Auburn has no formal defensible space mandate but requires abatement of hazardous vegetation under ACC 8.20. Dead, dry, or fire-prone plant material must be removed on city notice.
Auburn City Code Chapter 8.20 declares accumulated dead vegetation, dry brush, weeds, and debris that pose a fire hazard to be a public nuisance subject to abatement. While Auburn, located in the urban Green River valley and Muckleshoot plateau, has lower wildfire risk than eastern Washington, the 2021 International Fire Code adopted through ACC 15.36 requires owners to maintain property clear of combustible vegetation within 30 feet of structures in wildland-urban interface zones. Lea Hill and the plateau neighborhoods along the east edge of the city abut WUI areas where DNR state-level defensible space standards apply under RCW 76.04. Valley Regional Fire Authority may issue an abatement order requiring clearance within 10 to 30 days; failure to comply allows the city to abate at owner expense and place a lien on the property. Routine maintenance clearance of shrubs, dry grass over 8 inches, and dead tree limbs within defensible zones is recommended annually before July.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Auburn, WA
Auburn applies WAC 173-60 EDNA limits through ACC 8.28. Residential: 55 dBA day, 45 dBA night. Industrial receiving: 60 dBA day, 50 dBA night. Measured at th...
Auburn, WA
Industrial sources into residential zones are capped at 60 dBA day and 50 dBA night under WAC 173-60 via ACC 8.28. The Boeing Auburn plant and Valley warehou...
Auburn, WA
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Auburn, WA
Outdoor concerts and festivals must meet ACC 8.28 limits and often need a special event permit. Downtown Auburn and Les Gove Park events follow a written noi...
Auburn, WA
Auburn restricts RV, trailer, and boat parking on public streets to 72 hours and sets additional limits on driveway and front-yard storage of recreational ve...
Auburn, WA
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in King County.
See how other cities in King County handle brush clearance.
See how Auburn's brush clearance rules stack up against other locations.
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