Orange County HOA Guide
Westminster HOA Guide: Local Rules for Boards and Owners
Westminster had 90,911 residents in the 2020 Census, and the Census Bureau puts its owner-occupied housing rate at 53.4%. The Orange County Fire Authority has provided fire service since 1995, and the city’s own Water Division supplies water.
This guide collects the city rules a Westminster 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 Westminster’s website and municipal code, the Orange County Fire Authority, the Municipal Water District of Orange County and the U.S. Census Bureau on November 3, 2026. The city’s permanent water restrictions page and its water conservation code chapter would not open for us, so this page does not give watering hours. We also could not open the city’s powered yard equipment rules, so we do not give leaf blower hours, and we did not find penalty amounts for short-term rentals, fire hazard zone information or any Mello-Roos or assessment districts on the city pages we reviewed. The 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
HOAs in Westminster at a glance
The city pages we checked do not list homeowners associations or say how many there are. Here is what shapes life in a Westminster association:
No public agency we checked gives a count of Westminster’s HOAs or a typical dues figure, so we do not quote one. Owners and tenants should read their own governing documents to learn what their association covers.
Local rules
Rules that apply in Westminster
Three layers of rules apply to a Westminster 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 banRentals of 30 days or less are prohibited in residential zones.
Chapter 9.74 of the Municipal Code, added by Ordinance No. 2566 in 2020, covers transient uses, meaning the rental of a single-family or multifamily home for 30 days or less. What it says:
- Prohibited (section 9.74.020): it is unlawful to offer, make available or rent a home, unit or room for a transient use in residential and mixed-use zones, and in nonresidential zones developed with homes.
- Booking sites (section 9.74.030): a hosting platform may not complete a booking for residential property in Westminster when it receives a fee for that booking, and may not collect fees for related services such as cleaning or property management.
- Hotels exempt (section 9.74.040): the chapter does not apply to hotels, motels or other lodging the code expressly permits.
The code pages we read do not state fine amounts. The city’s Code Enforcement FAQ lists Airbnb-type home businesses among the things residents can report, at (714) 548-3246 or through the MyWestminster app. Your association can also prohibit short rentals in its own documents, and a matching rule gives owners one clear answer.
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.
RV street parking permitsNo RV may park on a city street without a police permit.
No permit is issued for an RV with unpaid parking citations, and an RV without a visible permit may be cited. Call the police non-emergency line at (714) 548-3212 about an RV blocking a driveway or leaking fluids. The Code Enforcement FAQ also says vehicles may not be parked or stored on a front lawn.
The city pages we read cover public streets. They do not say whether the city enforces parking on private association streets, so we could not confirm it.
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.
Noise and construction hoursConstruction and maintenance noise only from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and never on Sundays.
Limits drop by 5 dB(A) for tonal or impact noise, speech and music, and short bursts may run louder by set steps. Because maintenance work has no exemption on Sundays, schedule landscape crews for Monday through Saturday. Report noise problems to Code Enforcement at (714) 548-3246.
What to do about it: Managing Outside Vendors for Your HOA and How to Hire a Contractor for Your Homeowners Association.
Front yards and parkway treesHalf of a front yard must be landscaped, and parkway trees belong to the city.
- Front yards: the Code Enforcement FAQ says front yard paving is not allowed and at least 50% of a front yard must be landscaped with foliage. Overgrown or bare lawns, trash bins in view, unpermitted additions and garage conversions can all be reported.
- Parkway trees: the city says trees in the parkway are city trees. The city trims them on a set schedule and replaces them as needed, and the owner of the adjoining property is responsible for watering them.
- New trees: owners can pay the city $330 per tree to plant one, or pick a tree from the city’s list and get a free tree voucher through Public Works. Parkway tree rules are in Municipal Code section 12.12.130.
For an association, the practical step is to map which trees are the city’s and which are yours before you sign a tree contract. Tree questions go to Public Works at (714) 895-2876.
What to do about it: How to Propose Changes to Your Property in an HOA and Planning Your HOA Budget. For how architectural review works under California law, see California HOA architectural review and owner rights.
Water and turf rebatesCity water, MWDOC rebates and a 2029 deadline for decorative grass.
The city’s Water Division supplies water in Westminster. The city partners with the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) on residential and commercial rebates, including turf removal, smart sprinkler timers, sprinkler nozzles, drip irrigation and landscape design help. MWDOC’s commercial rebate page lists turf replacement at $2 per square foot plus $100 per tree for up to five trees, smart controllers at $35 per station and rotating nozzles at $2 each. It says amounts may vary by agency and depend on funding, and artificial turf does not qualify. Ask MWDOC at (714) 593-5036 whether your common areas qualify.
Under AB 1572, the 2023 state law, HOA common areas must stop using drinking water on nonfunctional turf by January 1, 2029. MWDOC says nonfunctional turf is grass kept only for looks, while grass used for recreation or as a community space is functional, and associations with more than 5,000 square feet of irrigated common area must self-certify every three years starting June 30, 2031.
The city has a permanent water restrictions page, but it would not open for us, so ask the Water Division at (714) 548-3699 for the current watering hours before you set irrigation timers.
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.
Fire serviceThe Orange County Fire Authority serves Westminster from three stations.
The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) has served Westminster since 1995. It runs Station 64 at 7351 Westminster Boulevard, Station 65 at 6061 Hefley Street and Station 66 at 15061 Moran Street. The city’s fire page has a fire safety effort aimed at mobile home parks.
The city and OCFA pages we reviewed do not say whether any part of Westminster is in a fire hazard severity zone, so check your addresses on CAL FIRE’s map. Fire prevention questions go to OCFA at (714) 573-6254, and its Ready, Set, Go program at (714) 573-6774 covers defensible space.
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.
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 Westminster 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 Westminster board members ask
Are short-term rentals legal in Westminster?
No. Chapter 9.74 prohibits renting a home or room for 30 days or less in residential and mixed-use zones. More in How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community.
Can an owner park an RV on the street?
Only with a Police Department permit, for loading, unloading or maintenance, and no more than 12 permits per address each year. Email RVPermits@westminster-ca.gov.
Will the city tow from our private streets?
We could not confirm. The pages we read cover public streets. Call the police non-emergency line at (714) 548-3212 and see How to Set Up a Towing Service.
When can our landscapers work?
Maintenance noise is exempt from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and not on Sundays or federal holidays.
Who takes care of the trees in the parkway?
The city owns and trims parkway trees, and the adjoining property owner waters them. Call Public Works at (714) 895-2876.
Who provides fire service?
The Orange County Fire Authority, from Stations 64, 65 and 66.
Calendar
A Westminster board’s year
The construction and maintenance hours, the RV permit limit and the 2029 and 2031 turf dates are legal requirements. The seasonal 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
Westminster contacts for HOA boards
| Office | Phone | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Code Enforcement | (714) 548-3246 | Short-term rentals, noise, yards and property violations, with a 24-hour voicemail line |
| Code Enforcement Manager | (714) 548-3478 | Disputing a notice of violation |
| Police non-emergency | (714) 548-3212 | RVs blocking driveways or leaking fluids |
| Police dispatch | (714) 898-3315 | After-hours water emergencies |
| Water Division | (714) 548-3699 | Water service and watering rules |
| Water customer service | (714) 894-3796 | Water accounts |
| Public Works and Corporation Yard | (714) 895-2876 | Parkway trees, street sweeping and water crews |
| Business License Division | (714) 548-3254 | Landlords leasing more than three homes |
| Midway City Sanitary District | (714) 893-3553 | Trash, bulky items and sewer |
| Orange County Fire Authority | (714) 573-6000 | Fire authority headquarters |
| OCFA fire prevention | (714) 573-6254 | Fire prevention questions |
| MWDOC turf rebates | (714) 593-5036 | Turf replacement and irrigation rebates |
For emergencies, call 911.
Keep going
Where to go next on How2HOA
Sources for this guide
These sources open in a new tab.
City of Westminster: Municipal Code Chapter 9.74, transient uses including short-term rentals; Code Enforcement FAQs; RV ordinance permits; Municipal Code Chapter 8.28, noise control; parks and trees; water rebates; Public Works FAQs; OCFA fire service in Westminster.
Other agencies: Orange County Fire Authority contacts; MWDOC commercial rebates; MWDOC, nonfunctional turf (AB 1572); CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, fire hazard severity zones; U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Westminster.
California law: 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.