San Bruno HOA Guide: Local Rules for Boards and Owners

The city’s page on AB 1572 says drinking water may no longer be used on nonfunctional turf in HOA and common interest development common areas starting January 1, 2029. Residential yards are exempt. The city works with Waterfluence, through BAWSCA, on irrigation accounts, and Waterfluence has already mapped turf at many large landscapes in the service area.

San Bruno offers BAWSCA’s Lawn Be Gone rebate at $2 per square foot of lawn converted. BAWSCA’s 2025-26 table caps it at $1,000 per site, so confirm the current cap, and get a notice to proceed before removing any lawn. San Bruno is at Stage 1 of its water shortage plan, with no watering-day limits, but watering within 48 hours of rain is not allowed and leaks must be fixed promptly. Water Division: (650) 616-7160.

On owners’ lots, Civil Code section 4735 prevents an association from banning low-water plants or artificial turf as a replacement for lawn.

A heritage tree is a native bay, buckeye, oak, redwood or Monterey pine with a trunk 6 inches or more in diameter, or any other tree 10 inches or more, measured 54 inches above grade (section 8.25.020). Pruning a heritage tree, which the code defines as removing up to a quarter of its crown, or removing one takes a permit, and the city may ask for an arborist report. A permit lasts six months. Each removed tree must be replaced with two 15-inch-box trees or one 24-inch-box tree, doubled for removal without a permit. The city’s fee list shows $91 for pruning and $181 for removal. Parks: (650) 616-7196.

In residential zones, operable vehicles may park only on a garage apron or driveway, not elsewhere in a visible front or side yard (section 12.100.030). No more than 60% of a required front setback may be paved, or 75% on narrow lots. The city’s nuisance chapter treats storing more than one boat, trailer, camper or RV on a residential lot as a public nuisance and limits where they may be kept (section 5.04.030), so check the exact wording with Code Compliance before enforcing against an owner. Commercial vehicles over the allowed weight need a permit to be parked on residential property. On the street, the city’s parking guide says a vehicle must move after 72 hours.

Your association’s rules can be stricter.

We could not read the part of San Bruno’s code that would designate private roads for Vehicle Code enforcement. Where no designation exists, enforcing parking and speed rules on association-owned streets usually falls to the association, so ask the police department whether any roads in your community are designated.

San Bruno’s short-term rental chapter covers stays of less than 30 days (chapter 12.270). It counts condominium units as eligible multifamily dwellings, so the city permit does not keep short-term rentals out of a condo association. Hosted rentals have no yearly cap. Unhosted rentals of the whole unit are capped at 120 days a year. ADUs permitted after September 25, 2020 may not be used, and a local contact must respond within 60 minutes. The application fee is $1,375, with renewal every two years. Planning: (650) 616-7074. 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.

FEMA’s coastal restudy mapped many homes in the Belle Air neighborhood as subject to coastal flooding. The city appealed and lost, and the new maps took effect April 5, 2019. Earlier maps had shown no special flood hazard areas in San Bruno. Associations in or near Belle Air should check their flood zone and coverage with their insurance broker.

In or within 500 feet of a residential zone, outside construction or repair equipment may not exceed 85 decibels measured at 100 feet between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., or 60 decibels between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., without a permit from Public Works (section 6.16.070). Put working hours in your contracts anyway, since neighbors notice early starts.

Garbage and recycling containers may not be stored in front or side yards visible from the street, except when collection is scheduled (section 5.04.030). Lawns with grass over six inches, overgrown or dead vegetation and neglected required landscaping are nuisances. Code Compliance: (650) 616-7087.