Los Angeles County HOA Guide
Stevenson Ranch HOA Guide: Landscape Districts, Oaks and Fire
Stevenson Ranch is an unincorporated community near Santa Clarita, in Supervisorial District 5. It has no city hall. The County of Los Angeles and a handful of county districts set most of the local rules.
This guide collects the county rules a Stevenson Ranch 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 Los Angeles County websites, including the Treasurer and Tax Collector, Regional Planning, Public Works, County Fire and the Sheriff, and against SCV Water, on October 26, 2026. The County Planning short-term rental page and the county fire hazard map data would not open for us, and we found no official site for a Stevenson Ranch master association, so this page covers only what we could confirm on official pages. Confirm the current rule before you act on it. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
At a glance
Stevenson Ranch at a glance
Stevenson Ranch is a Census-designated place, not a city. The county’s annual report on the community gives these figures:
The county report mentions “the Stevenson Ranch HOA,” which received county funding toward its 4th of July fireworks fees, and says Public Works met with community HOAs about landscape maintenance. We found no official site for a master association, so we cannot tell you its name, how many villages it covers or what it maintains. Ask your own association which entity governs your home.
Local rules
Rules that apply in Stevenson Ranch
Stevenson Ranch is unincorporated, so there is no city hall and no city code. The Los Angeles County Code sets the local rules, and county departments and special districts enforce them. State law still comes first, mainly the Davis-Stirling Act. County rules apply to every property, whether or not it is in an HOA. Your governing documents can then be stricter than the county in most areas, and state law limits them in a few. The county does not enforce your CC&Rs, and your CC&Rs do not excuse anyone from a county rule.
Landscape maintenance districtsCounty districts may already maintain slopes and brush areas your CC&Rs also assign to the association.
The county report on Stevenson Ranch lists ten Landscape Maintenance District zones for irrigation, weed control, tree maintenance and brush clearance. It also names a Consolidated Fire District, a Library District and a Road Maintenance District for property tax purposes. It names no Community Facilities Districts.
The county’s Board report for fiscal year 2026-27 lists these Landscaping and Lighting Act zones in the Stevenson Ranch area:
- District No. 1, Zone 1: Stevenson Ranch Parkway and Pico Canyon Road medians.
- District No. 2, Zone 21: Sunset Pointe, with about 30 acres of slopes and planters and about 3 acres of defensible-space brush clearance.
- District No. 2, Zone 25: Stevenson Ranch, with about 254 acres of slopes, planters, turf and pocket parks, over 7,000 trees and about 20 acres of brush clearance.
- District No. 4: Zones 63 (The Enclave), 64 (Double C Ranch), 66 (Valencia Marketplace), 73 (Westridge), 75 (Westridge Area Wide), 78 and 79 (Old Road) and 80 (Entrada).
An older county report says Zone 25 was annexed in 1995 and lies above The Old Road between Pico Canyon and McBean Parkway. We could not confirm that every zone from 63 to 80 lies inside the community, so check your tax bill to see which zone applies to your parcel before you budget for slope work.
What to do about it: Exclusive Use Common Area Explained and Understanding HOA Reserve Studies help you sort out who pays for what.
Short-term rentalsHosts must register with the County Treasurer and Tax Collector, and HOA rules still apply.
In unincorporated Los Angeles County, a host who rents a primary residence for stays of 30 days or less must register with the Treasurer and Tax Collector before renting. Outside coastal areas, registration and a $914 annual fee took effect October 7, 2024. That fee is from the county’s 2024 materials, so confirm the current amount. Transient Occupancy Tax is 12% of rent. Hosting platforms do not collect it for the county, so hosts collect and remit it.
The county’s FAQ says the host must live in the home at least 275 days a year, and that ADUs, junior ADUs, vacation rentals and income properties cannot be registered.
Registration is allowed only if any HOA rules, condo rules, lease or rental agreement do not prohibit short-term rentals. The ordinance does not override those restrictions, so registration gives no right to rent where your CC&Rs forbid it.
Complaints about unregistered listings go to the county’s 24-hour hotline at (213) 371-1070. Regional Planning’s 2024 fact sheet describes a separate zoning ordinance with a limit of two guests per bedroom plus two, and no more than 12 per booking. We could not confirm that ordinance was adopted in that form, because the Planning page would not open. Email str@planning.lacounty.gov for its current status.
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.
Parking and 72-hour warningsThe Sheriff’s Parking Enforcement Detail issues red-tag warnings in unincorporated areas.
In unincorporated areas the Sheriff’s Parking Enforcement Detail issues 72-hour warnings, called red tags. Non-urgent reports go through the detail’s Contact Us portal. Urgent problems, such as a blocked driveway or hydrant, go to the local station. The detail’s headquarters is at (323) 526-5185, and citations are paid at (866) 561-9744.
The county report says the Santa Clarita Valley Station had two parking control officers and issued 2,229 parking citations in fiscal year 2023-24. The station’s non-emergency line is (661) 260-4000.
County Code Chapter 15.64 covers stopping, standing and parking. We did not read its text, and the Sheriff’s document does not address oversized vehicles or private streets. We could not confirm how the county handles RVs or towing on private streets, so ask the station before your board writes a parking rule that depends on county enforcement.
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.
Oak treesCounty Code Chapter 22.174 sets the oak tree permit process, and the county is updating it.
Oak trees in unincorporated areas fall under the Oak Tree Permit Ordinance, Chapter 22.174 of the county zoning code. It sets permit and review for development that affects oaks.
Regional Planning is updating the ordinance. Public meetings ran in August and September 2025, and a public draft was expected “fall or winter,” with no date set. The program page does not state size thresholds, so call before you prune or remove any oak or work near its roots. The Oak Tree Program is at (213) 974-6476 or oaktree@planning.lacounty.gov.
Because the landscape districts may already maintain trees on your slopes, ask the county who is responsible for a given tree before you hire a crew.
What to do about it: How to Hire a Contractor for Your Homeowners Association and Maintaining Your HOA Records.
Water and rebatesSCV Water is likely your agency, but confirm which one serves your address.
SCV Water’s 2019 Santa Clarita Valley water report says its Valencia Water Division serves the unincorporated communities of Castaic, Newhall, Saugus, Stevenson Ranch, Mission Village and Valencia. That is one older document, and SCV Water’s current “Who We Are” page does not name individual communities. Confirm which water agency serves your address by checking a water bill or calling SCV Water Customer Care at (661) 294-0828.
SCV Water’s page for HOA and large-landscape customers lists these rebates:
- Turf replacement at $5 per square foot.
- Irrigation controllers at $50 per station.
- Drip irrigation at $1 per square foot.
- Nozzles at up to $12 each.
- Pressure regulation at 80% of cost.
Confirm the current amounts and your eligibility before you plan a project around them.
What to do about it: Planning Your HOA Budget and Understanding HOA Reserve Studies. For the California rules behind these projects, see California HOA maintenance and repair responsibilities and California HOA reserves.
Brush clearance and fireCounty Fire inspects each year. We could not confirm the hazard zone for Stevenson Ranch addresses.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Defensible Space Unit enforces brush clearance in unincorporated areas. Its 2026 annual notice sets these countywide rules:
- Clear combustible plants 30 feet from structures, or 50 feet in extra-hazard areas.
- Thin vegetation out to 100 feet, or up to 200 feet in extra-hazard areas.
- Clear 10 feet on each side of fire access roads and 3 feet around hydrants.
- Keep cured annual grass to 3 inches at most.
- Inspections begin April 1 in desert areas, May 1 in inland areas and June 1 in coastal areas. The 2027 dates were not published when we checked.
- You have 30 days from an Official Inspection Report. Noncompliance brings a $500 fine and a $1,647 enforcement assessment, and a $151 inspection fee goes on the 2027 tax bill.
Zone Zero, the 5-foot ember-resistant zone under AB 3074, was not final according to the county. The county describes fuel modification zones as buffers around the edges of subdivisions next to open space.
We could not read the Fire Hazard Severity Zone for Stevenson Ranch addresses, so this page does not state a zone class. Use the county GIS viewer linked from the fire hazard reduction page, or call the Defensible Space Unit at (626) 969-2375. Landscape district zones 21 and 25 include brush clearance acreage, so ask the county what it already clears.
What to do about it: Homeowners Insurance and California HOA Insurance Costs and the FAIR Plan cover what fire risk means for your policy. For what the association’s insurance has to cover, see California HOA insurance requirements.
Is this a lot for a volunteer board to track?
County rules, state law and your own documents all change, and someone has to keep up. If your Stevenson Ranch 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 Stevenson Ranch board members ask
Who makes the local rules in Stevenson Ranch?
The County of Los Angeles. The community is unincorporated, so the county code and county districts apply instead of a city code.
Can owners rent their homes short-term?
Only if they register with the county Treasurer and Tax Collector, live in the home and are not barred by HOA rules, a lease or condo rules. Your CC&Rs can prohibit it. More in How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community.
Who tows cars left on the street?
The Sheriff’s Parking Enforcement Detail issues 72-hour warnings in unincorporated areas. Call the Santa Clarita Valley Station at (661) 260-4000 for local questions.
Do I need a permit to prune an oak?
Possibly. County Code Chapter 22.174 sets the permit process, and the county is updating it. Call the Oak Tree Program at (213) 974-6476 first.
Which water agency serves my home?
A 2019 SCV Water report places Stevenson Ranch in its Valencia Water Division. Confirm with your water bill or SCV Water Customer Care at (661) 294-0828.
Is there a master association?
A county report refers to a Stevenson Ranch HOA, but we found no official site for a master association. Ask your own association which entities govern your home.
Calendar
A Stevenson Ranch board’s year
The fire dates come from the county’s 2026 notice, and 2027 dates were not published when we checked. 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
Stevenson Ranch contacts for HOA boards
The Santa Clarita Valley Station is at 26201 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita.
| Office | Phone | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| LASD Santa Clarita Valley Station | (661) 260-4000 | Non-emergency law enforcement and parking |
| LASD Parking Enforcement Detail | (323) 526-5185 | Parking enforcement information |
| LA County Fire Defensible Space Unit | (626) 969-2375 | Brush clearance |
| SCV Water Customer Care | (661) 294-0828 | Water service and rebates |
| LA County Planning, Oak Tree Program | (213) 974-6476 | Oak permit questions |
| Short-Term Rentals Unit, Treasurer and Tax Collector | (213) 974-2011 | Registration |
| Short-term rental complaint hotline | (213) 371-1070 | Unregistered listings |
For zoning status on short-term rentals, email str@planning.lacounty.gov.
Keep going
Where to go next on How2HOA
Sources for this guide
These sources open in a new tab.
County of Los Angeles: Stevenson Ranch annual report, FY 2023-24; landscape district Board report, FY 2026-27; landscape district annual report, FY 2016-17; short-term rental terms and FAQs; short-term rental terms and FAQ, May 2024; short-term rental registration; Regional Planning short-term rental fact sheet; Oak Tree Program; County Code Chapter 22.174; County Code Chapter 15.64; Fire Department 2026 defensible space notice; Fire hazard reduction programs; Sheriff Parking Enforcement Detail; Sheriff Santa Clarita Valley Station.
Other agencies: Census QuickFacts, Stevenson Ranch; SCV Water; SCV Water 2019 Santa Clarita Valley water report; SCV Water HOA and large-landscape rebates.
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. County 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.