Unincorporated Contra Costa requires weeds and dry vegetation to be cut to 3 inches or less in developed areas and 4 inches in rural/wildland areas under the county weed abatement program. The fire marshal issues annual abatement notices each April and contracts out clearing at owner cost plus administrative fees if not completed.
Contra Costa County Ordinance Code Chapter 416 (Weed Abatement) and Government Code sections 39560–39588 authorize the Board of Supervisors to declare dry weeds, grasses, and brush a public nuisance and abate them. Under the ConFire weed abatement program, developed residential parcels must maintain grass and weeds at no more than 3 inches in height; rural and vacant parcels in hazardous fire areas must be cleared to 4 inches within 100 feet of structures and along 10 feet of roadway edge. Each spring (typically April 1), ConFire mails weed abatement notices to parcels that failed prior-year inspection or fall in high-risk zones. Owners have until a stated deadline (usually June 1 or June 15) to comply. Non-compliance triggers contractor abatement—ConFire's contractor clears the property and the county records a special assessment lien on the tax roll for contractor costs plus a $350–$700 administrative fee. Repeat offenders may be placed on auto-abatement for multiple years. Ornamental lawns and irrigated green landscaping are exempt as long as they remain green and watered.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Contra Costa County, CA
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See how Contra Costa County's grass height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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