Pomona, CA

Pomona is located within the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), which issues mandatory no-burn orders from November 1 through the end of February each year, with additional mandatory curtailment days issued year-round when PM2.5 forecasts exceed federal health standards. On mandatory no-burn days, all wood-burning devices including fireplaces, fire pits, wood stoves, and chimineas must remain completely unlit. Pomona's fire code also prohibits all open outdoor burning of refuse, vegetation, and debris within city limits year-round.

Pomona regulates backyard recreational fires under the California Fire Code as locally adopted, administered by the LA County Fire Department which provides fire protection services to the city. Contained recreational fires in manufactured fire pits, chimineas, or portable outdoor fireplaces are generally permitted in residential backyards on allowable burn days, subject to size, clearance, and safety requirements. Open burning of yard debris, trash, and vegetation is permanently prohibited under both Pomona Municipal Code and SCAQMD Rule 445.

Pomona permits the use of manufactured fire pits in residential backyards under the California Fire Code as enforced by the LA County Fire Department. Both wood-burning and gas-fueled fire pits are allowed, subject to size limitations, setback requirements, and SCAQMD no-burn day compliance for wood-burning models. Fire pits must be commercially manufactured or built to code with a spark arrestor or screen, and must maintain adequate clearance from structures and combustible materials. Permanent built-in fire pits may require a building permit.

Pomona Municipal Code Section 18-196 establishes quiet hours during which noise that disturbs the peace of neighboring residents is prohibited. Nighttime quiet hours run from 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM on weekdays and 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM on weekends and holidays. During these hours, any noise audible beyond the property line that disturbs the comfort or repose of a reasonable person constitutes a violation. Daytime noise is regulated under the general nuisance standard, but enforcement is significantly stricter during the designated quiet-hours window.

Pomona Municipal Code Section 18-197 restricts construction activity to designated hours to protect residential neighborhoods. Construction is permitted Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM and on Saturdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Construction is prohibited on Sundays and all City-recognized holidays. These restrictions apply to private and commercial projects alike and cover all construction noise including power tools, heavy equipment, concrete work, and demolition activities.

Pomona Municipal Code establishes noise standards tied to its zoning districts. Residential zones carry an exterior noise limit of 55 dBA during daytime hours (7:00 AM to 10:00 PM) and 45 dBA during nighttime hours (10:00 PM to 7:00 AM). Commercial zones are held to 65 dBA at all hours, and industrial zones to 70 dBA. Fixed mechanical equipment such as HVAC systems, pool pumps, and generators must not exceed the applicable zone baseline by more than 5 dBA at the receiving property line.

Pomona regulates outdoor music and amplified sound through its general noise disturbance ordinance and special event permitting process. Amplified music that is audible beyond the property line during quiet hours (10:00 PM to 7:00 AM) is prohibited. Sound trucks and mobile amplification require a city permit and may only operate between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM on weekdays. Large outdoor events at venues such as the Fairplex or in public parks require a Special Event Permit with noise management conditions.

Pomona does not issue short-term rental permits because the activity is effectively prohibited in residential zones. The Pomona Zoning Code does not list short-term rentals (stays of fewer than 30 consecutive days) as a permitted or conditionally permitted use in any residential zoning district. Without an enabling ordinance or permitting framework, residential properties may not be listed on platforms such as Airbnb or VRBO for stays shorter than 30 days. Only commercially licensed hotels and motels may offer transient lodging.

Pomona has no short-term rental registration, licensing, or home-sharing program for residential properties. Because STRs are prohibited in residential zones by the absence of an enabling ordinance, there is no registration framework for hosts to participate in. Listings discovered on platforms like Airbnb or VRBO result in code enforcement action — not an invitation to register. Only commercially zoned hotels and motels with active business licenses and Transient Occupancy Tax accounts may legally provide short-term lodging in Pomona.

Pomona does not operate a night-cap or partial-allowance short-term rental program. Because short-term rentals are prohibited in all residential zones by omission from the zoning code's list of permitted uses, there is no framework for annual night limits, hosted-only exceptions, or seasonal allowances. Unlike Los Angeles (120 nights per year) or Pasadena (primary-residency model capping at approximately 90 unhosted nights), Pomona's position is a complete prohibition with zero nights allowed for residential STR activity.

Pomona Municipal Code Article X governs public street parking throughout the city. No vehicle may be parked on any public street for more than 72 consecutive hours without being moved at least one-tenth of a mile. Many downtown streets and areas near Cal Poly Pomona have posted time-limit zones of 1 hour or 2 hours that are enforced during business hours. Street sweeping restrictions require vehicles to be moved on posted sweeping days, and parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or across a sidewalk is prohibited citywide.

Pomona restricts the parking and storage of recreational vehicles, boats, trailers, and campers on public streets and in residential front yards. RVs and boats may not be parked on any public street for more than 72 hours, and oversized vehicles exceeding 7 feet in height or 22 feet in length face additional restrictions in residential zones. Residential properties may store an RV or boat in the side or rear yard behind an opaque fence or screen, but front-yard and driveway storage visible from the public right-of-way is limited and subject to zoning requirements.

Pomona allows vehicles to park in residential driveways but prohibits parking that blocks any portion of the public sidewalk, encroaches into the street right-of-way, or obstructs access to the garage. Vehicles parked in front yard areas outside of the paved driveway surface — such as on the lawn or in unpaved areas — are prohibited in residential zones. Driveways must maintain clear access to the garage or carport required by zoning, and parking on unpaved surfaces in the front yard setback is treated as a zoning violation.

Pomona prohibits commercial vehicles exceeding 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) from parking on residential streets or in residential zones overnight. All commercial vehicles, regardless of weight, are prohibited from using residential streets as depots or long-term storage yards. Vehicles actively engaged in loading, unloading, or performing service work are temporarily exempt during daylight hours. Trailers detached from tow vehicles may not be stored on public streets in residential areas at any time.

Pomona's zoning code establishes fence and wall height limits based on yard location. Front yard fences are limited to 3.5 feet (42 inches) in residential zones, while side yard and rear yard fences may be up to 6 feet in height. Fences on corner lots must maintain a sight-visibility triangle at the intersection where no fence, wall, or hedge may exceed 3 feet within the triangle area. Retaining walls with fences on top are measured as a combined structure, and the total height may not exceed the applicable yard limit without a variance.

In Pomona, fences and walls of wood, chain link, or wrought iron that do not exceed 6 feet in height generally do not require a building permit under the California Building Code as locally adopted. However, masonry and concrete block walls exceeding 4 feet in height require a building permit with engineered structural drawings. All fences, regardless of material or permit status, must comply with Pomona's zoning height limits and setback requirements, and may require a zoning clearance from the Planning Division before installation.

Boundary fences between adjacent Pomona properties are governed by California Civil Code Section 841, the Good Neighbor Fence Law. Adjoining landowners are presumed to share equal responsibility for the reasonable costs of constructing, maintaining, and replacing a shared boundary fence. A landowner planning fence work must provide the neighbor with at least 30 days' written notice before starting work. Pomona's zoning code additionally requires compliance with local height limits and prohibited materials regardless of any private neighbor agreement.

Pomona Municipal Code Article V requires all dogs to be kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet when off the owner's property, including on all public streets, sidewalks, parks, and trails. Dogs must be under the physical control of a person capable of restraining the animal at all times. Pomona does not operate a designated off-leash dog park within city limits. All dogs over the age of four months must be licensed with the City and currently vaccinated against rabies.

Pomona regulates the keeping of chickens and livestock through its zoning code under Title 18, which ties animal-keeping privileges to lot size and zoning district. Hens are permitted on residential lots of at least 7,200 square feet in certain zones, with a cap that scales based on parcel area. Roosters are prohibited in all residential zones due to noise concerns. Livestock such as goats, sheep, and horses require larger parcels in agricultural or rural residential zones, with minimum setbacks from neighboring dwellings and property lines.

Pomona does not impose breed-specific restrictions on dog ownership. California Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683 preempts local governments from enacting breed-specific legislation, meaning no city or county in California may declare a specific dog breed inherently dangerous or ban ownership based solely on breed. Pomona's animal control regulations under Title 6 focus on individual dog behavior, requiring owners of dogs declared potentially dangerous or vicious to comply with enhanced containment, insurance, and registration requirements regardless of the dog's breed.

Pomona regulates tree trimming and removal through its landscaping standards in Title 18 and public works provisions. The city maintains an urban forestry program that protects street trees and heritage trees on both public and private property. Property owners may trim private trees at will but must obtain a permit before removing any protected tree with a trunk diameter of 12 inches or more measured at 4.5 feet above grade. Street trees are maintained exclusively by the city's Public Works Department, and unauthorized trimming or removal of street trees is prohibited.

Pomona Municipal Code Title 8 establishes property maintenance standards that require residential and commercial property owners to keep grass, turf, and groundcover at a height that does not create a public nuisance or fire hazard. Grass and weeds on improved lots must not exceed 12 inches in height at any time. Unimproved or vacant lots are held to a stricter standard and must be cleared of all combustible vegetation to bare soil or maintained at 3 inches or less during fire season. The city enforces these standards through Code Enforcement on a complaint-driven and proactive inspection basis.

Pomona enforces a strict weed abatement program under Title 8, Chapter 8.04, designating overgrown weeds and dry brush as public nuisances that must be removed by property owners. The city participates in the LA County annual weed abatement program and conducts its own proactive inspection sweeps targeting vacant lots, alleys, and neglected parcels. Property owners who fail to clear weeds within the notice period face mandatory city-performed abatement with all costs assessed as a lien on the property. The program is especially rigorous during fire season due to Pomona's inland location and hot, dry summers.

Pomona allows home-based businesses in residential zones through a Home Occupation Permit process administered by the Planning Division under the zoning code in Title 18. The business must be clearly secondary to the residential use of the property, occupy no more than 25% of the dwelling's floor area, and create no outward evidence of commercial activity. Certain business types involving hazardous materials, vehicle repair, manufacturing, or retail sales with on-site inventory display are prohibited as home occupations regardless of scale.

Pomona imposes a complete prohibition on all exterior signage associated with home-based businesses. No sign, nameplate, placard, banner, window display, or any other visual indicator of commercial activity may be placed on, attached to, or visible from the exterior of a residence operating under a Home Occupation Permit. This categorical ban extends to commercially branded vehicles routinely parked at the property. The restriction reflects the city's strict requirement that home occupations remain completely invisible to the surrounding neighborhood.

Pomona regulates customer and client traffic to home-based businesses through its Home Occupation Permit conditions under Title 18, limiting the volume and pattern of business-related visitors to levels consistent with a normal residential neighborhood. The code does not impose a strict numerical daily cap but requires that business traffic not create a commercial pattern discernible to neighbors. No designated client parking, waiting areas, or queuing spaces may be established on or near the property. Delivery traffic must be consistent with typical residential volumes.