California Code, Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1806

(a) No city shall be held liable for failure to maintain any road until it has been accepted into the city street system in accordance with subdivision (b) or (c).

(b) Except as provided by Section 989, or by Section 57329 or 57385 of the Government Code, no public or private street or road shall become a city street or road until the governing body, by resolution, has caused the street or road to be accepted into the city street system.

(c) In lieu of the procedure set forth in subdivision (b), the governing body of a city may, by ordinance, designate a city officer to accept, on behalf of the governing body, streets and roads or portions thereof, into the city street system and to record conveyances to the city of real property interests for street and road uses and purposes.  The designee shall, prior to recording any conveyance under this section, affix a certificate to the instrument stating the acceptance into the city street system and designating the name or number, or both, of the city street or road.