Santa Barbara County, CA Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

170 implements the County's compliance with the California Solid Waste Reuse and Recycling Access Act (Public Resources Code Sections 42900-42911). It applies to five project types: new non-residential development (commercial, industrial, institutional, or marina) or a change to one requiring a building permit; a new residential building of five or more dwelling units, or changes to one requiring a building permit; a residential project where solid waste is collected and loaded at a point serving five or more units; a one-family subdivision that includes a shared collection and loading area serving five or more units, in which case the recycling area only has to serve the units using that shared area; and any new public facility with a solid waste collection and loading area.

For all of these, Subsection C requires a solid waste storage area sized and located for both trash and recycling containers, positioned outside living space so it functions for occupants and for the hauling company's collection crews. The exact size and location are set case-by-case by the review authority based on the type and volume of waste the land use generates and the collection method used. 3 requires the enclosure to be built as inconspicuous as possible and, applying Chapter 17 of the County Code, its contents must be screened from public view.

Subsection D layers on a Solid Waste Management Plan requirement, developed per the County's guidelines and subject to Public Works Department review before building permits issue. What the section does not do is regulate an individual homeowner's cart placement, curb set-out timing, or return-to-storage deadlines; those logistics are set by the exclusive franchise hauler's collection contract under Chapter 17, not by this development standard.