Los Angeles County HOA Guide
Burbank HOA Guide: Local Rules for Boards and Owners
Burbank is an incorporated city in Los Angeles County with an estimated 102,988 residents. The city runs its own water and power utility, and its Fire Department sends brush clearance letters every May to properties in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
This guide collects the city rules a Burbank board runs into most often, and points you to the How2HOA guide that explains what to do about each one. Where we could not confirm a rule on an official page, we say so.
Local rules on this page were checked against the City of Burbank’s website, Burbank Water and Power and the U.S. Census Bureau on October 26, 2026. The city’s short-term rental FAQ and its general FAQ page would not open for us, so this page covers only what we could confirm on pages that did. Confirm the current rule before you act on it. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
At a glance
HOAs in Burbank at a glance
Burbank is an incorporated city. A few facts shape how its rules reach an association:
The city does not enforce your CC&Rs, and your CC&Rs do not excuse anyone from a city rule.
Local rules
Rules that apply in Burbank
Three layers of rules apply to a Burbank association. State law comes first, mainly the Davis-Stirling Act. City ordinances apply to every property, whether or not it is in an HOA. Your governing documents can then be stricter than the city in most areas, and state law limits them in a few.
Short-term rentalsThe city page says short-term rentals are not allowed. Confirm the current rule with the city.
The city’s short-term rental page says rentals of 30 days or less “are not allowed in Burbank.” No permit exists to apply for. Violations can be reported online.
The same page notes that the Planning Board recommended on August 23, 2021 that the City Council adopt an explicit ban, with fines of $1,500, $3,000 and $5,000 for the first, second and third violations in a year. The page does not confirm that the Council adopted it, and it cites no code section. We could not confirm the adoption either, so do not quote those fines to owners as current.
Call the city’s short-term rental contacts at (818) 238-5206 or (818) 238-5187 to confirm the rule and any penalties. Your CC&Rs may also prohibit short-term rentals, whatever the city decides.
What to do about it: How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community walks through writing and enforcing a rental rule. For longer leases, see Renting Out Your Home in a Homeowners Association. For the California rules, see our guide to buying, selling and renting in a California HOA.
Parking and large vehiclesLarge vehicles on city streets need a $7.00-a-day permit at all times.
A large non-commercial vehicle (LNCV) is an RV or any vehicle over 22 feet long, 8 feet high or 8 feet wide. On city streets it needs an LNCV permit at all times:
The city takes reports of 72-hour parking violations and abandoned vehicles on city streets through the Our Burbank 311 app or 311.burbankca.gov. Its page does not explain the rule itself. A residential permit parking program also exists, but we did not open its details. We could not confirm how the city treats private streets, so on association streets and lots rely on your own parking rules and state towing law.
What to do about it: How to Set Up a Towing Service in Your Homeowners Association and HOA Rules and Enforcing Violations. For the state rules on enforcement, fines and hearings, see California HOA enforcement, fines and disputes.
Trees and the public right-of-wayBurbank’s tree chapter focuses on public trees, not private ones.
Burbank Municipal Code Title 7, Chapter 4 covers trees and vegetation. It mainly governs public trees and the right-of-way:
- Work on a public tree needs a written permit (section 7-4-104).
- Removal for construction requires replacement and payment of the tree’s value (section 7-4-111).
- Development must protect the Tree Protection Zone (section 7-4-115).
The chapter does not set general protection for trees on private property, but it does put duties on owners:
- Owners must treat or remove diseased or infested trees that threaten public trees (section 7-4-109(B)).
- The city may cut dead or dangerous private trees that overhang the street, at the owner’s cost (section 7-4-110(A)).
- Branches within 40 feet of an intersection curb line must be at least 14 feet high (section 7-4-110(C)).
Forestry Services does not maintain trees on private property, including HOA land, except for hazardous conditions with public liability. Call (818) 238-5304, or the police at (818) 238-3000 for after-hours tree emergencies.
What to do about it: How to Hire a Contractor for Your Homeowners Association covers what to require of a tree service before work starts. Budget recurring tree work with Planning Your HOA Budget.
Watering rules and rebatesBurbank has year-round watering rules but no mandatory watering days.
Under the city’s Sustainable Water Use Ordinance, these rules apply year-round:
- No irrigation from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
- No more than 15 minutes per station per day.
- No runoff onto sidewalks, driveways or streets, and no hosing down hardscape.
- No irrigation within 48 hours of measurable rain.
- Leaks must be repaired after notice.
Mandatory watering days were removed. Fine amounts are not listed, and the city says fines are aimed at significant waste. The BWP page also describes a new turf rule for non-residential properties, including HOA common areas. The state law is AB 1572. Confirm the start date and how it applies to your common areas with BWP before you plan.
BWP’s turf replacement rebate runs through SoCalWater$mart. The page says up to $3 per square foot for businesses, but its figures are not consistent (residents are quoted up to $4 for a limited time), and it does not mention HOAs. Confirm the amount and your eligibility at BWPConservation@burbankca.gov. The conditions listed are:
- Apply and receive a reservation before you start. Funds are first come, first served.
- At least 250 square feet of living turf. Synthetic turf is not eligible.
- Three plants per 100 square feet, a stormwater retention feature and no non-permeable hardscape in the area.
- Replace overhead spray sprinklers.
- No maximum is stated.
BWP also lists commercial and multi-family rebates, combined with Metropolitan Water District funds and subject to available funds: a multi-family premium high-efficiency toilet ($100), a flow control valve ($10), a central computer controller or soil moisture sensor ($50 per station), a hose bib controller ($50), large rotary nozzles ($20 a set), rotating nozzles ($5) and an in-stem flow regulator ($2). Water questions go to BWP at (818) 238-3700, weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What to do about it: put the project in your numbers with Planning Your HOA Budget and Understanding HOA Reserve Studies, then compare landscape bids with the Vendor Comparison Worksheet. For the California rules behind these projects, see California HOA maintenance and repair responsibilities and California HOA reserves.
Brush clearance and fire zonesProperties in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone get a letter every May.
The Burbank Fire Department’s Fire Hazard Reduction Program applies to properties in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone on the CAL FIRE and State Fire Marshal map. A property in more than one zone is treated as the highest-risk zone. The schedule runs like this:
- Each May, owners in the zone receive a letter.
- Inspections begin July 1.
- A violation notice gives about 30 calendar days to correct.
The requirements, enforced under the California Fire Code as adopted in Burbank Municipal Code section 9-1-9-304.1.2.2, are:
- From 0 to 100 feet: remove dead trees and palm fronds, keep weeds under 3 inches, trim native shrubs, keep the lowest tree branches 5 feet above the roof and remove roof debris.
- From 100 to 200 feet (fuel modification zone): reduce native brush by 50%, cut brush laid flat to a maximum of 6 inches deep and remove dead trees.
The city says it will not enforce the 0-to-5-foot ember-resistant zone (AB 3074) until the State Fire Marshal clarifies the rules. Under AB 38, a seller in a High or Very High zone must meet local clearance rules before escrow closes. The city publishes a brush clearance vendor list, without endorsing anyone.
The city’s pages do not say who is responsible for clearance on HOA common areas, so ask the department and read your CC&Rs. Questions go to Captain Paul Konzen at (818) 238-3388 or the Fire Department at (818) 238-3473.
What to do about it: How to Minimize Homeowners Association Liability, and for coverage questions, Rising HOA Insurance Costs in California and the FAIR Plan. For what the association’s insurance has to cover, see California HOA insurance requirements.
Gas leaf blower banEnforcement of the citywide ban begins January 1, 2027.
Ordinance No. 25-4,037, adopted December 16, 2025, prohibits gas-powered leaf blowers citywide. Through December 31, 2026 the city is in a grace period of outreach and education only. Enforcement, including administrative citations, begins January 1, 2027. The city’s page does not state the fines.
Put the ban into your landscape contract now, so your crews are ready before enforcement begins. Questions go to Code Enforcement at (818) 238-5225. We could not confirm Burbank’s construction hours, hillside rules or any special assessment districts on an official page.
What to do about it: Managing Outside Vendors for Your HOA.
Is this a lot for a volunteer board to track?
City rules, state law and your own documents all change, and someone has to keep up. If your Burbank board is deciding between managing itself and hiring help, start with Self-Managed vs. Professional HOA Management, or tell us about your community and we will send you options from affiliated management companies.
Compare HOA management optionsQuick answers
Questions Burbank board members ask
Are short-term rentals legal in Burbank?
The city’s page says rentals of 30 days or less are not allowed. We could not confirm whether the Council adopted an explicit ban with set fines, so call the city at (818) 238-5206. More in How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community.
Can an owner park an RV on the street?
Only with a large non-commercial vehicle permit, at $7.00 a day, for up to three days at a time and 96 days a year.
Do we need a city permit to remove a common-area tree?
The city’s tree chapter focuses on public trees and sets no general protection for private ones. Work on a public tree, including street trees, needs a written permit. Call Forestry at (818) 238-5304 if you are unsure.
Which days can we water?
Burbank removed mandatory watering days. Year-round rules still bar irrigation from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and limit it to 15 minutes per station per day.
When do brush clearance inspections start?
July 1 each year, for properties in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Letters go out in May.
When can the city cite our landscaper for a gas leaf blower?
From January 1, 2027. Until December 31, 2026 the city is doing outreach and education only.
Who is responsible for brush clearance on common areas?
The city’s pages do not say. Ask the Fire Department at (818) 238-3473 and read your CC&Rs.
Calendar
A Burbank board’s year
The dates below come from city pages. The other items are general good practice, not legal requirements.
Keep the year on track: use the Board Meeting Checklist and the Annual HOA Budget Checklist.
Who to call
Burbank contacts for HOA boards
| Office | Phone | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Code Enforcement | (818) 238-5225 | Property maintenance, zoning and leaf blowers |
| Short-term rental contacts, Community Development | (818) 238-5206 or (818) 238-5187 | Short-term rental questions |
| Burbank Water and Power | (818) 238-3700 | Water and rebates, weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. After hours: (818) 238-3778 |
| Fire Department, Fire Hazard Reduction | (818) 238-3388 | Brush clearance and inspections. General line: (818) 238-3473 |
| Forestry Services | (818) 238-5304 | Public trees |
| Police | (818) 238-3000 | After-hours tree emergencies |
| ONEBurbank | (818) 238-3113 | General city services |
Keep going
Where to go next on How2HOA
Sources for this guide
These sources open in a new tab.
City of Burbank: short-term rentals; large non-commercial vehicle permits; 72-hour parking violations on the Our Burbank 311 app; Municipal Code, Title 7, Chapter 4; Forestry Services; Fire Hazard Reduction Program; Fire Hazard Reduction Program FAQs; brush clearance vendors; leaf blowers; Code Enforcement.
Burbank Water and Power: watering schedule; Sustainable Water Use Ordinance; turf replacement rebate; commercial water conservation rebates.
Other agencies: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Burbank.
California law: AB 1572 (2023).
Professional management
Thinking about management help?
Tell us about your community and we will send you options from affiliated management companies.
Compare HOA management optionsBrowse all HOA topicsThis page is general educational information, not legal, financial or insurance advice. City ordinances and state law change, and your association’s governing documents control many of these questions, so check the current code and talk with your association’s attorney or another qualified professional about your situation.