Sutter County, CA Landscaping Rules: Grass Height Limits (2026)

There is no ordinance in unincorporated Sutter County that caps lawn or weed height at a specific number of inches. Enforcement is fire-driven, not aesthetic. Under County Code section 600-250 (Chapter 600, Fire Prevention and Regulation, as amended by Ordinance No. 1703, adopted January 24, 2023), the County Fire Services Manager may clear, or order the clearing of, land and may remove or order removal of dry grass, stubble, brush, rubbish, litter or other inflammable materials when, in the Manager's judgment, they endanger public safety by creating a fire hazard. The section expressly makes the procedure in Part 5, Division 12 of the California Health and Safety Code applicable to Sutter County, so notice, hearing and abatement follow the statutory weed-abatement process. Because the trigger is fire risk rather than a fixed grass height, a tall but green, irrigated, non-flammable yard is generally not a violation, while dry summer growth on a vacant lot can be. State law backstops the County: Public Resources Code section 4291 separately requires defensible space (typically 100 feet) around structures in State Responsibility Areas. Property owners in the unincorporated county should keep dry vegetation cleared and respond promptly to any abatement notice.