Pop. 88,665 · Santa Barbara County
The City of Santa Barbara's own noise ordinance (SBMC Chapter 9.16) bars any noise disturbance plainly audible 50 feet from the source. Radios, TVs, music players and instruments cannot create a disturbance audible across a residential or commercial property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
In the City of Santa Barbara, construction is allowed 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily under SBMC 9.16.040. Building, demolishing, excavating or repairing between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is unlawful if it exceeds the ambient noise level by 5 dBA at the nearest residential property line, unless the Chief Building Official grants a special permit.
Under City of Santa Barbara Municipal Code Section 9.16.030(A)(3), it is unlawful to keep or harbor any animal or bird that frequently or for long duration howls, barks, meows or squawks so as to create a noise disturbance audible by a person of ordinary sensitivity across a residential or commercial real property line.
The City of Santa Barbara bans gasoline-powered leaf blowers citywide (SBMC 9.16.060, voter Measure D97 of 1997). All other leaf blowers must meet a 65-decibel ANSI noise standard, and may not be used within 250 feet of a residential zone before 9:00 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday, or at any time on Sundays or national holidays.
City of Santa Barbara Municipal Code Section 9.16.080 limits amplified sound to music or the human voice and caps it at 60 dB(A) measured outdoors at the property line and 45 dB(A) inside a neighboring residence. Loudspeakers cannot create a disturbance across a residential property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under Section 9.16.030(A)(2).
City of Santa Barbara Municipal Code Section 9.16.070 limits motor-vehicle horns to a sound level of 60 dB(A) at 200 feet. Broader vehicle exhaust and muffler noise is controlled by California state law (Vehicle Code 27150-27151), which applies citywide, and standard car radios heard only by occupants are exempt from the City's amplified-sound rules.
The City of Santa Barbara uses a 50-foot 'plainly audible' standard for general noise (SBMC 9.16.020) plus specific decibel caps: 60 dB(A) outdoor / 45 dB(A) indoor for amplified sound (9.16.080), 53 dB(A) at a residential line for exterior mechanical equipment, 60 dB(A) CNEL for residential-area mechanical equipment, and 5 dBA over ambient for night construction.
Outdoor music in the City of Santa Barbara must meet the noise code's 50-foot 'plainly audible' rule (SBMC 9.16.020) and the 60 dB(A)-at-the-property-line amplified-sound cap (9.16.080). Loudspeakers cannot disturb a residential property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. City-, County- and school-sponsored events on their own property are exempt under permit conditions.
In the City of Santa Barbara, exterior mechanical equipment may not exceed 53 dB(A) at a residential property line (SBMC 9.16.070(D)), and equipment near residential, institutional or park parcels is capped at 60 dB(A) CNEL. Non-electric mechanical equipment can't run outdoors before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. on weekdays, with tighter weekend hours.
Aircraft noise is regulated by the federal government, not the City of Santa Barbara — federal law (City of Burbank v. Lockheed) preempts local in-flight noise rules. The City's only aircraft provision, SBMC 9.16.030/9.16.040 (historic), declares supersonic 'sonic booms' over the city a public nuisance and makes causing one unlawful.
Every Santa Barbara STR operator must hold a City business tax certificate and register with the City Finance Department's Accounts Receivable office within 30 days of starting operations to remit Transient Occupancy Tax and the TBID assessment. Coastal-zone rentals use business tax schedule 37-02 and non-coastal use 37-01. A Zoning Clearance documenting the change of use is also required.
Santa Barbara levies a 12% Transient Occupancy Tax on every short-term rental stay of 30 days or less, of which 10% is unrestricted revenue and 2% is restricted to Creeks Restoration and Water Quality Improvement (Measure B). A separate 2% Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) assessment also applies. Operators collect these and remit monthly to the City by the 10th.
Because Santa Barbara regulates STRs as hotels, occupancy and building standards follow hotel and Building Code rules rather than a fixed nightly guest cap. The City notes that a dwelling with six or more sleeping rooms, or ten or more occupants, changing from permanent to short-term occupancy constitutes a change in occupancy classification that can trigger fire partitions and Building Code requirements.
Santa Barbara applies hotel parking standards to short-term rentals: one space per guestroom or sleeping unit, or the residential housing-type requirement, whichever is greater, with each bedroom counted as a sleeping unit. Parking cannot back out onto the street, so an onsite turnaround is required. A unit converted to an STR also loses eligibility for the Residential Parking Program.
Santa Barbara does not impose a separate STR-specific noise ordinance; short-term rentals are subject to the City's general noise regulations and nuisance rules. Noise, parking, littering, traffic, and 'party house' impacts are core reasons the City restricts STRs in residential zones, and noise-related complaints are a primary trigger for the City Attorney's STR enforcement program, especially in the coastal zone.
Santa Barbara's current code does not offer a primary-residence 'home share' permit; STRs are treated as commercial hotel uses and are barred from single-unit and two-unit residential zones regardless of whether the host lives there. A proposed program would add a 'home share' category requiring the unit to be the primary residence of the owner or host, but it is not yet adopted.
Current Santa Barbara code has no host-presence requirement because STRs are treated as commercial hotels, not hosted home shares, and are barred from residential zones. The City's proposed 'home share' concept would require the owner or designated host to be physically present, and a key open policy question is whether to allow any non-hosted home shares at all.
Santa Barbara does not use an annual night cap; instead it sets a 30-day stay threshold that defines what counts as transient. Any rental of 30 consecutive days or less (less than 30 days in the coastal zone) is a short-term, hotel-style use, and such use is permanently prohibited in residential zones rather than allowed for a limited number of nights per year.
The City of Santa Barbara's published STR materials do not impose a specific liability-insurance minimum for short-term rentals, because STRs are regulated as hotel uses through zoning and tax rather than a stand-alone STR license. Operators are instead subject to hotel-use, Building Code, and tax requirements; no City-mandated insurance dollar amount could be confirmed from the City's sources.
The City of Santa Barbara treats short-term rentals as 'Hotels and Similar Uses' and strictly prohibits them in single-unit residential zones. An STR is only allowed in zones where a hotel may be permitted, requires a change-of-use approval and Zoning Clearance, and in the coastal zone needs a Coastal Development Permit. This is a city rule, distinct from Santa Barbara County's separate ordinance.
The City of Santa Barbara bans all fireworks. Under the City Fire Code (Municipal Code Ch. 8.04, adopting Fire Code Section 5601.1.3), the manufacturing, possession, storage, sale, use, and handling of fireworks are prohibited citywide, including state-approved 'Safe and Sane' fireworks.
Properties in Santa Barbara's High Fire Hazard Areas must maintain defensible space by clearing flammable vegetation 30 to 150 feet around structures, depending on the fire zone, under the City Fire Code (Municipal Code Ch. 8.04, Section 4907). Roadside clearance of 10 feet on each side is also required.
The City Fire Code (Municipal Code Ch. 8.04, amended Section 308.1.4.1) limits propane appliances. LP-gas burners with a container over 25 pounds (5 gallons) water capacity may not be placed on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction, except at one- and two-family dwellings.
In Santa Barbara's High Fire Hazard Areas, outdoor fires require a permit from the fire code official and are banned during high winds, when unattended, or during a Red Flag Warning (City Fire Code Section 4909.9). Open burning offensive due to smoke is prohibited citywide.
Smoke alarm requirements in Santa Barbara follow California law. State Health and Safety Code Sections 13113.7 and 13113.8 require State Fire Marshal-listed smoke alarms in every dwelling and an operable alarm in every single-family home that is sold, with a written compliance statement to the buyer.
Santa Barbara's foothills are mapped as High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones / Wildland-Urban Interface. The City Fire Code (Municipal Code Ch. 8.04) defines four zones - Coastal Interior, Coastal, Foothill, and Extreme Foothill - each with escalating defensible space and construction requirements.
Outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, and barbecues are regulated by the City Fire Code (Municipal Code Ch. 8.04). In High Fire Hazard Areas they must sit at least 30 feet from grass, brush, or forested areas, be kept in safe condition, and have an approved spark arrester, screen, or door over openings.
Open burning of household and yard waste is not allowed in Santa Barbara. The City Fire Code prohibits open burning that is offensive due to smoke, and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) bans residential waste burning district-wide. Any allowed burning requires a permit.
Properties in State Responsibility Areas, Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, or the Santa Barbara County High Fire Hazard Area must maintain defensible vegetation and fuel management per 2022 CFC §§ 4906–4907 and Santa Barbara County Code § 15-3 (Sec. 4911).
The City of Santa Barbara restricts on-street parking of recreational vehicles, trailers, and oversized rigs. SBMC 10.44.200 bans recreational vehicles from parking between midnight and 6:00 a.m. in a defined coastal area south of US-101, and trailers/semi-trailers may not stay on a street longer than two hours.
Santa Barbara has no blanket citywide overnight street-parking ban, but its Municipal Code creates targeted overnight restrictions: recreational vehicles are banned midnight-6 a.m. in the coastal zone (SBMC 10.44.200), and no vehicle may sit on a street more than 72 consecutive hours (SBMC 10.44.060).
Santa Barbara's Municipal Code tightly limits commercial-vehicle street parking. Trucks over 3/4-ton capacity, trailers, semi-trailers, and buses may not stay on a street longer than two hours (SBMC 10.44.200), and oversized commercial vehicles must leave the public right-of-way unless actively loading or permitted (SBMC 10.44.220).
The City of Santa Barbara treats abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles as public nuisances under SBMC Chapter 10.58, an abatement ordinance adopted under California Vehicle Code Section 22660. The City Administrator can abate and remove such vehicles after a 10-day notice and hearing process.
Santa Barbara has a distinctive oversized-vehicle ordinance, SBMC 10.44.220(B), adopted by the City Council on November 15, 2016. Any vehicle exceeding 25 feet long, 80 inches wide, or 82 inches high is banned from the public right-of-way unless an exemption or a Downtown Parking permit applies. Violations are $48.
Santa Barbara operates 40+ public Level-2 EV chargers in City lots and garages and expedites EV-charger permits under SBMC Chapter 22.93. Enforcement of who may occupy an EV stall is governed by California Vehicle Code 22511, not a separate city parking-stall ordinance; the City does apply an idle fee at its own chargers.
Santa Barbara's loading-zone rules are in SBMC Chapter 10.48. Yellow curbs are freight loading zones limited to 30 minutes for commercial vehicles (7 a.m.-6 p.m. except Sunday), and white curbs are passenger loading zones limited to three minutes. No more than half a block's curb may be reserved for loading.
Colored curb markings in Santa Barbara are defined and controlled by SBMC 10.48.041: red (no stopping), yellow (loading), white (passenger loading), green (15-minute), and blue (disabled). Only the City may paint or change curb markings; the Transportation Engineer and Public Works set and install them.
Blocking a driveway or parking on a sidewalk in Santa Barbara is enforced primarily under the California Vehicle Code, which the City's red-curb rule (SBMC 10.48.041) expressly incorporates. The City's own parking-use rules in SBMC 10.44.040 cover related prohibitions like parking to display a vehicle for sale or to repair it on the street.
Santa Barbara's own Municipal Code Title 10 governs on-street parking, layering posted time limits, colored curbs, and street-sweeping enforcement on top of the California Vehicle Code. Posted limits are set by the Transportation Engineer under SBMC 10.48.020, and Parking Enforcement patrols permit areas for overtime and missing permits.
The Board of Supervisors may by resolution designate any area of Isla Vista as a permit parking area where unpermitted stopping, parking, or standing of motor vehicles is restricted or prohibited.
Residential fences and walls not over 3.5 feet high are exempt from a building permit. Residential retaining and non-retaining walls not over 4 feet (footing to top) are exempt unless supporting a surcharge or impounding flammable liquids. Taller fences and walls need a permit, and front-yard fences over 3.5 feet trigger design review.
The City Zoning Ordinance sets height and location limits but does not assign cost-sharing for shared fences. Cost and maintenance of a boundary fence are governed by California's Good Neighbor Fence Law, Civil Code 841, which presumes adjoining owners share equal benefit and equal responsibility, with 30 days' written notice required before incurring costs.
Residential retaining walls not over 4 feet (footing to top) are permit-exempt unless they support a surcharge or impound flammable liquids. Where a fence sits on a retaining wall, the part of the wall above finished grade counts toward fence height. Retaining walls 6 feet or taller trigger Single Family Design Board review.
No fence, screen, wall or hedge over 3.5 feet may stand in a driveway visibility triangle: 10 ft along the driveway and 10 ft back from the front lot line where a sidewalk and parkway exist, or 20 ft and 10 ft where none exist. Corner-lot intersection sight distances are evaluated by Public Works case-by-case.
The Fence Guidelines set height and location but defer the exact material, color, width and style to design-review boards. Front-yard fences, walls and gates over 3.5 feet go to the Single Family Design Board; duplex and multi-family fences go to the Architectural Board of Review; historic-district fences require Historic Landmarks Commission approval.
Decorative elements up to 9 by 9 inches may exceed the fence height limit by up to 12 inches if spaced at least 6 feet on-center. Guardrails may rise above the limit only to the minimum required by the California Building Code and must be predominantly transparent. Entryway arbors must attach to a fence and be substantially open.
In residential zones, fences and walls within 10 feet of a front lot line are limited to 3.5 feet; screens and hedges to 8 feet. Within front setbacks (10-35 ft) and interior setbacks (5-15 ft), fences, screens, walls and hedges are limited to 8 feet. Administrative exceptions can add 4-6 feet.
Fences in unincorporated Santa Barbara County may be built on the property line, but the allowable height depends on which setback the fence sits in: 6 feet in a required front setback or within 20 feet of a street right-of-way, and 8 feet in side, rear, and beyond setbacks. Corner-lot vision triangles cap height at 2.5 feet above curb.
California's Swimming Pool Safety Act in Health and Safety Code Section 115920 mandates statewide drowning prevention barriers around residential pools, with cities prohibited from adopting weaker standards.
The City of Santa Barbara allows residents to keep chickens and other fowl, with numeric limits that scale by zoning. Roosters are banned citywide. Coops must be kept clean and set back from neighboring dwellings, schools, parks, and hospitals.
Exotic-pet ownership in the City of Santa Barbara is governed primarily by California state law, which bans possessing many wild and exotic species without a state permit. Ferrets, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, and most monkeys are illegal to keep as pets statewide, including within the City.
The City of Santa Barbara restricts livestock to large lots. Cows, hogs, sheep, goats, and other hoofed animals (except horses) require a lot of at least 1.5 acres, with a 35-foot setback. Horses are limited by lot size under the zoning code, capped at five per lot.
The City of Santa Barbara requires licensing for dogs over four months old and for unaltered cats. The City runs its own Animal Control through the Police Department and licenses via PetData, while stray sheltering is handled at the County Animal Shelter.
The City of Santa Barbara requires a license for each unaltered cat over four months old, obtained from the City. There is no leash requirement for cats. Reduced license fees encourage spaying and neutering, and general nuisance rules apply to all animals.
The City of Santa Barbara does not publish a dedicated wildlife-feeding ban in its general animal regulations, but feeding wild animals can create a public nuisance and is discouraged. California state law restricts feeding big-game and predatory wildlife, and residents are directed to the County and wildlife groups for injured animals.
The City of Santa Barbara addresses animal hoarding through its care-and-keeping and nuisance provisions plus California's anti-cruelty law. Keeping animals in unsanitary, overcrowded conditions or neglecting their care can trigger enforcement by the Police Department's Animal Control unit.
The City of Santa Barbara does not ban any dog breed. Like all California cities, it regulates dangerous dogs by behavior, not breed. Chapter 6.22 lets the City declare an individual dog potentially dangerous or vicious after a hearing, with conditions such as muzzling, secure enclosure, or insurance.
The City of Santa Barbara requires dogs in streets and public places to be on a leash no longer than six feet and under immediate control of the handler. The Police Department's Animal Control unit enforces the rule. Limited off-leash areas exist at posted parks and beaches.
The City of Santa Barbara regulates beekeeping under its Title 6 animal control code. Statewide, anyone keeping honeybees must register their apiary annually with the Santa Barbara County Agricultural Commissioner under California Food and Agricultural Code Section 29040, regardless of the number of hives.
Santa Barbara County Code Chapter 7 prohibits owners from allowing dogs to run, stray, or be uncontrolled on public property or another person's private property. A first offense is an infraction; if the dog bites or injures anyone while at large, the offense becomes a misdemeanor.
The City of Santa Barbara has no fixed numeric lawn-height limit for ordinary front-yard grass. Height rules apply through wildfire defensible-space requirements in the high fire hazard area, where dry grass and weeds must be cleared, and through general nuisance abatement for hazardous overgrowth.
Removing a protected tree in the City of Santa Barbara requires a permit. Street, setback, specimen, and historic trees are reviewed by the Parks and Recreation Commission or a design review body, and removing one without a permit triggers fines up to $5,000 based on trunk size.
The City of Santa Barbara requires property owners in its high fire hazard area to clear weeds, dry grass, and flammable brush as defensible space. Required clearance ranges from 30-50 feet in coastal zones up to 150 feet in the Extreme Foothill Zone under City Ordinance #5920.
The City of Santa Barbara encourages rainwater capture and graywater reuse, offering Creeks Division rebates for rain barrels, rain gardens, and downspout disconnects, plus a laundry-to-landscape graywater rebate. Simple systems follow the California Graywater Code, while complex graywater systems require a City permit.
The City of Santa Barbara's Water Efficient Landscape Standards push new and substantially redeveloped landscapes toward low-water and native plants, requiring residential plans to hit roughly 80% low-water plants or a 0.5 ETAF. In high fire hazard areas, plant choices must also be fire-resistant.
The City of Santa Barbara does not reward artificial turf as a water-saving measure. Its Sustainable Lawn Replacement Rebate explicitly excludes artificial turf, and the City's Water Efficient Landscape Standards count synthetic turf as a non-pervious surface rather than as qualifying low-water landscape.
California's SB 1383 requires organic-waste recycling, but the City of Santa Barbara meets it differently. Residents are not given separate kitchen-compost carts; food scraps go in the trash and are sorted out at the County ReSource Center, while yard waste uses a dedicated green cart through hauler MarBorg Industries.
The City of Santa Barbara's Water Regulations (SBMC Chapter 14.20) keep certain rules in force at all times, even outside a drought, prohibiting wasteful runoff, requiring leaks to be fixed within 72 hours of notice, and barring irrigation during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall.
In the City of Santa Barbara, only City staff may trim, plant, or remove street trees in the parkway or right-of-way. Significantly pruning a protected tree, including setback trees and designated specimen or historic trees, requires a City permit, and unpermitted work carries escalating fines.
The City of Santa Barbara Building & Safety Division requires a building permit before constructing or remodeling any private swimming pool or spa. Plans must show plumbing, electrical, and barrier details and meet California Building Code Section 3109 plus City pool ordinance #5919. No water may be added before final safeguard approval.
Santa Barbara requires a protective enclosure around residential pools and spas. The City's pool handout adopts the California enclosure standard: a minimum 60-inch (5-foot) barrier, no more than 2 inches of ground clearance, no openings passing a 4-inch sphere, and self-closing, self-latching gates that open away from the pool.
When the City issues a permit to build or remodel a residential pool or spa, the City's pool handout requires at least two of the seven state drowning-prevention safety features under Health & Safety Code 115922 - such as a compliant enclosure, ASTM mesh fencing, a safety pool cover, door exit alarms, self-latching house doors, or a pool alarm.
Hot tubs and spas need a City permit and generally follow the same pool barrier and safety rules. However, the City's handout adopts a key state exception: per HSC 115925, hot tubs and spas with a locking safety cover compliant with ASTM F1346 are exempt from the two-of-seven drowning-prevention features.
Santa Barbara's pool ordinance does not exempt above-ground pools. A building permit is required, and the same barrier and two-of-seven safety-feature rules under CBC 3109 and HSC 115922-115923 apply. The protective enclosure requirement covers the entire pool, built-in spa, portable spa, or yard.
New and remodeled private pools in unincorporated Santa Barbara County must be equipped with at least two of seven drowning-prevention safety features under the California Swimming Pool Safety Act, as adopted in the County Building Code.
Santa Barbara County does not impose ongoing chemical or cleaning rules on private residential pools. Environmental Health Services permits and inspects only public pools and spas; private owners must keep required barriers, anti-entrapment drain covers, and other Article 2.5 safety features functional.
Santa Barbara expressly allows cottage food operations as a home occupation. The City permits one full-time-equivalent cottage food employee, kitchen equipment that keeps residential character, and direct sales of cottage food. Operations must register as Class A or Class B under California Health & Safety Code 114365 et seq.
Santa Barbara uses a no-fee Home Occupation Affidavit (self-certification) rather than a discretionary permit. You submit the affidavit online through the Accela Citizen Access portal and separately obtain a City Business License before conducting business. No employees beyond residents, and up to two clients at a time, no more than four visits per day.
State-licensed family day care homes are allowed in Santa Barbara's residential zones. The legacy City code permitted small family day care homes by right and required a Performance Standard Permit for large homes (Chapter 28.93). Under California SB 234 (2019, HSC 1597.46), both small and large family daycare are now a residential use by right, preempting that local permit and spacing scheme.
The City of Santa Barbara allows home occupations as an accessory use to a residence when they stay compatible with the neighborhood. Activities must occur entirely within the home, garage, or accessory building, keep the residential appearance, and follow the home-occupation standards in SBMC 30.185.200 (formerly 28.04.020).
Home occupations in Santa Barbara must not generate traffic, parking demand or deliveries beyond what is normal for a residence; significant customer visits can disqualify the use.
Santa Barbara effectively prohibits home-business signage. The City's home occupation rules require that the residential appearance be maintained with 'no exterior indication of the home occupation,' and no exterior display or display windows are allowed - leaving no room for a business sign at the home.
Home occupations in unincorporated Santa Barbara County require a Land Use Permit (or Coastal Development Permit in the coastal zone) before commencing, unless they qualify for a narrow exemption for client-free, telecommunication-only businesses.
The City of Santa Barbara allows an existing garage to be converted into an ADU or JADU under Municipal Code 30.185.040. No setback is required to convert legally permitted floor area, and the garage parking spaces that are removed need not be replaced. Converted garage doors must be replaced with matching wall, windows, or doors.
In the City of Santa Barbara, work or storage sheds for non-commercial use are a permitted accessory use in residential zones. Accessory buildings may not exceed 30 feet and two stories, must meet zone setbacks (with limited encroachments allowed), and are subject to floor-area caps that scale with lot size.
In the City of Santa Barbara, a private garage, carport, or parking space is a permitted accessory use in residential zones. Covered parking must meet zone setbacks (street-facing covered parking generally set back 20 feet) and counts toward the lot's combined covered-parking-and-accessory-building floor-area cap.
The City of Santa Barbara has no separate 'tiny home' zoning category. A permanently founded small dwelling is regulated as an ADU under Municipal Code 30.185.040, which sets a 150 sq ft efficiency-unit minimum and requires an approved permanent foundation. Tiny homes on wheels (RVs) cannot be used as permanent dwellings.
The City of Santa Barbara permits accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and junior ADUs (JADUs) ministerially in residential zones under Municipal Code Section 30.185.040, implementing California ADU law. Detached ADUs may reach 850 to 1,200 sq ft depending on lot size; JADUs are capped at 500 sq ft. Coastal-zone ADUs also need coastal review.
Santa Barbara County LUDC Section 35.42.015 allows a Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU) within an existing single-family residence, capped at 500 square feet, with owner occupancy required.
Backyard smokers are allowed in Santa Barbara as recreational cooking. The City Fire Code treats them like barbecues: in High Fire Hazard Areas they must be at least 30 feet from grass, brush, or trees with covered openings. The Santa Barbara County APCD bans residential waste burning, not cooking smoke.
Propane and charcoal barbecues are allowed in Santa Barbara, but the City Fire Code restricts placement. In High Fire Hazard Areas, barbecues and grills must be at least 30 feet from grass, brush, or trees with spark-arrester-covered openings, and larger LP-gas tanks are barred from combustible multifamily balconies.
Required setbacks vary by zone. In lower-density zones, interior setbacks range from 6 ft (RS-6) up to 35 ft (RS-1A). In R-2, R-M and R-MH zones, the front setback is generally 10 ft for the first/second story and 20 ft for third-plus stories, with interior and rear setbacks around 5-6 ft. Coastal-Zone (Title 28) and non-Coastal (Title 30) standards differ in places.
In lower-density residential zones, main buildings are limited to 30 feet; in R-M and R-MH zones the limit is 45 feet. Accessory buildings are limited to 30 feet and 2 stories. Building height is also capped by the City's Solar Access Ordinance (SBMC 30.140.170 / 28.11).
Santa Barbara controls building intensity mainly through maximum floor area, open-yard requirements, and a floor-to-lot-area ratio (FAR) guideline rather than a single lot-coverage percentage. Maximum floor area scales with lot size, and development is precluded above 100% of the maximum, or above 85% with steep slope, height over 25 ft, or major grading.
Removing a protected tree in the City of Santa Barbara requires a permit under SBMC Chapters 15.20 and 15.24. A Minor Tree Removal Permit covers one to three protected trees, with review by the Parks and Recreation Commission or a design board, a 60-day decision, and a 10-day appeal to City Council.
California provides statewide protections for native oak woodlands and heritage trees through CEQA review, Public Resources Code, and Forest Practice Rules that apply uniformly.
The City of Santa Barbara enforces property-maintenance standards through its Community Development Code Compliance program and Administrative Code Enforcement Procedures. Officers act on blight conditions such as illegally stored trash, debris, boats and vehicles in setbacks or front yards, abandoned vehicles, and substandard buildings, using notices of violation, administrative citations, or City Attorney referral.
Since July 1, 2025, City of Santa Barbara residents wheel MarBorg carts to the curb for service. Carts must be placed curbside by 6:00 a.m. on the service day (no earlier than the night before) and returned to a storage location on the property by noon the next day. Carts come in 35, 64 and 96 gallon sizes.
The City of Santa Barbara adopts the California Fire Code in SBMC Chapter 8.04 and requires owners of property in High Fire Hazard Areas to maintain defensible space and clear hazardous vegetation. Owners must keep flammable vegetation cleared 10 feet on each side of improved roads, and defensible-space distances range from 30 to 150 feet by fire zone.
Santa Barbara Municipal Code Chapter 8.20 (Vegetation Obstructing Public Places) requires owners to maintain trees, hedges, shrubs, vines and plants so they don't obstruct sidewalks or streets, and declares overgrown grass, weeds and rubbish on sidewalks a public nuisance. In High Fire Hazard Areas, dead grasses and weeds must also be cleared under the City fire code.
The City of Santa Barbara treats residential garage and yard sales as an exempt temporary use under its Zoning Ordinance, so no permit is required when limits are met. Exempt garage sales are limited to no more than four events per twelve-month period, each lasting a maximum of three consecutive days.
City of Santa Barbara residents must place MarBorg carts curbside by 6:00 a.m. on the service day (no earlier than the night before), keep at least 12 inches of clearance between carts and obstacles, orient handles toward the house with lids opening to the street, and return carts to on-property storage by noon the next day.
The City of Santa Barbara requires all single-family (1-4 unit) and multi-family (5+ unit) residential properties to subscribe to trash, recycling and yard waste service through franchised hauler MarBorg Industries. Since July 1, 2025, carts must be wheeled curbside by 6:00 a.m. on the scheduled service day.
All City of Santa Barbara residences are eligible for four (4) bulky item pickups each calendar year through franchised hauler MarBorg Industries. MarBorg also offers free curbside household battery collection, free sharps containers, and a year-round household hazardous waste collection center at UCSB for City residents.
All City of Santa Barbara residential properties must subscribe to recycling service, and unlimited recycling and yard-waste carts are provided at no extra charge. Under California's AB 341, businesses generating 4+ cubic yards of waste and multi-unit buildings of 5+ units must subscribe to recycling service. Recycling carts are blue to meet SB-1383 color rules.
Santa Barbara has a population over 70,000 and is NOT rural-exempt from SB-1383. The City takes a distinctive approach: single-family residents put food waste in the trash cart, which is processed for organics recovery at the County ReSource Center. Commercial customers must subscribe to dedicated foodscraps (organics) service, and large food generators must arrange edible food recovery.
The City of Santa Barbara has no dedicated garage-sale-sign permit, but garage-sale signs are treated as temporary noncommercial signs limited to six square feet total per residential lot under Municipal Code 22.70. Signs may not be placed in the public right-of-way, and unlawful right-of-way signs may be removed by the City.
The City of Santa Barbara allows noncommercial signs, including political/election signs, without a permit. On residential lots the total noncommercial sign area is limited to six square feet, and an election sign may not be displayed more than 90 days before an election or more than 10 days after it.
The City of Santa Barbara's Outdoor Lighting Ordinance (Municipal Code Chapter 22.75, Ord. 5035) protects the night sky by prohibiting certain fixtures, requiring shielded lighting, and promoting full-cutoff fixtures. Mercury-vapor and low-pressure sodium lamps, searchlights, and lasers are banned, and design guidelines cap pole-and-fixture height at 20 feet.
Under Municipal Code Section 22.75.060, outdoor lighting in or adjacent to residential zones in the City of Santa Barbara must control glare and prevent light trespass onto neighboring properties. Enforcement is complaint-based: the City can abate nuisance lighting after a written complaint and finding that it unreasonably affects a neighboring resident.
Santa Barbara participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and enforces floodplain-development standards in FEMA-mapped special flood hazard areas near creeks and the coast. The Coastal Commission regulates shoreline development, and post-fire debris-flow risk (e.g. Montecito) is a special concern. Building in a flood zone requires elevation to or above base flood elevation.
Santa Barbara County has roughly 110 miles of Pacific coastline (the Gaviota Coast, Refugio, El Capitan, Goleta, Hope Ranch coastal areas, Mesa, Mission Canyon coastal slopes, Montecito coastal, Summerland coastal, Carpinteria coastal, Rincon Point). Almost all development in the County's coastal zone requires a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) under the California Coastal Act of 1976 (California Public Resources Code Section 30000 et seq.) and the County's California Coastal Commission-certified Local Coastal Program (LCP), which consists of the Coastal Land Use Plan (CLUP) and the Coastal Zoning Ordinance / Article II Coastal Zoning. Santa Barbara County Planning and Development administers CDPs in unincorporated coastal areas, while the City of Santa Barbara and other coastal cities administer CDPs within their own boundaries. Many County CDP decisions are appealable to the California Coastal Commission.
California Water Code sections 13260 and 13383 implement the federal Clean Water Act through statewide MS4 NPDES permits issued by the State and Regional Water Boards, binding all municipal stormwater dischargers uniformly.
Commercial drone operations in California follow uniform federal rules under 14 CFR Part 107 plus statewide California provisions in Civil Code 1708.8 and Public Utilities Code 21401, with local rules limited to ground-based regulation.
Recreational drone flight in California is governed primarily by FAA regulations under 14 CFR Part 107 and 49 USC 44809, with state-level rules added by Civil Code 1708.8 and Government Code 853 applying uniformly statewide.
California sets a statewide minimum wage floor under Labor Code 1182.12, currently $16.50 per hour for all employers as of 2025. Local governments are not preempted and may set higher minimums; many cities exceed the state rate substantially.
California's Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act under Labor Code 245-249 mandates paid sick leave for nearly all employees statewide. SB 616 (2023) raised the minimum to 40 hours or five days annually effective January 2024, applying universally.
California regulates concealed carry weapons licenses statewide under Penal Code 26150 through 26225. Senate Bill 2 (2023) imposes uniform sensitive-place restrictions and applicant standards, preempting local variations on issuance criteria and qualifications.
California preempts most local firearm regulation under Government Code 53071 and Penal Code 25605, reserving licensing, registration, and manufacture authority to the state. However, local governments retain limited authority over discharge, sensitive places, and zoning of gun businesses.
California broadly prohibits open carry of firearms statewide under Penal Code 25850 (loaded firearms in public) and Penal Code 26350 (open carry of unloaded handguns). The prohibition applies uniformly across all California cities and counties without local variation.
California prohibits carrying loaded firearms in vehicles statewide under Penal Code 25400 and 25850. Unloaded handguns transported in private vehicles must be in a locked container or the vehicle's locked trunk; long guns must be unloaded but need not be locked.
California Retail Food Code (Health and Safety Code 113700-114437) sets uniform mobile food facility permit, equipment, and food safety standards enforced by counties statewide.
California's Safe Sidewalk Vending Act (SB 946) preempts most local bans on sidewalk vending, allowing only objective health, safety, and welfare regulations.
California prohibits state and local governments from requiring private employers to use the federal E-Verify system except where federal law mandates it, under Government Code 7285.1 and 7285.3. The restriction applies uniformly to every California city and county.
The California Values Act (SB 54, 2017) codified at Government Code 7284-7284.12 limits state and local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It applies uniformly to every California agency and bars participation in most civil immigration enforcement.
Civil Code 1946.2 requires landlords statewide to have just cause to terminate tenancies of qualifying tenants who have lived in a covered unit at least 12 months.
Civil Code 1947.12 limits annual rent increases to 5 percent plus CPI, capped at 10 percent total, on most California rental units regardless of local ordinances.
The California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (Williamson Act), Government Code 51200-51297.4, allows landowners to enter contracts with counties restricting land to agricultural use for ten-year minimum terms in exchange for reduced property tax assessment based on farming income.
The California Right to Farm Act under Civil Code 3482.5 protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits brought by neighbors who moved in after farming began. The law applies statewide and limits both private and local government nuisance actions.
California prohibits grocery stores and large retailers from providing single-use plastic carryout bags under Public Resources Code 42280-42288, enacted by SB 270 (2014) and ratified as Proposition 67 in 2016. Recycled paper or reusable bags require a 10-cent minimum charge.
California restricts expanded polystyrene food containers statewide through SB 54 (2022) packaging requirements under Public Resources Code 42040-42081. The law mandates that polystyrene foodware achieve 25 percent recycling by 2025 or face statewide sales prohibition.
California Public Resources Code 42270-42273, enacted by AB 1884 (2018), prohibits full-service restaurants from providing single-use plastic straws unless requested by the customer. The on-request rule applies uniformly to dine-in restaurants statewide.
Civil Code section 714 voids HOA covenants and rules that prohibit or unreasonably restrict residential solar energy systems, preempting private and local restrictions.
California's Solar Rights Act and the SolarAPP+ mandate (SB 379) require expedited permit review of small residential solar systems, preempting restrictive local processes.
California prohibits sale of tobacco and vapor products to anyone under 21 statewide under Business and Professions Code 22958, enacted by SBX2-7 in 2016. The Tobacco 21 standard applies uniformly across all California jurisdictions.
California bans retail sale of most flavored tobacco products statewide under Health and Safety Code 104559.5, enacted by SB 793 (2020) and upheld by voters via Proposition 31 in November 2022. The ban applies uniformly to all California retailers.
California requires statewide licensing of tobacco and vape retailers under the STAKE Act and the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act. Business and Professions Code 22970 establishes uniform retailer licensing, while local governments may adopt stricter rules.