Fremont east foothill properties must maintain 100 feet of defensible space per PRC 4291. The Fire Department conducts annual inspections in Mission Peak, Weibel, and Niles foothill zones.
Properties in the Fremont east foothills Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (Mission Peak, Vargas Plateau, Weibel Canyon, Niles Canyon, Mission San Jose foothills) must comply with Public Resources Code 4291, which requires 100 feet of defensible space around all structures. Zone 1 (0 to 30 feet) must be lean, clean, and green: no dead vegetation, limbs trimmed 10 feet from chimneys, grass mowed to 4 inches or less, and combustible mulch kept at least 5 feet from siding under the new AB 3074 Zone 0 ember-resistant rules. Zone 2 (30 to 100 feet) requires horizontal and vertical tree spacing, grass cut to 4 inches, and ladder fuel removal. The Fremont Fire Department conducts annual weed abatement inspections starting in April. Non-compliant properties receive a correction notice and face forced abatement with costs placed as a lien on the property tax roll.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Fremont, CA
Fremont limits leaf blower use to daytime hours and must comply with California AB 1346 banning sales of new gas blowers statewide as of 2024.
Fremont, CA
Fremont limits industrial noise to 70 dBA at commercial property lines and 55 dBA at abutting residential lines under FMC Chapter 5.30.
Fremont, CA
Fremont treats persistent dog barking as a public nuisance under FMC Chapter 6, with Animal Services investigating complaints and issuing citations.
Fremont, CA
Fremont permits wood, masonry, vinyl, and metal fences but restricts barbed wire, electric fencing, and combustible materials in fire-hazard zones.
Fremont, CA
Retaining walls over 3 feet high require engineered permits in Fremont, with extra scrutiny for Mission Peak and Hayward Fault slope areas.
Fremont, CA
Fremont prohibits exotic and wild animals under California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 671 and FMC Chapter 6, preempting most exotics.
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Alameda County.
See how other cities in Alameda County handle brush clearance.
See how Fremont's brush clearance rules stack up against other locations.
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