Los Angeles County HOA Guide
Glendale HOA Guide: Local Rules for Boards and Owners
Glendale is an incorporated city in Los Angeles County with an estimated 187,160 residents. The city runs its own water and electric utility, Glendale Water and Power, which sets the watering days and the rebates an association will use.
This guide collects the city rules a Glendale 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 Glendale’s website, Glendale Water and Power and the U.S. Census Bureau on October 26, 2026. Several city pages would not open for us, including the fire hazard severity zone, indigenous tree owner, leaf blower and municipal code pages, 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 Glendale at a glance
Glendale 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 Glendale
Three layers of rules apply to a Glendale 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 rentalsGlendale allows home-sharing only when the host lives on site.
The city allows limited “home-sharing” only where the host lives on site during the guest’s stay. “Vacation rentals” with no on-site host are prohibited. The rules cover rentals of 30 consecutive days or less.
A license is applied for at GlendalePermits.org, and the Licensing Office is at (818) 937-8300. A 2019 Planning Commission notice says the ordinance amends Titles 4 and 30 of the Glendale Municipal Code.
The city’s page does not list fees or say whether HOA or landlord permission is needed, so we do not state either. Your CC&Rs may be stricter than the city, so check them first.
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.
ParkingWe could confirm only where to take citation questions.
The city’s parking citation service center takes citation questions and payments at (866) 470-3088. A municipal code section on parking large vehicles appears in search listings (section 10.36.130), but the page would not open for us.
We could not confirm a 72-hour rule, oversized or RV limits, overnight permits or how the city handles private streets. Ask the city before you tell owners what applies, and rely on your own parking rules and state towing law on association streets and lots.
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.
Indigenous treesA permit must be granted before a protected indigenous tree is removed.
Glendale’s Indigenous Tree Ordinance is Municipal Code Chapter 12.44. A permit must be granted before a protected indigenous tree is removed (section 12.44.070 is cited). The city’s guidelines say an application needs:
- The trunk diameter and species.
- Photos.
- A replacement tree plan.
- The reason for removal.
For a diseased or hazardous tree, the Director may require a report from a qualified tree expert. The Director may approve, conditionally approve or deny the request. Exceptions are in sections 12.44.030 and 12.44.060.
We could not confirm which species are protected, the trunk size that triggers the rule or who to call about tree permits, because those pages would not open. Check before your landscaper removes any native tree.
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 daysPhase III limits outdoor watering to Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Under Glendale Water and Power’s mandatory conservation Phase III, outdoor watering is allowed only on Tuesdays and Saturdays, for 10 minutes per station. Drip systems, low-flow heads and hand watering with a shut-off nozzle are exempt from the 10-minute limit but must still follow the permitted days. The page gives no specific hours.
A “No Water Waste Policy” applies at all times. A violation brings a warning first, and repeat violations can draw a fine of up to $1,000. Report water waste to the Water Waster Hotline at (818) 550-4426 or at GlendaleCA.gov/ReportWaterWaste.
What to do about it: put irrigation changes in your numbers with Planning Your HOA Budget, 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.
Turf and irrigation rebatesGWP pays $2 per square foot for commercial turf replacement, and describes a new turf rule for non-residential properties, including HOA common areas.
Commercial turf replacement pays $2.00 per square foot ($3.00 for public agencies). The project must be 250 to 50,000 square feet. You must reserve and receive pre-approval on SoCalWater$mart before you remove any grass, send at least five photos, the first page of a GWP bill, measurements and a landscape plan, and finish within six months. Amounts can change and depend on availability. Call (888) 376-3314.
The program page does not say whether HOAs qualify, so confirm with the program before you plan around it. It does describe a new rule for non-residential properties, including homeowner associations, on using drinking water to irrigate non-functional turf. The state law behind it is AB 1572. Confirm the start date and how it applies to your common areas with GWP before you plan.
GWP also lists commercial rebates through SoCalWater$mart. They are first come, first served, with no cap stated:
| Rebate | Amount |
|---|---|
| Premium high-efficiency toilet | $100 |
| Zero or ultra-low water urinal | $400 |
| Weather-based, central computer or hose bib irrigation controller | $50 per station |
| Soil moisture sensor | $50 per station |
| Rotating spray nozzles | $5 each |
| Large rotary nozzles | $20 each |
| In-stem flow regulator | $2 |
| Master valve or flow sensor | $100 |
| Combination master valve and flow sensor | $200 |
Questions go to GWP at (855) 550-4497 or GWPCustomerService@GlendaleCA.gov.
What to do about it: put the project in your numbers with Understanding HOA Reserve Studies and the Annual HOA Budget Checklist.
Vegetation management and fireThe Fire Department asks for defensible space within 100 feet of nearby buildings.
The Glendale Fire Department’s Vegetation Management Program calls for defensible space within 100 feet of any nearby combustible building, including a neighbor’s. The Fire Marshal may require up to 200 feet. The program cites the California Fire Code with Glendale amendments.
- Properties in High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones get annual inspections.
- New landscape and fuel modification plans need review and a permit.
- The State Fire Marshal has updated the zone maps.
The Vegetation Management Program is at (818) 548-3814 or VMP@glendaleca.gov. We could not confirm the annual clearance date, the program fee or the zone map details, because those pages would not open. Ask the program which of your common areas are in a zone.
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.
Noise, leaf blowers and special assessmentsWe could not confirm these rules on an official page.
Search listings show a gas-powered leaf blower prohibition page and noise code sections (8.36.110 and 8.36.280), but those pages would not open, so we state no leaf blower rule, construction hours or noise limits. We also found no city page on community facilities districts or special assessments on the tax bill.
Until you have checked, ask Neighborhood Services and Code Compliance at (818) 548-3700 and write the answer into your landscape and construction contracts.
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 Glendale 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 Glendale board members ask
Are short-term rentals legal in Glendale?
Only home-sharing, where the host lives on site during the stay. Vacation rentals with no on-site host are prohibited. More in How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community.
Which days can we water?
Under Phase III, Tuesdays and Saturdays, for 10 minutes per station. Drip, low-flow heads and hand watering with a shut-off nozzle are exempt from the 10-minute limit but not from the days.
Can our HOA get a turf replacement rebate?
The commercial program pays $2.00 per square foot, but its page does not say whether HOAs qualify. Confirm with the program at (888) 376-3314 before you remove any grass.
What is the new turf rule?
GWP’s page describes a new turf rule for non-residential properties, including homeowner associations, on using drinking water to irrigate non-functional turf. The state law is AB 1572. Confirm the start date and how it applies to your common areas with GWP before you plan.
Do we need a permit to remove a tree?
For a protected indigenous tree, yes. We could not confirm which species and sizes are protected, so ask the city before removal.
What are Glendale’s leaf blower rules and construction hours?
We could not confirm them on an official page. Contact Neighborhood Services at (818) 548-3700.
Who do we call about brush clearance?
The Fire Department’s Vegetation Management Program at (818) 548-3814.
Calendar
A Glendale board’s year
The turf rule item comes from GWP’s turf program page. The other items are general good practice, not legal requirements.
Keep the year on track: use the Board Meeting Checklist and the Annual HOA Budget Checklist.
Who to call
Glendale contacts for HOA boards
| Office | Phone | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Neighborhood Services and Code Compliance | (818) 548-3700 | Code complaints and blight |
| Licensing Office | (818) 937-8300 | Home-sharing license |
| Fire Department Vegetation Management | (818) 548-3814 | Brush clearance and fuel modification |
| Glendale Water and Power rebates | (855) 550-4497 | Commercial rebates |
| SoCalWater$mart turf program | (888) 376-3314 | Turf pre-approval |
| Water Waster Hotline | (818) 550-4426 | Report water waste |
| Parking citation center | (866) 470-3088 | Citation questions and payments |
Keep going
Where to go next on How2HOA
Sources for this guide
These sources open in a new tab.
City of Glendale: home-sharing; 2019 Planning Commission hearing notice; traffic and parking; indigenous tree removal guidelines; Glendale Water and Power; water conservation; commercial turf replacement program; commercial energy and water saving rebates; Fire Department Vegetation Management Program; Code Compliance.
Other agencies: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Glendale.
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.