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

Garden Grove's property maintenance standards require all residential and commercial property owners to keep their landscaped areas — including front yards, side yards, rear yards, and parkway strips — maintained in a condition that does not create a nuisance or hazard. Grass, weeds, and other vegetation that exceeds 12 inches in height is classified as a public nuisance under the city's nuisance abatement provisions. This threshold applies to all types of grass and ground cover, whether ornamental turf, natural lawn, or volunteer vegetation.

The vegetation height standard addresses fire safety, public health, and neighborhood aesthetics. Orange County's warm, dry climate and periodic Santa Ana wind events create fire risk from overgrown vegetation, and tall grass and weeds provide harborage for rodents, mosquitoes, and other pests. Garden Grove's code enforcement division actively patrols for overgrown properties and responds to complaints filed by neighbors. When a violation is identified, the property owner receives a notice to abate the condition, typically with a compliance deadline of 10 to 15 days depending on severity.

Property owners who wish to reduce water consumption by converting traditional lawns to drought-tolerant landscaping are encouraged to do so under California's statewide water conservation regulations. However, simply allowing a lawn to die without replacing it with approved landscaping may constitute a separate violation for property blight. Acceptable alternatives include xeriscaping with native plants, decomposed granite, mulch, artificial turf, or other approved ground cover materials. Garden Grove's Community and Economic Development Department can provide guidance on acceptable landscaping conversions, and the city participates in Orange County water district rebate programs for lawn-to-garden conversions.