Redding, CA Landscaping Rules: Grass Height Limits (2026)

Redding does not codify a single fixed-inch lawn-height limit like many eastern cities; instead, tall grass and weeds are regulated through (1) the City's public-nuisance and property-maintenance framework administered by Code Enforcement within Development Services and (2) the fire-hazard reduction authority of the Redding Fire Department. The default annual weed-abatement standard used across California fire-prone jurisdictions, including the Shasta County area, is to mow annual grasses to a maximum of approximately 4 inches as part of PRC §4291 defensible-space compliance (Cal Fire guidance). Improved residential properties are typically expected to maintain landscaping in a tidy, non-hazardous condition, with vacant lots receiving the most active enforcement. Code Enforcement issues a notice to abate; if the owner does not cure within the stated deadline, the City may abate the nuisance through a contractor and assess the cost as a special assessment or lien against the parcel under California Government Code §38773.5 cost-recovery authority. Redding sits in a high-fire region — much of the city limits and adjacent unincorporated Shasta County are mapped as Moderate, High, or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone by Cal Fire (PRC §§4201-4204), which raises the practical importance of weed abatement well beyond aesthetics.