CDP
Yosemite Lakes
Yosemite Lakes is a Census-designated community in Madera County covering about 20.902 square miles. It is not an incorporated city. The county is usually the first government layer, while utilities and special districts can follow their own boundaries.
Starting point
Start with the county unless an official district says otherwise.
A Census-designated place is a useful local name, but it usually does not have its own city hall. For permits, records, taxes, courts, and many services, begin with the county layer.
What changes the answer: Special districts, utilities, schools, fire agencies, parks, water agencies, coastal rules, and state maps can still control a specific issue.
How local government works here
The place name, county, and service districts do different jobs.
Yosemite Lakes is a real community name. It does not create a city government. The county and local districts divide the public work for the address.
The community name is not city hall
Yosemite Lakes is what the Census calls a census-designated place. It normally has no mayor, city council, or city permit desk. Start with Madera County for county work.
The county handles the local government lane
County planning and building usually handle an address outside a city. The county also handles property value, tax bills, records, courts, elections, health, and many aid programs.
Services may come from separate districts
Water, sewer, fire, schools, parks, roads, trash, and power can follow lines that do not match the place name. Check the bill, parcel, or district map before assuming the county provides the service.
Countywide answer
Madera County permits work better with an address or APN
Madera County's online permit page asks people to have the property address or Assessor's Parcel Number ready before they apply, pay, or check permit status.
Read the full explanation2025 population
Not available
Land area
20.902 sq mi
Water area
0.097 sq mi
Local front desk
Start with the task in front of you.
Yosemite Lakes is a Census-designated place, not an incorporated city. Start with Madera County; utilities and special districts can still have their own boundaries.
- Property Open the property-tax path
Assessed value, exemptions, tax bills, and appeals
Madera County assessor handles value and exemptions. The clerk of the board handles a formal value appeal. The tax collector handles the bill, payment, and penalties.
- Records Open the records path
Deeds, birth and death records, marriage records, and name changes
Madera County recorder is the usual deed and public-record door. Vital-record access depends on the record and year. A legal name change or divorce decree can involve Superior Court.
- Property work Open the local-office path
Building permits, ADUs, zoning, code, water, and septic
Start with Madera County planning or building. Water, sewer, fire, and other special districts may have a separate approval.
- Housing Open the housing path
Rent rules, repairs, notices, and eviction papers
Start with a local rent, housing, or code office if one serves the address. Court papers go to the Superior Court self-help path, and the deadline on the papers keeps running.
- Household help Open the benefits path
CalFresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, General Assistance, and IHSS
Madera County social-services agency is the main local door. Coverage, food, cash aid, and in-home support remain separate programs with separate notices.
- Public health Open the health path
Vaccines, disease reporting, health records, and local health programs
Madera County public health is the local health jurisdiction. Health coverage and benefits still use separate program doors.
- Business Open the business path
Business setup, seller's permits, local licenses, and regulated work
State filings and tax accounts do not replace county zoning, licensing, building, fire, or health approvals for the address.
- Neighborhood services Open the local-office path
Potholes, streetlights, graffiti, trash, and service requests
Start with Madera County for county-maintained roads and services. Caltrans, utilities, transit systems, waste haulers, and special districts can own separate reporting paths.
- School and care Open the school and care path
School enrollment, student records, and child-care checks
The school district handles assignment and records. County offices can help with some family services, while the state licenses child-care facilities.
- Parking Open the parking path
Residential, guest, overnight, and local parking permits
A local parking permit is separate from a citation, moving ticket, and toll notice. Match the permit to the address, vehicle, district, or parking facility.
- Tickets Open the ticket path
Traffic court, parking citations, and toll notices
Madera County Superior Court handles traffic court matters. A city or issuing agency handles parking. The toll operator handles toll notices.
- Safety Open the emergency path
Emergency alerts, evacuations, smoke, roads, and power
Use the county or city alert system for local warnings. Follow the local emergency office for evacuation wording, then use the state fire, smoke, road, and utility sources for the matching layer.
Official county doors
Open the office that owns the next step.
California's statewide directories and verified official corrections supply the county-specific links below. Property and recorder links open the state directory because several county offices can share one task.
Madera County
Practical notes
Office, map, permit, and paperwork notes for Yosemite Lakes
Countywide answer · Home and property · Reviewed July 14, 2026
Madera County alerts work better when your phone is already signed up
MCAlert is Madera County's primary warning system, while MaderaAware and Genasys show address-based evacuation zones, current status, and road closures.
County practical note · Home and property · Reviewed July 5, 2026
Madera curbside cleanup has a set-out routine
Madera's residential curbside cleanup helps with bulky household items, but it has city-limit, timing, pile-size, sorting, and hazardous-waste rules.
County practical note · Cars and driving · Reviewed July 6, 2026
Madera Metro covers fixed routes and curbside Dial-A-Ride
Madera Metro provides fixed-route bus service plus Dial-A-Ride and ADA paratransit options, with route and scheduling help through the city's transit office.
County practical note · Rules and licenses · Reviewed July 4, 2026
Madera business licenses usually need a planning check first
Madera asks local business license applicants to clear the proposed location and activity with Planning before the license application is processed.
County practical note · Rules and licenses · Reviewed July 1, 2026
Winter wood burning in the Valley gets a daily status
In the San Joaquin Valley, residential wood-burning rules can change by county and day during the winter Check Before You Burn season.
County practical note · Rules and licenses · Reviewed June 30, 2026
Madera outdoor watering starts with the current city stage
Madera posts outdoor water-use regulations by stage, including watering days, time windows, runoff limits, and hose rules for city residents.
Stories & Notes
Stories and local context in Madera County
Countywide story · Outdoors
Bass Lake gives Madera County a warm-water mountain day
Bass Lake sits in the Sierra National Forest above Oakhurst, with camping, boating, fishing, hiking, day-use areas, group areas, and accessible facilities at several recreation sites.
County place story · History and culture
Madera County Museum keeps the old courthouse working as memory
The old Madera County Courthouse now holds local museum rooms for farming, flumes, military history, family stories, and the original courtroom.
County place story · History and culture
A mountain train keeps Madera County's logging story moving
The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad near Fish Camp gives Madera County a living link to Sierra logging country, with narrow-gauge track, Shay locomotives, and a small museum stop.
County place story · History and culture
Madera County Museum turns the old courthouse into a local memory house
Madera County Museum sits in the old 1900 courthouse, with three floors of exhibits on agriculture, pioneer families, military history, water, and the original courtroom.
County place story · History and culture
Fairmead turned landfill work into an Ice Age fossil story
The Fossil Discovery Center near Fairmead grew from fossils found at a Madera County landfill, including Ice Age animals from the San Joaquin Valley.