Fillmore Grass Height Limits Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Fillmore's Municipal Code Chapter 6.04 classifies overgrown grass and vegetation that creates a fire hazard, harbors rodents or insects, or degrades the appearance of the neighborhood as a public nuisance subject to abatement. While the code does not specify a single maximum grass height in inches, Code Enforcement officers apply a practical standard: on improved residential lots, grass that has visibly grown past roughly 8 to 12 inches and is beginning to seed or dry out will typically generate a complaint or proactive citation. Dead or matted grass on any lot is treated as an accumulation of fine fuels and can be cited under both the nuisance code and the fire prevention chapter regardless of height.

More specific grass height requirements arise from Fillmore's location in the Santa Clara River Valley, where dry summer conditions and seasonal Santa Ana winds create significant wildfire risk. Properties on the north and south hillsides, along the river corridor, and in areas adjacent to open space or agricultural land are subject to Ventura County Fire Department defensible space standards. Within Zone 1 (0 to 30 feet from any structure or attached deck), live grasses must be kept irrigated and green or cut and maintained at 3 inches or less. Dry or non-irrigated grass in Zone 1 must be removed entirely, not merely mowed short. Zone 2 (30 to 100 feet) requires that dead grass and annual weeds be mowed or disced before fire season begins, typically by May 1.

Fillmore is a small agricultural community of approximately 16,000 residents, and code enforcement staffing is limited. Enforcement is primarily complaint-driven during most of the year, but the city conducts proactive sweeps in spring in coordination with VCFD to identify parcels with overgrown grass before fire season. Property owners who receive a Notice of Violation are given 10 to 15 days to correct the condition. If the owner fails to act, the city may contract for abatement and charge all costs to the property owner. Complaints can be filed with the Fillmore Code Enforcement office at (805) 524-1500 ext. 234.