Thousand Oaks requires property owners to maintain defensible space through brush clearance under Ventura County Fire Protection District regulations and the City's fire hazard abatement program. Properties in wildland-urban interface areas must maintain 100 feet of clearance around structures.
Thousand Oaks, served by the Ventura County Fire Protection District, enforces vegetation management requirements consistent with PRC Section 4291. Properties in fire hazard areas, including those bordering the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and open space preserves, must maintain a minimum 100-foot defensible space zone. Zone 0-1 (0-30 feet) requires lean, clean, and green landscaping with fire-resistant plants, removal of dead vegetation, and clearance of debris from roofs and gutters. Zone 2 (30-100 feet) requires vegetation thinning to reduce fuel continuity. The city's Community Development Department coordinates with VCFPD on annual weed abatement inspections. Thousand Oaks has adopted enhanced fire protection standards for the Wildwood and Lynn Ranch interface areas. Free chipping programs are periodically offered to assist residents with brush clearance compliance.
Non-compliance after the annual inspection notice results in city-contracted abatement with costs billed to the property owner, typically $500-$2,500. Administrative fees of $200-$400 are added to abatement charges. Unpaid costs become a lien on the property. Repeated non-compliance may result in additional fines of $100-$500 per day. Contact Thousand Oaks Code Enforcement at (805) 449-2100 or VCFPD at (805) 389-9710.
Thousand Oaks, CA
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Thousand Oaks, CA
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Thousand Oaks, CA
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