Alameda County requires weeds and grass to be kept below 12 inches in urbanized areas, with stricter 4-inch limits in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones under PRC 4291 defensible space rules.
Alameda County General Ordinance Code addresses overgrown vegetation as a public nuisance when weeds, grass, or vegetation exceed 12 inches in most unincorporated urbanized areas and create a fire, health, or safety hazard. In Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones covering Castro Valley hills, Fairview, Sunol-Palomares, and the Oakland Hills wildland interface, PRC Section 4291 defensible space requires annual grass to be cut to 4 inches or less within 30 to 100 feet of structures during fire season. The Alameda County Fire Department and the Weed Abatement Program issue annual notices in spring, typically April or May, with inspection deadlines in late May or June. Property owners who fail to comply face abatement by county contractors, with costs plus administrative fees assessed to the property tax bill as a lien. The program is authorized under Government Code sections 39560-39588.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Castro Valley, CA
Alameda County Code §6.60.050 prohibits repairing, rebuilding, modifying or testing vehicles in residential areas between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. if it produces so...
Castro Valley, CA
Alameda County Code §6.60.050 limits use of electric or gas leaf blowers, sweepers, vacuums, mowers, trimmers, edgers and hedgers in residential areas to 7 a...
Castro Valley, CA
Alameda County Code §5.08.060 makes it unlawful for any person owning, keeping, or having custody of a dog or other animal to knowingly permit or suffer that...
Castro Valley, CA
Alameda County Code §6.60.080 exempts construction activity from Chapter 6.60 only if it occurs between 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturd...
Castro Valley, CA
Castro Valley is unincorporated and operates under Alameda County Code Chapter 6.60 (Noise). §6.60.050 makes it a violation to operate any sound-producing de...
Castro Valley, CA
Heavy commercial vehicles - generally over 10,000 lbs GVW or 22 feet long - cannot be parked overnight on Castro Valley residential streets, and cannot be pa...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Alameda County.
See how other cities in Alameda County handle grass height limits.
See how Castro Valley's grass height limits rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.