Low-Impact Camping Ordinance
HCGA members attended the Planning Commission public workshop on 8/20/2026 to discuss potential revenue opportunities for rural farms under the Low-Impact Camping Ordinance proposal. Potential licensees were given a proposal that seemed arduous, but doable with amendments from further discussion back and forth between community members and current operators. Location for potential campsites on the parcel seemed to be a common interest among participants, but many agreed a pack-in/pack-out model was sufficient.
When this workshop concluded and was brought to the Planning Commission, much to HCGA’s surprise, they agreed the ordinance was too complex and sent it back to the drawing board. The original text below was approved by the state, reminding the public of some limitations required by the Planning Commission.
Assembly Bill 518, Chapter 157, Statutes of 2025. Low-Impact Camping Areas
Low-Impact Camping Area Property
Requirements and Limitation*
AB 518 Specifies that low-impact camping areas must meet all of the following
requirements:
(1) Provides for the transient occupancy rental Of a temporary sleeping accommodation, not exceeding 14 consecutive nights per camper and not exceeding 28 nights per calendar year per camper.
(2) Includes no more than nine temporary sleeping accommodations, of which no more than four may be concurrently occupied by recreational vehicles, as defined in Section 18010.
(3) Does not include a temporary sleeping accommodation that is rented out for permanent human occupancy.
(4) Does not allow for on street parking.
(5) Complies with applicable state and local fire safety requirements.
(6) Complies with applicable state and local tax and fee requirements, including, but not limited to, the payment of local transient occupancy taxes.
(7) Complies with applicable local requirements for disposal of human waste, or in the absence of applicable local requirements, maintains sanitation facilities that are fully self-contained or connected to a permitted sewage disposal system serving the property
(8) Complies with applicable local requirements for disposal of trash, or in the absence of applicable local requirements, requires all solid waste to be removed from the premises after each occupancy and onsite trash receptacles to abide by applicable animal-protection trash best practices or requirements.
(9) Complies with applicable local requirements for quiet hours. or in the absence of applicable local requirements. enforces quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
(IO) Complies with applicable local requirements relating to low-impact campsites, low-incident camping, or incidental camping, including, but not limited to, local zoning, permit, lot size, and setback requirements.
(11) Designates an operator or property manager who is available by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
(12) Includes no more than one temporary sleeping accommodation per acre and is located on a parcel of two acres or more.
(13) Requires all temporary Sleeping accommodations to be located no less than 200 feet from any offsite residence and no less than 30 feet from any adjoining property or road.
(14) Is not located on a site that meets both Of the following:
(A) A site that is a legal parcel or parcels located in a city if, and only if, the city boundaries include some portion of either an urbanized area or urban cluster, as designated by the United States Census Bureau, or, for unincorporated areas, a legal parcel or parcels wholly within the boundaries of an urbanized area or urban cluster, as designated by the United States Census Bureau.
(B) A site in which at least 75 percent of the perimeter of the site adjoins parcels that are developed with urban uses.
(15) Has not been used as a special occupancy park for the last five years unless both of the following are true.
(A) The area was a special occupancy park before January 1 , 2024.
(B) The area met the requirements of this subdivision on January 1, 2023.
