4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Napa County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Napa County does not impose a numeric inch-based grass height limit on ornamental lawns. Instead, Chapter 8.36 (Fire Protection — Fire Hazard Abatement) regulates combustible dry grass and weeds, requiring property owners to clear or reduce flammable vegetation within 100 feet of structures and along roadsides as part of defensible space.
Napa County Code Chapter 18.108 (Conservation Regulations), as amended by the 2019 Water Quality and Tree Protection Ordinance, requires permits for tree removal in stream setbacks and sensitive watershed areas, imposes mitigation ratios for cut oaks, and requires retention of at least 70% of pre-1993 tree canopy in sensitive domestic water supply drainages. Note: Measure C (Oak Woodland Initiative, 2018) narrowly failed at the ballot.
Napa County Code Chapter 8.36 (Fire Protection — Fire Hazard Abatement) requires property owners to clear weeds, dry grass, brush, dead trees, and rubbish that constitute a fire hazard. The Napa County Fire Marshal conducts annual inspections, issues abatement notices, and may have nuisance vegetation removed at the owner's expense under §8.36.100.
Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 5004
5004. “Noxious weed” means any species of plant that is, or is liable to be, troublesome, aggressive, intrusive, detrimental, or destructive to agriculture, silviculture, or important native species, and difficult to control or eradicate, which the director, by regulation, designates to be a noxious weed. In determining whether or not a species shall be designated a noxious weed for the purpose...
Napa County urges residents to limit lawn watering and prioritize tree care during dry periods. Most water restrictions are imposed by individual retail providers — the City of Napa, Calistoga, St. Helena, American Canyon, and Yountville — each of which adopts its own Water Shortage Contingency Plan. The City of Napa currently bans conventional spray irrigation except on two assigned days per week.
Cal. Code Regs. tit. 23, § 490 et seq. (Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance)
About 40% of the water Californians use at home is used outdoors. Large water savings can be gained by efficient landscape design, installation, management, and maintenance. This is accomplished by choosing climate adapted plants, improving soil conditions, using, and maintaining high efficiency irrigation equipment and managing the irrigation schedule to fit the plants water needs as they are ...
1 cities in Napa County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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