San Mateo County HOA Guide
Half Moon Bay HOA Guide: Local Rules for Boards and Owners
Half Moon Bay has about 11,000 residents, and about seven in ten homes are owner-occupied. The whole city is in the coastal zone, and an owner in an HOA needs the association’s written consent to register a short-term rental.
This guide collects the city rules a Half Moon Bay board runs into most often, and points you to the How2HOA guide that explains what to do about each one.
Local rules on this page were checked against the City of Half Moon Bay’s website and the Half Moon Bay Municipal Code on October 27, 2026. Online codes can lag behind the most recent ordinances, and some city documents would not open for us, so confirm the current rule with the office listed before you act on it. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
At a glance
HOAs in Half Moon Bay at a glance
We did not find an official count of Half Moon Bay’s HOAs or a typical dues figure, so we do not quote one. The public record does show how the city is set up:
Local rules
Rules that apply in Half Moon Bay
Three layers of rules apply to a Half Moon Bay 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. The city does not enforce your CC&Rs, and your CC&Rs do not excuse anyone from a city rule.
Coastal development permitsMost development needs one, but common home improvements are exempt.
All development in Half Moon Bay needs a coastal development permit before work starts (chapter 18.20). Development includes placing or enlarging structures and removing riparian or other major vegetation. Improvements normally associated with single-family homes, such as garages, pools, fences, sheds and landscaping, are generally exempt under listed conditions, as are repairs that do not enlarge a structure. Most new ADUs need an administrative permit. Approvals between the sea and the first public road along it can be appealed to the Coastal Commission.
Check common-area projects with Planning at (650) 726-8270 before signing contracts, since a permit can add time.
What to do about it: How to Propose Changes to Your Property in a Homeowners Association.
Short-term rentals need HOA consentThe city asks for the association’s written consent.
Short-term rentals must be registered each year, and the home must be the operator’s primary residence (section 18.06.025). If the property is in an HOA, the application must include the association’s written consent to the rental. Only one short-term rental is allowed per parcel or per condominium unit, and the online code caps unhosted stays at 60 nights a year, so confirm the current cap with the city. Neighbors within 100 feet are notified. ADUs generally may not be used, and the occupancy tax is 15%. 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.
A board should adopt a written policy on when it will give or refuse consent, so owners get consistent answers.
What to do about it: How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community and Renting Out Your Home in a Homeowners Association. For the California rules, see our guide to buying, selling and renting in a California HOA.
Tenant rulesJust cause after 30 days and a one-year lease offer.
Under the city’s tenant protections (chapter 6.08), ending a tenancy after 30 days requires just cause, and a no-fault eviction requires relocation assistance equal to three months’ rent. Landlords must also offer a written lease of at least one year at a fixed rent. These rules apply to owners as landlords, not to the association. Tenant protections: (650) 750-2016.
What to do about it: Renting Out Your Home in a Homeowners Association.
Heritage treesAny tree 12 inches across except eucalyptus.
A heritage tree is any tree except eucalyptus with a trunk 12 inches or more in diameter, measured 48 inches above ground (chapter 7.40). Removing one, or pruning more than a third of its branches or roots in a year, takes a permit, and each removed tree must be replaced with at least a 24-inch-box tree. Removing major vegetation may also need a coastal development permit.
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.
Trailers and street parkingNo detached trailers on public streets at any time.
Chapter 10.51 designates only two shopping center parking lots for Vehicle Code enforcement, and we found no residential private roads designated. Where none is designated, enforcing parking on association-owned streets usually falls to the association.
What to do about it: How to Set Up a Towing Service in Your Homeowners Association 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.
Bins, sidewalks and work hoursBins out after 5:30 p.m. the day before.
Garbage containers may go out no earlier than 5:30 p.m. the day before collection, may not stay out more than 24 hours after pickup and must be kept out of public view between collections (chapter 7.20). The owner next to a sidewalk must maintain it and can be liable for injuries (chapter 12.18). Construction is allowed from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays and holidays.
What to do about it: Managing Outside Vendors for Your HOA.
WaterCoastside County Water District rules apply.
The Coastside County Water District’s posted rules bar runoff onto walkways and streets and require leaks to be fixed within a day of the district’s notice. Ask the district at (650) 726-4405 about any lawn replacement rebate, since we could not find one on its website.
A state law passed in 2023 (AB 1572) bars the use of drinking water on nonfunctional turf in HOA common areas starting January 1, 2029. The law stops the watering; it does not require removing the lawn. A board that decides to replace decorative lawn can use a rebate, where one is offered, to pay for part of the conversion.
On owners’ lots, Civil Code section 4735 prevents an association from banning low-water plants or artificial turf as a replacement for lawn.
What to do about it: put the turf conversion 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.
Neighborhood note
Ocean Colony
Ocean Colony is a Half Moon Bay neighborhood whose beaches are reached from Miramontes Point Road. The city’s coastal land use plan says it is the only established neighborhood without on-street parking. Public parking for beach access in the area is in a structure next to the Ritz-Carlton. A planned bluff trail would link Poplar Beach to Ocean Colony.
Citywide, the night noise curfew from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. makes an exception for routine golf-course maintenance when the city finds it must be done in those hours. The city’s 2020 coastal plan listed an Ocean Colony sewer pump station and force main replacement as nearing construction. We could not confirm the community’s association or what it maintains from an official source, so check your title report and CC&Rs.
Is this a lot for a volunteer board to track?
City rules, district assessments, state law and your own documents all change, and someone has to keep up. If your Half Moon 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 Half Moon Bay board members ask
Does an owner need our consent for a short-term rental?
Yes. The city’s application requires the HOA’s written consent when the property is in an association.
Do we need a coastal permit to replace common-area landscaping?
Landscaping at single-family homes is generally exempt. Common-area work may not be, and removing major vegetation can need a permit. Ask Planning first.
Can an owner park a trailer on the street?
No. Detached trailers may not park on public streets at any time, except while loading or for emergency repairs.
When can bins go out?
No earlier than 5:30 p.m. the day before collection.
Can our HOA refuse to allow ADUs?
Not outright on single-family lots. Civil Code section 4751 voids provisions that prohibit or unreasonably restrict ADUs. Half Moon Bay allows ADUs of up to 850 square feet with one bedroom or 1,000 square feet with more, and most new ADUs need an administrative coastal permit. Section 4751 still allows reasonable restrictions that do not unreasonably raise the cost of building one or effectively prohibit it, which the association can apply through architectural review.
Calendar
A Half Moon Bay board’s year
The dates below follow the agencies’ own programs. The maintenance 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
Half Moon Bay contacts for HOA boards
City Hall is at 501 Main Street.
| Office | Phone | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| City Hall | (650) 726-8910 | Main line |
| Planning and code enforcement | (650) 726-8270 | Coastal permits, short-term rentals, complaints |
| Public Works | (650) 726-7177 | Streets, sidewalks, sewer |
| Tenant protections | (650) 750-2016 | Tenant rules |
| Sheriff’s substation | (650) 726-8288 | Parking, police matters |
| Coastside Fire Protection District | (650) 726-5213 | Fire prevention |
| Coastside County Water District | (650) 726-4405 | Water service |
The City Council typically meets at 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month.
Keep going
Where to go next on How2HOA
Sources for this guide
These sources open in a new tab.
Half Moon Bay Municipal Code: chapter 3.12, occupancy tax; chapter 7.20, garbage; chapter 7.40, heritage trees; chapter 9.23, noise; chapter 10.36, parking; chapter 10.37, trailers and oversize vehicles; chapter 10.51, private parking lots; chapter 12.18, sidewalks; section 18.06.025, short-term rentals; chapter 18.20, coastal development permits; chapter 18.33, ADUs; chapter 18.36, parking standards.
City of Half Moon Bay: Local Coastal Program land use plan; coastal land use plan, chapter 3; coastal land use plan, chapter 5; short-term rentals; tenant protections; residential lease terms; noise restrictions; sea level rise; law enforcement; staff directory; City Council.
Other: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Half Moon Bay; Coastside County Water District; Coastside County Water District, water use restrictions; Coastside Fire Protection District; San Mateo County Tax Collector; secured property taxes; State of California, property tax important dates.
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 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.