Napa County HOA Guide
St. Helena HOA Guide: Local Rules for Boards and Owners
St. Helena has about 5,200 residents, and about two in three occupied homes are lived in by their owners. The city caps short-term rentals at 25 citywide, bars construction noise on Sundays and has banned gas leaf blowers since 2023.
This guide collects the city rules a St. Helena 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 St. Helena’s website and the St. Helena Municipal Code on November 2, 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 St. Helena at a glance
We did not find an official count of St. Helena’s HOAs or a typical dues figure, so we do not quote one.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 St. Helena
Three layers of rules apply to a St. Helena 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.
The short-term rental cap25 permits citywide, single-family homes only.
A short-term rental is a stay of less than 30 days, and it needs a city permit (section 17.22.200). The city allows no more than 25 at any time and keeps a waiting list. Permits are limited to existing single-family dwellings, one per lot. Each permit must be in an owner’s name. No one may hold more than one, and permits do not transfer. A rental may use up to five bedrooms and hold no more than two guests per bedroom plus two, up to 12. It needs two on-site parking spaces, a fire department inspection and a local contact who can respond within 30 minutes. The city posts the list of permits it has issued.
The code says these rules do not give an owner the right to violate CC&Rs that prohibit short-term rentals. Renting without a permit carries a civil penalty of $1,000 per violation per day under the zoning code, and the city’s code enforcement team takes reports of unpermitted rentals at building@cityofsthelena.gov. 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 and Renting Out Your Home in a Homeowners Association.
Construction hoursMonday through Saturday, 8 to 5.
Construction noise that can be heard at the property line is allowed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday (section 8.24.010). Deliveries and equipment servicing may run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on those days. No construction noise is allowed on Sundays or holidays. The Public Works Director can grant exceptions for weather, emergencies or work that will not create unreasonably offensive noise, with the City Engineer’s advance approval.
What to do about it: Managing Outside Vendors for Your HOA.
The gas leaf blower banOnly battery or electric blowers since 2023.
Ordinance 2022-11 banned leaf blowers that are not battery or electric, effective January 1, 2023, with enforcement starting April 1, 2023. City staff may issue citations and fines. The city also runs leaf blower rebate programs for residents and businesses.
Your landscape contract should require battery or electric equipment.
What to do about it: Managing Outside Vendors for Your HOA.
Heritage, street and city treesProtection follows designation, not size alone.
St. Helena’s tree chapter (12.24) protects heritage trees, street trees, city trees and trees planted to replace them. A heritage tree is one the City Council designates by resolution after a public hearing, based on criteria such as historical significance or a trunk over 30 inches in diameter. The city lists 15 of them. Any subdivision or parcel map must show every tree over 6 inches in diameter. Before work on a street tree or a tree you think may be designated, call Public Works at (707) 968-2658.
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.
Water rules and rebatesNo irrigation during rain or for 48 hours after.
The city’s mandatory water rules (section 13.04.221) bar using drinking water on driveways and sidewalks, irrigation runoff onto neighbors, walkways or streets, washing vehicles with a hose that has no shutoff nozzle, fountains that do not recirculate and irrigation during rain or for 48 hours after. New landscaping must meet state or city water-efficiency standards, whichever is stricter.
The city’s Cash for Grass rebate pays up to $1.50 per square foot, capped at $750 for residential and $2,500 for commercial properties, and the application lists multifamily properties. The rebate can be paid to someone other than the account holder, such as an HOA, with the account holder’s written consent. The city visits before and after, the lawn must be green and maintained at the first visit and artificial turf does not qualify. The application we found is dated 2020, so confirm current terms with the city.
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 voids association rules that ban, or effectively ban, low-water plants or artificial turf, though the association can still apply reasonable landscaping rules.
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.
Fire inspections and floodFree defensible space inspections.
The St. Helena Fire Department offers free defensible space inspections and issues a Defensible Space Certificate, which can help an association document the condition of shared landscaping. Check your community on the State Fire Marshal’s fire hazard severity zone map viewer. Fire department: (707) 967-2880.
When a home in a High or Very High fire hazard severity zone is sold, Civil Code section 1102.19 generally requires the seller to give the buyer documentation of a defensible space inspection, or a written agreement that the buyer will get one within a year after closing.
St. Helena’s flood damage prevention rules are in chapter 15.52. Associations near the river and its creeks should check the current FEMA map and review flood coverage with their insurance broker.
What to do about it: How to Minimize Homeowners Association Liability, then price the work with Planning Your HOA Budget.
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 St. Helena 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 St. Helena board members ask
Can an owner in our condo complex get a short-term rental permit?
The city issues them only for existing single-family dwellings, and only 25 citywide, with a waiting list. The code also says the permit does not override CC&Rs that ban short-term rentals.
Can our contractor work on Sunday?
Not if it can be heard at the property line. Construction noise is allowed only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and not on holidays.
Can our landscaper use a gas leaf blower?
No. Only battery or electric blowers have been allowed since 2023.
Is every large tree protected?
No. Protection applies to council-designated heritage trees, street trees, city trees and their replacements.
Can our HOA ban short-term rentals?
Yes, if your governing documents say so. Civil Code section 4741 does not stop an association from prohibiting rentals of 30 days or less. Under Civil Code section 4740, an owner who bought before a rental prohibition took effect may be protected from it, so ask your attorney how that applies to a short-term rental ban. More in How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community.
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. St. Helena allows ADUs of up to 850 square feet for a studio or one bedroom and 1,000 square feet for two bedrooms where an ADU permit is required, and junior ADUs of up to 500 square feet. 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 St. Helena 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
St. Helena contacts for HOA boards
City Hall is at 1088 College Avenue. Main line: (707) 967-2792.
| Office | Phone | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | (707) 968-2659 | Zoning, short-term rentals |
| Building | (707) 967-2779 | Permits, code complaints, unpermitted rentals |
| Public Works | (707) 968-2658 | Trees, streets, construction exceptions |
| Water billing and service | (707) 968-2745 | Water accounts |
| Fire department | (707) 967-2880 | Defensible space inspections |
| Police | (707) 967-2850 | Parking, after-hours rental complaints |
| Upper Valley Disposal and Recycling | (707) 963-7988 | Trash and recycling |
Keep going
Where to go next on How2HOA
Sources for this guide
These sources open in a new tab.
St. Helena Municipal Code: section 13.04.221, water conservation; chapter 12.24, trees; section 17.22.200, short-term rentals; section 17.22.030, accessory dwelling units.
City of St. Helena: short-term vacation rentals; short-term rental enforcement FAQs; zoning code; construction noise hours; leaf blower information and rebates; trees; water conservation rebates; Cash for Grass application; defensible space inspection and certification; fire hazard severity zone map; flood control and river restoration project; solid waste management; staff directory.
Other: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, St. Helena; Napa County Tax Collector, payment deadlines.
California law: Civil Code section 4740; section 4741; section 4751; section 4735; AB 1572 (2023); section 1102.19.
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.