Pop. 112,076 · Santa Barbara County
Santa Maria Municipal Code Chapter 5-5 regulates noise disturbances. Unnecessary, excessive, and annoying noises from all sources are prohibited. Residential noise standards apply with stricter limits during nighttime hours.
Barking dogs in Santa Maria are addressed through the Good Neighbor Rules (Chapter 4-7) and animal control. Persistent barking that disturbs neighbors is a nuisance violation handled by Santa Barbara County Animal Services.
Santa Maria regulates construction noise through Chapter 5-5. Construction in residential zones is generally restricted to daytime hours. Special permits may be obtained for work outside normal hours.
California sets statewide airport noise limits under Title 21 CCR, with the state preempting most local aviation noise control because federal FAA authority dominates aircraft operations in flight.
Santa Maria restricts commercial vehicle parking in residential zones. Large commercial vehicles and heavy equipment must be stored in commercial or industrial areas.
Vehicles in Santa Maria driveways must not block sidewalks or extend into the public right-of-way. Driveway modifications require permits from the Public Works Department.
Santa Maria regulates on-street parking with time limits in certain areas. Vehicles must be currently registered and operable. The city enforces parking violations through parking enforcement officers.
Santa Maria restricts RV and boat parking on public streets and in residential front yards. Recreational vehicles may not be used as dwellings on residential property.
California Vehicle Code sections 22651 and 22669 set uniform rules allowing peace officers and authorized agents to remove abandoned vehicles from public and private property after defined waiting periods, with statewide notice and lien procedures.
California Civil Code sections 4745 and 4745.1, plus Government Code 65850.7, create statewide rights for residents to install EV charging stations and require expedited local permitting that supersedes restrictive local rules.
STR guests in Santa Maria must comply with the city's noise ordinance (Chapter 5-5) and Good Neighbor Rules (Chapter 4-7). Hosts are responsible for informing guests about noise standards.
The Santa Maria Municipal Code does not impose a minimum liability-insurance requirement on short-term rental operators. The city has no STR-specific permit chapter that would attach a certificate-of-insurance condition. Standard homeowner or landlord coverage, plus any platform host-protection program, is left to the host's own arrangement.
The Santa Maria Municipal Code does not set a numeric occupancy cap specifically for short-term rentals. The city imposes a Transient Occupancy Tax under its TOT chapter on stays of 30 days or fewer, but no STR-specific code section establishes maximum overnight guests, daytime visitors, or persons-per-bedroom limits. Building Code occupant load and zoning standards provide the only effective ceilings.
Santa Maria regulates short-term rentals. Operators must comply with city codes and collect transient occupancy tax. California state law shapes local STR regulation.
STR guests in Santa Maria must comply with city parking regulations. Hosts should provide parking information to guests and ensure adequate off-street parking is available.
Santa Maria requires STR operators to collect and remit the transient occupancy tax (TOT) on all stays under 30 days. The TOT rate is set by city ordinance.
Santa Maria limits front yard fences to 3 feet behind the public utility easement. Side and rear yard fences may be up to 6 feet. Corner lots have sight clearance requirements.
Standard residential fences within height limits generally do not require a building permit in Santa Maria. Retaining walls and masonry walls over certain heights require permits.
Santa Maria's Good Neighbor Rules (Chapter 4-7) address fence-related neighbor issues. California law does not require neighbor consent to build on your own property. Shared fence costs may be split.
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.
California Building Code under Title 24 universally requires permits and engineering for retaining walls over four feet measured from the bottom of the footing, applying statewide regardless of local variation.
Carports in Santa Maria are governed by Title 12 of the Municipal Code, including Chapter 12-27 (Accessory Structures) and the Off-Street Parking and Loading chapter. Any street-facing carport must sit at least 20 feet from the property line, each covered space must be at least 9.5 by 20 feet, and detached accessory structures must stand at least 5 feet from any dwelling on the lot.
Santa Maria allows ADUs on residential lots zoned RA, R-1, RSL-1, R-2, R-3, and RMH per California state law. ADUs are approved ministerially within 120 days of a complete application.
Small sheds under 120 square feet generally do not require a building permit in Santa Maria per California building code. Larger structures require permits and must meet setback requirements.
Garage conversions in Santa Maria require building permits. Converting a garage to living space may qualify as an ADU under California law. Replacement parking may not be required per state ADU legislation.
California HCD guidance and Health and Safety Code 18007 classify many tiny homes on wheels as manufactured housing or ADUs, granting statewide siting protections.
Santa Maria follows California water conservation regulations. During drought conditions, mandatory restrictions may apply. The city encourages water-efficient landscaping.
Santa Maria regulates tree removal through its municipal code. Significant trees and street trees may require permits before removal. Replacement planting may be required.
Santa Maria's Good Neighbor Rules (Chapter 4-7) require property owners to maintain vegetation. Overgrown weeds and grass are a code violation. Properties must be free of nuisance conditions.
Santa Maria requires property owners to maintain trees so they do not obstruct sidewalks, streets, or sight lines. Trees must provide adequate clearance for pedestrians and vehicles.
Government Code 65850.3 prevents California cities and HOAs from banning drought-tolerant artificial turf installed at single-family residential properties.
SB 1383 requires every California resident and business to separate food scraps and yard waste from trash, with universal collection or on-site composting.
AB-1572 prohibits using potable water to irrigate non-functional turf at commercial, institutional, and HOA-common areas, accelerating native and low-water landscape conversions statewide.
The 2012 Rainwater Capture Act allows California residents to capture rainwater from rooftops for non-potable outdoor use without a state water-right permit, preempting most local barriers.
Santa Maria limits customer traffic for home businesses. The business must not generate traffic exceeding normal residential levels.
Santa Maria allows home occupations in residential zones. Businesses must be secondary to residential use and not change the neighborhood character. A home occupation permit may be required.
Santa Maria restricts signage for home businesses to a small nameplate sign. Illuminated, freestanding, and banner signs are not permitted for home occupations.
The California Homemade Food Act, codified at Health and Safety Code sections 113758 and 114365, sets uniform rules for cottage food operations and bars local governments from prohibiting them in residential zones.
Health and Safety Code sections 1597.40 through 1597.465 require all California cities and counties to treat licensed family daycare homes as permitted residential uses, preempting any local prohibition or restrictive zoning.
Exotic pet ownership in Santa Maria is governed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations. Many species require permits or are prohibited entirely.
Santa Maria requires dogs to be leashed when off the owner's property. Dogs must be under control at all times. Santa Barbara County Animal Services enforces animal ordinances.
Santa Maria does not have breed-specific dog restrictions. California state law does not permit breed-specific legislation by local governments. Dogs are regulated based on behavior.
Beekeeping is allowed in Santa Maria with certain restrictions. Hives should be positioned with consideration for neighbors and flyway barriers may be required.
Whether you can keep chickens, goats, horses, pigs, or other livestock on your property in Santa Barbara County depends on your zoning under the Land Use and Development Code (LUDC) Chapter 35. Residential (R-1, R-2) and Mountainous (MTN) zones generally allow a limited number of hens (no roosters) for personal use, subject to coop setbacks from neighboring dwellings. Larger livestock - cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine - are allowed only in agricultural and rural-residential zones (AG-I, AG-II, RR, MTN with minimum lot sizes). County Code Chapter 7 (Animals and Fowl) imposes animal-care and nuisance standards regardless of zoning. Cities (Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Goleta, Carpinteria, etc.) each set their own backyard-chicken and livestock rules.
Fireworks are regulated in Santa Maria under state and local law. Only Safe and Sane fireworks are legal during the approved sales period. Aerial fireworks, bottle rockets, and firecrackers are illegal in California.
Open burning is restricted in Santa Maria under Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District rules. Backyard debris burning is generally prohibited. Agricultural burning requires permits.
Santa Maria allows recreational fires in approved fire pits with safety restrictions. Fires must maintain clearance from structures and be attended at all times.
Most of unincorporated Santa Barbara County lies in CAL FIRE's State Responsibility Area (SRA) and is mapped as High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ). The Santa Ynez Mountains foothills, Montecito, Mission Canyon, Painted Cave, Hope Ranch, Refugio Canyon, Gaviota, the Santa Maria foothills, Tepusquet, Sisquoc, the Cuyama Valley, and the Santa Ynez Valley wildland-urban interface are all in High or Very High FHSZ areas. Designation triggers Public Resources Code Section 4291 defensible space (100 ft), California Building Code Chapter 7A ignition-resistant construction standards, AB 38 sale-time inspections, and County Code Chapter 15 vegetation-management requirements. Recent major fires include the 2009 Jesusita Fire, the 2016 Sherpa and Rey Fires, the 2017 Thomas Fire (the largest in modern California history at the time), and the 2017-18 storm/debris-flow disaster that killed 23 in Montecito.
Santa Barbara County is one of California's highest wildfire-risk counties. Every owner of a structure in a State Responsibility Area (SRA) or in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) must maintain 100 feet of defensible space around the structure under California Public Resources Code Section 4291 and the locally adopted Fire Code in County Code Chapter 15. The Santa Barbara County Fire Department's Defensible Space Inspection Program inspects parcels annually and, on slopes greater than 30 percent in High Fire Hazard Areas, may require clearance beyond 100 feet - up to 200 feet on 30-40 percent slopes and 250-300 feet on 41-60 percent slopes. AB 38 (effective July 1, 2021) requires a compliant defensible-space inspection at the time of sale of any home in a designated fire hazard severity zone.
California uniformly applies the State Fire Marshal's propane storage standards through the California Fire Code, which all local jurisdictions must enforce as a minimum.
Above-ground pools in Santa Maria must meet California barrier requirements. Pools with walls under 60 inches need additional fencing. Pools must be setback at least 10 feet from the front property line.
Santa Maria requires swimming pools to be enclosed by a barrier at least 5 feet high per California Building Code. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching.
Santa Maria follows California building code for pool safety. Pools require permits, anti-entrapment drain covers, and approved safety features per state law.
Hot tubs and spas fall under California's Swimming Pool Safety Act when capable of holding water deeper than 18 inches, requiring barriers, covers, or other approved safety features.
Santa Maria participates in the NFIP and regulates development in FEMA flood zones. The Santa Maria River floodplain is a primary flood hazard area. Construction in flood zones requires elevation and special building standards.
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.