Petaluma, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing official
- Petaluma fire chief
- Legal basis
- Gov. Code §§ 39501-39502
- Unpaid abatement cost
- Becomes a property tax lien
- Emergency abatement
- Allowed without prior notice
- Excluded vegetation
- Defensible-space and riparian zones
Summary
Petaluma's hazardous vegetation and rubbish abatement ordinance, Chapter 10.70, declares all hazardous vegetation and combustible material on real property in the city a public nuisance because of the wildfire risk it poses. That covers dry grass, brush, chaparral and other flammable growth, and the fire chief can order it removed and bill the cost to the property owner.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "hazardous vegetation and rubbish abatement ordinance." The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the removal of hazardous vegetation and combustible material situated on real property so as to reduce the potential for fire and to promote the public health, safety and welfare of the community. ... Petaluma generally has a climate conducive to wildfires and is prone to periodic dry conditions and wind events. Many of Petaluma's native and nonnative plant species can be highly flammable during normal dry periods and have contributed to significant wildfires within the county. ... ... 2. Weeds and indigenous grasses, like sagebrush and chaparral, which may attain such large growth as to become, when dry, a fire menace to adjacent improved property; ... ... 5. Dry grass, stubble, brush, litter, or other flammable material which endangers the public safety by creating a fire hazard.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2931 NCS, passed July 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
010(B)). 020(C) to include weeds that carry downy or wingy seeds, "indigenous grasses, like sagebrush and chaparral, which may attain such large growth as to become, when dry, a fire menace to adjacent improved property," poison oak and poison ivy under conditions that menace public health, and "dry grass, stubble, brush, litter, or other flammable material which endangers the public safety by creating a fire hazard," though maintained defensible-space vegetation and protected riparian zones are excluded. 060). 120 lets the fire chief abate it immediately without prior notice, filing a written report afterward. 040(D)).
Violations & Fines
A property owner who lets hazardous vegetation stand faces the cost of city abatement plus administrative and inspection expenses, which the fire chief itemizes and the city council confirms after a hearing on objections (10.70.070, 10.70.080); the confirmed amount becomes a special assessment and lien on the parcel that the county auditor adds to the property's next tax bill, subject to the same penalties and foreclosure procedures as delinquent property taxes if unpaid (10.70.090).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Petaluma require property owners to clear brush?
What counts as hazardous vegetation under Petaluma's ordinance?
What happens if I don't clear hazardous vegetation myself?
Can the city skip the hearing in an emergency?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Petaluma
California rules heatmap·Compare Petaluma to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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Brush Clearance in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle brush clearance.