Contra Costa County HOA Guide
Discovery Bay HOA Guide: The Town, the County and Your HOA
Discovery Bay is a waterfront community of about 15,000 people in eastern Contra Costa County, with a homeownership rate near 90%. It is not a city. A services district called the Town of Discovery Bay, the county and a reclamation district each handle part of what a city would.
With several agencies and at least nine separate associations, owners often bring the board problems that belong to someone else. This guide sorts out who does what.
Facts on this page were checked against Town of Discovery Bay, Reclamation District 800 and Contra Costa County sources on October 10, 2026. We left out anything we could not confirm on an official page, including who is responsible for individual docks and bulkheads. Confirm details with the office listed before you rely on them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
Who does what in Discovery Bay
Discovery Bay is in the county’s supervisorial District 3. The Town says plainly that it has no land use or zoning authority. Questions about a neighbor’s construction, a rental or a property condition go to the county, not the Town.
Read next: What Are HOA Assets? and Who Pays for Repairs in an HOA?
The Town and its landscape zones
The Town of Discovery Bay is an independent community services district that voters authorized in 1998. A five-member elected board governs it and a general manager runs it. It provides water from its own wells, runs two wastewater plants and operates the community center, pool, dog park and community garden.
The Town also maintains public landscaping through numbered zones, each funded in its own way:
These zones look like HOA work, and in Ravenswood the Town does what an association often would. Before your association pays to maintain a landscaped strip or park, check whether it sits in a Town zone.
The Town keeps a list of nine homeowners associations in Discovery Bay and notes that it is not affiliated with any of them. The list shows no single association for the whole community.
Levees, slopes and the reclamation district
Reclamation District 800 was formed in 1909. It maintains nearly 19 miles of levees and provides flood protection and drainage for about 7,000 acres. Property owners elect its five trustees and pay for it through an assessment on the tax bill.
For a board, the practical rule is to call the district before the association or an owner builds, plants or repairs anything on a levee or a waterside slope. Its office is at (925) 634-2351.
What to do about it: How to Minimize Homeowners Association Liability and how architectural requests work.
Backflow rules for irrigation and docks
The Town’s cross-connection rules reach most associations. All commercial, irrigation and multi-family properties must install approved backflow prevention devices, and some single-family connections must too, such as those with pools, irrigation wells or a location near the water. The Town’s examples of cross-connections include irrigation systems, pools, fountains and hose bibs at boat docks.
- The property owner pays to install the device.
- A certified tester checks it at installation and every year after, and the results go to the Town within 30 days.
- A defective device must be repaired or replaced within 30 days of notice.
- Records are kept for five years. Failing to comply can bring fines and a water shut-off.
Put the annual test on the association’s calendar and in the landscape or plumbing contract, and keep the reports with your records.
What to do about it: Managing Outside Vendors for Your HOA. For records, see Maintaining Your HOA Records.
County rules
County rules that apply in Discovery Bay
State law comes first, mainly the Davis-Stirling Act. County ordinances apply to every property in unincorporated areas. Your governing documents can then be stricter than the county in most areas. The county does not enforce your CC&Rs.
Short-term rentalsThe county requires an annual permit under its short-term rental ordinance.
In unincorporated Contra Costa County a short-term rental needs a county permit before it operates. The permit lasts one year, and neighbors within 300 feet are notified. The county’s page lists these limits:
- No more than 90 days a year for a rental where the host is not on site, and 180 days a year for a hosted rental.
- Two guests per bedroom plus two, and no gatherings of more than 20 people.
- One short-term rental per lot, none in an ADU and none in a building with five or more units.
- No events.
A county permit does not override your CC&Rs. California Civil Code section 4741 limits how far an association can restrict rentals generally, but it does not stop an association from prohibiting rentals of 30 days or less.
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.
Boats, RVs, trash cans and weedsCounty Code Enforcement covers property conditions in unincorporated areas.
The county’s code enforcement page lists the rules it enforces most often:
- RVs and boats may be stored on private property if they are 90% screened from public view.
- Garbage cans may not stay in public view more than 36 hours after pickup.
- Weeds may not exceed 18 inches.
- Abandoned vehicles on public streets go to the Sheriff.
In a boating community the storage rule comes up constantly. Your association’s own rules are usually tighter, and they are the ones that apply on private streets.
What to do about it: HOA Rules and Enforcing Violations and How to Enforce HOA Rules in Your Homeowners Association. For the state rules on enforcement, fines and hearings, see California HOA enforcement, fines and disputes.
Police, fire and weedsThe Sheriff and Con Fire serve Discovery Bay.
The Sheriff’s Office patrols Discovery Bay, and its Marine Unit patrols the Delta waterways. A county service area, P-6, funds extended police protection in part of the community and has a citizen advisory committee that meets quarterly at the community center.
East Contra Costa Fire became part of Contra Costa County Fire Protection District on July 1, 2022. For 2025, Con Fire’s weed abatement deadline for east county was May 12. Check the district’s page each spring for the current date.
What to do about it: How to Minimize Homeowners Association Liability and our HOA maintenance and vendors section. For what the association’s insurance has to cover, see California HOA insurance requirements.
Sorting out who does what?
A services district, a reclamation district, the county and the association all work in the same community. If your Discovery Bay 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 Discovery Bay owners and board members ask
Is Discovery Bay a city?
No. It is an unincorporated community. The Town of Discovery Bay is a community services district that provides water, sewer, parks and landscaping, and the county handles land use, permits and code enforcement.
Is the Town our HOA?
No. The Town says it is not affiliated with any HOA. It does maintain public landscaping through its zones, which in Ravenswood is funded by a per-lot assessment.
Who do we call before working on a waterside slope?
Reclamation District 800, at (925) 634-2351. It reviews construction on and around levees and slopes and enforces encroachment standards.
Does our HOA need backflow testing?
Almost certainly. The Town requires approved devices on all irrigation, commercial and multi-family connections, tested every year by a certified tester.
Can an owner run a short-term rental?
Only if your governing documents allow it and the owner holds a county permit. More in How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community.
Who to call
Discovery Bay contacts
| Office | Phone | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Town of Discovery Bay | (925) 634-1131 | Water, sewer, parks, landscape zones, backflow program |
| Reclamation District 800 | (925) 634-2351 | Levees, slopes, drainage, rip rap |
| Sheriff non-emergency | (925) 646-2441 | Police service |
| County planning and building | (925) 655-2700 | Permits, short-term rentals |
| County Code Enforcement | (925) 655-2710 | Zoning and nuisance complaints |
| County Public Works | (925) 313-2000 | County roads and drainage |
| Supervisor’s office, District 3 | (925) 655-2330 | County services and concerns |
| Con Fire | (925) 941-3300 | Weed abatement, fire prevention |
The Town’s board meets at 7 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month at the Discovery Bay Community Center, 1601 Discovery Bay Boulevard. The Town office is at 1800 Willow Lake Road.
Keep going
Where to go next on How2HOA
Sources for this guide
These sources open in a new tab.
Town of Discovery Bay: government; services; landscape maintenance services; operating budget, 2025-26; homeowners associations; cross-connection information; backflow prevention FAQs; Reclamation District 800; Sheriff services.
Reclamation District 800: about the district; assessment; rip rap rock; newsletter, February 2023.
Contra Costa County: District 3; municipal advisory councils; fire protection districts; short-term rentals; Code Enforcement; 2026 local appointments list.
Other: Con Fire weed abatement; Con Fire fire hazard severity zone maps; U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Discovery Bay.
California law: Civil Code section 4741; section 4751; section 4735; 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 optionsGet the free board checklistsThis page is general educational information, not legal, financial or insurance advice. How2HOA is not affiliated with the associations or agencies named here. Ownership and maintenance vary parcel by parcel, so check your recorded maps and governing documents and talk with your association’s attorney or another qualified professional about your situation.