Please review these neighborhood courtesies, regulations, and ordinances.
Welcome to our Bay Harbor neighborhood! While you are here, please observe the following:
- Parking—Park on your home’s driveway or yard, not on another’s property without permission nor blocking street passage.
- Lights—If any outdoor lights at the homelight up another home, particularly fishing lights, and are not adjusted downward, please turn them off at 10 p.m. to respect Galveston city nighttime hours of 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Speed Limit—Please encourage all drivers to observe the 20 mph speed limit throughout Bay Harbor.
- Boat—If using a boat, access shallow West Bay via the deeper marked channel west of the bird sanctuary island and observe no wake signs and all posted marina and harbor rules.
- Island—Be aware the island in West Bay just north of Bay Harbor is a protected bird sanctuary, not a play area.
- Grilling—Grilling on a wooden deck is a fire hazard. Please safely grill on ground level on a non-wooden surface.
- Sewer—Bay Harbor is not connected to the Galveston sewer system. Most homes use septic tanks. Guests may not be familiar with this. You may want to post the flushing of only septic approved toilet paper and have a plunger handy if needed.
- Trash—Pick up daily and keep trash out of reach of our plentiful varmints. (If you rent out your home, secure a second can to be certain that all trash will fit inside closed green cans.) Use the large green wheeled approved city of Galveston trash can only, and, when leaving, place it on the home’s driveway near the street, handle facing the home. Trash pick-up is early Monday morning. (If you are unable to remove your trash can from near the street on Monday, make arrangements for someone else to do that for you.
- Wind/Storms—This area is subject to unexpected wind/storms, so secure all outdoor items before leaving.
- GALVESTON COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES LOCAL REGULATIONS:
- Animals must be restrained/leased off the premises of the home. Animals should not enter neighbors’ yards or approach anyone walking or riding in the street.
- Animals should be taken indoors if barking, whining, howling, or making other sounds in an excessively, continuously, or between 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- GALVESTON CITY ORDINANCES: (Bay Harbor is located in the city limits of Galveston.)
- Sound Nuisance—Particularly during nighttime hours of 10 p.m.-7 a.m., please do not exceed the maximum permitted sound level of 70 dB(A), or basically produce any sounds that travel beyond the home property lines to disturb the comfort and sleep of others in our peaceful Bay Harbor.
- Fireworks—Because we are in Galveston city limits, fireworks are not permitted. (If you are setting off fireworks at your own risk anyway, doing so at the beach is safer than in the neighborhood, and, if not New Year’s Eve or the 4th of July, stop by 10 p.m. to comply with the sound nuisance ordinance.)
- Golf Carts
- Golf carts may only be legally driven by licensed drivers. (Police do give tickets for this.)
- Outside Bay Harbor, golf carts may legally cross, but not drive along, FM 3005. (Using 2nd St. allows you to cross the street to access the beach without risking a ticket on FM 3005.)
- Golf carts may only be driven beyond beach parking areas if handicap placards are displayed.
- Golf carts may not be driven on sand dunes.
- In Bay Harbor, golf carts should be driven on streets like cars, not on berms, in ditches, or across any other owners’ lawns.
- Lights are required to be on, if driving a golf cart at night.
- Intruding on Other’s Premises—Do not intrude on the grounds, bulkhead, or boat docks of others without consent of the owners or occupiers. (A violation of this section shall be a class C misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.00.)
- Firearms—It is unlawful to discharge any firearm in Bay Harbor. The discharge of shotguns is permitted only in excess of 500 feet from a residence or commercial structure and only using birdshot ammunition.
- Contact Galveston Police at 911 for immediate help or 409-765-3702 for non-emergency issues & animal control.
The BHIA board suggests that the linked copy of these courtesies, regulations, and ordinances be given by any Bay Harbor home owner to the management company of any neighborhood rental home and posted inside any rental home and inside any neighborhood home that might have frequent guests, particularly in the absence of the owner.
If there are issues at any home—“too loud,” “too many cars blocking the street,” “fighting,” “encroaching on another’s property,” “inappropriate activity,” “problems with pets off their property,” etc.
- Call GARM (Galveston Asso. Of Rental Managers) 409-682-3603 to report the issue(s), if the home is rented via Beach Time Vacation Rentals, Coastal Wave Vacations, Gary Greene Vacation Rentals, The House Company, Realty Executives Advantage, Ryson Vacation Rentals, or Sand `N Sea Properties, and police will visit the violated property
- Call the non-emergency police and animal control number of 409-765-3702 if the home is not a rental home or managed by another rental company
- Call 911 if the situation is an emergency
Thank you for making the communities of Bay Harbor the most enjoyable place to be on Galveston Island!