property to control weeds and hazardous vegetation that create a fire hazard or public nuisance, under County Code Section 19.37.120 and the nuisance provision (Section 1.06.030). The Agriculture Department runs a weed-management program; rural structures must also meet state defensible-space law.
Rainwater harvesting is legal in unincorporated San Benito County and across California. State law (the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012) lets property owners collect rooftop rainwater without a water-right permit. Simple rain barrels need no permit, though larger systems and any plumbing tie-ins follow building codes.
Unincorporated San Benito County does not require or prohibit native-plant landscaping for private yards, but its Water Efficiency Landscape Ordinance (following state MWELO) favors low-water and climate-appropriate plants on regulated projects. Native trees and woodlands are separately protected from removal under Chapter 19.33.
Backyard composting is allowed in unincorporated San Benito County and is encouraged by California's statewide organics law, SB 1383. That law requires residents and businesses to keep organic waste (food scraps and yard debris) out of the landfill, generally through curbside green-waste collection or self-hauling and on-site composting.
Day-to-day outdoor watering rules in unincorporated San Benito County are set mainly by California state law and local water suppliers rather than a countywide watering schedule. State law permanently bans certain wasteful uses and is phasing out watering of non-functional turf at commercial and institutional sites.
In unincorporated San Benito County a building permit from the Building & Code Enforcement Division is required to construct a private swimming pool. The County Code defines a private swimming pool by the very fact that its construction requires a county building permit, and construction is regulated under the adopted California Building Standards Code.
Unincorporated San Benito County requires swimming pools, spas, and similar water features to be fenced in compliance with the adopted Building Code, and Article V of the building code requires a pool enclosure. The detailed barrier standard - a minimum 60-inch barrier with a self-closing, self-latching gate - flows from California's Swimming Pool Safety Act.
Unincorporated San Benito County enforces pool safety through the adopted Building Code, which incorporates California's Swimming Pool Safety Act. New pools and major remodels at single-family homes must include at least two of seven approved drowning-prevention safety features, and an inspection is required before the pool can be used.
Above-ground pools in unincorporated San Benito County are treated like other private swimming pools: if construction requires a building permit, the pool is regulated under Article V and must be fenced per the adopted Building Code. The state Pool Safety Act applies to aboveground structures holding water more than 18 inches deep.
Unincorporated San Benito County treats spas and hot tubs as water features that must be fenced in compliance with the adopted Building Code, which incorporates the California Pool Safety Act. State law lets a spa or hot tub with a compliant locking safety cover substitute for the standard 60-inch enclosure.
Unincorporated San Benito County allows home occupations in every residential and agricultural zone (AR, AP, R, RT, RR, R-1, and RM) with no permit required, as long as the business is fully contained in the home and stays incidental to the residence. A larger 'rural home enterprise' with employees is allowed only in agricultural zones with an administrative use permit.
A home business in unincorporated San Benito County may display one non-illuminated, single-faced sign no larger than three square feet showing the operator's name and/or street address. It must be flat against the dwelling's front wall or set back at least 20 feet from the front street property line, one sign per address.
Unincorporated San Benito County requires no permit for a standard home occupation - the use is allowed by right once it meets the code's operating standards. Only a larger 'rural home enterprise' with up to five non-resident employees requires an administrative use permit, and all home businesses must still pay the county business license tax.
Unincorporated San Benito County expressly allows cottage food operations and treats them as home occupations with added requirements. They must comply with the County Code's home-occupation standards plus California's Homemade Food Act (Government Code 51035 et seq. and Health & Safety Code 114365 et seq.) and registration or permitting through the County Department of Public Health.
Unincorporated San Benito County allows small and large family child day care homes by right in its residential and agricultural zones and exempts them from county planning review, deferring to California's family day care preemption (Health & Safety Code 1597.44-1597.465). Larger day care centers, by contrast, require a conditional use permit.
San Benito County adopted a dedicated tiny home ordinance, Zoning Code § 25.08.029 (effective March 31, 2024), permitting tiny homes including movable tiny homes (THOWs) in all zoning districts that allow residential dwellings or ADUs. Units must be 150 to 400 sq ft, with the undercarriage skirted and the unit anchored on a paved pad.
Carports are regulated as accessory structures under San Benito County Zoning Code §§ 25.07.006-25.07.007. A detached carport may not exceed one story or 20 feet, must generally sit in the rear half of the lot in R-1/R-M zones, and any driveway serving a carport must be at least 20 feet deep per § 25.07.010.
Unincorporated San Benito County regulates sheds and other detached accessory buildings under Zoning Code §§ 25.07.006-25.07.007. Detached accessory buildings may not exceed one story or 20 feet, and structures under 120 sq ft are limited to 10 feet. Lot limits cap the number of accessory buildings, and residential-zone sheds generally must sit in the rear half of the lot.
In unincorporated San Benito County, converting a garage into living space is generally treated as an accessory dwelling unit under Zoning Code § 25.08.002, following California ADU law (Gov. Code §§ 66310-66342). Garage conversions to ADUs are exempt from added setbacks, but parking the conversion displaces must usually be replaced and a building permit is always required.
Unincorporated San Benito County regulates accessory dwelling units under County Zoning Code § 25.08.002, which implements California's state ADU law (Gov. Code §§ 66310-66342). One ADU plus one junior ADU is allowed on a single-family parcel, with ministerial (no-hearing) approval and reduced parking, setback, and size standards mandated by the state.
There is no San Benito County ordinance banning backyard barbecues; single-family homes can grill with charcoal or propane. California Fire Code Section 308 restricts open-flame cooking on combustible balconies of multifamily buildings (10-foot rule), and small BBQ propane cylinders are exempt. Fire-season common sense and any CAL FIRE restrictions still apply on rural land.
Backyard meat smokers are legal in unincorporated San Benito County; no county ordinance bans them. Wood- or charcoal-fired smokers fall under California Fire Code open-flame clearances and Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD) smoke/nuisance rules. Keep smokers clear of structures and dry grass, and avoid creating a smoke nuisance for neighbors.
Building setbacks in unincorporated San Benito County are set by zoning district in Title 25 of the County Code, with development-standard tables in Chapter 25.03 establishing minimum front, side, and rear yards. Exact distances vary by zone, and Section 25.07.005 governs which projections may encroach into a required setback.
Maximum building heights in unincorporated San Benito County are set by zoning district in the Chapter 25.03 development-standard tables. For accessory structures, County Code Section 25.07.007 limits detached accessory buildings in residential zones to one story or 20 feet, and structures under 120 square feet to 10 feet.
Maximum lot coverage in unincorporated San Benito County is established by zoning district in the development-standard tables of Chapter 25.03 of the County Code. Coverage limits, like setbacks and height, vary by district, so the controlling percentage is the one listed for a parcel's specific zone.
In unincorporated San Benito County, visual blight is a public nuisance under County Code Section 1.06.030. Accumulations of junk, trash, debris, scrap metal, abandoned appliances and furniture, and overgrown or dead vegetation that attract rodents or create fire hazards are unlawful and subject to abatement and administrative citations.
Unincorporated San Benito County is served by Recology San Benito County under an exclusive franchise. Recology provides wheeled garbage, recycling and organics carts. The County Code treats accumulated rubbish and discarded containers as a public nuisance (Sec. 1.06.030); residents should store carts out of public view between collection days.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no separate vacant-lot registry ordinance, but vacant and undeveloped parcels must be kept free of junk, debris and hazardous overgrown vegetation under public nuisance Code Sec. 1.06.030. Vacant lots are also subject to the County's year-round fire hazard weed abatement program.
Unincorporated San Benito County has no fixed grass-height ordinance, but overgrown, dead or hazardous vegetation that attracts rodents or creates a fire hazard is a public nuisance under Code Sec. 1.06.030. The County also runs a weed abatement program, and state defensible-space law (PRC 4291) requires 100 feet of clearance around homes in fire areas.
Unincorporated San Benito County does not publish a dedicated garage-sale permit ordinance, and garage and yard sales are treated as exempt from the County's outdoor storage and display zoning standards. Sellers should keep merchandise from creating visual blight (Code Sec. 1.06.030) and avoid blocking the public right-of-way.
Recology provides curbside recycling (a 64-gallon cart) to unincorporated San Benito County under the County's solid waste franchise. California's AB 341 mandatory commercial recycling applies to businesses and multifamily complexes generating 4+ cubic yards of waste weekly. The County implements AB 341 and AB 939 diversion mandates through the Regional Agency.
Unincorporated San Benito County requires solid waste collection through the exclusive franchise hauler, Recology San Benito County, under County Code Chapter 15.01. It is unlawful to commercially collect waste without a county franchise. Mandatory collection areas are defined, with limited exemptions (e.g., steep or narrow driveways) granted by the Health Officer.
Recology, the exclusive franchise hauler for unincorporated San Benito County, asks that carts be set out the night before or by 6:00 a.m. on the service day, placed in the street with wheels against the curb (or roadside where there is no curb), lids toward the street, and about 18 inches apart so trucks can service them safely.
Recology San Benito County provides residential customers two free curbside bulky-item collections per year, each up to 2 cubic yards of material, up to 5 pieces of electronic waste, and up to two appliances or bulky items. Items must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. The County-owned John Smith Road Landfill also accepts self-hauled bulky waste.
San Benito County (population under 70,000) qualifies for SB 1383's rural low-population exemption, extended by AB 2902, so it is exempt from the state's organic-waste collection and procurement mandates. However, edible food recovery still applies, and the County voluntarily offers a 96-gallon organics cart through Recology.
In unincorporated San Benito County, political signs are exempt only from the sign permit requirement of Zoning Code § 25.07.016, not from the other sign rules. To qualify, signs may go up no sooner than 90 days before an election and must come down within 10 days after, mirroring California Business & Professions Code § 5405.3.
Unincorporated San Benito County regulates signs under Zoning Code § 25.07.016. Garage and yard sales themselves are exempt from the outdoor storage/display rules of § 25.07.015 and are handled as temporary uses under § 25.02.005. Temporary signs are subject to a permit application and a refundable removal deposit, and may not be placed in a right-of-way.
Unincorporated San Benito County regulates exterior lighting under Zoning Code § 25.07.012. All outdoor lighting must be fully shielded or recessed and directed downward and away from neighboring properties and public rights-of-way, so no fixture directly illuminates an area off-site. Freestanding fixtures are capped at 18 feet near residential zones.
San Benito County Zoning Code § 25.07.012 directly targets light trespass: every outdoor fixture must be fully shielded and aimed downward and away from adjoining properties and public rights-of-way so that no fixture directly illuminates an area off-site. Applicants must prove compliance with photometric readings taken ten feet beyond the property line.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by San Benito County ordinances.