Sonoma County Code Chapter 13A requires grass on improved and unimproved parcels in unincorporated areas to be cut to 6 inches or less, with a stricter 4-inch limit within 10 feet of neighboring structures and along roadway frontage.
Chapter 13A of the Sonoma County Code (Abatement of Hazardous Vegetation and Combustible Material), adopted as Ordinance No. 6148, applies countywide in unincorporated areas. Under the implementing standards published by Permit Sonoma's Fire Prevention and Hazardous Materials Division, grasses in the Zone 1 defensible-space area (within 30 feet of structures, or to the property line) must be cut to 6 inches or less. Along roadway frontage and within 10 feet of neighboring structures on unimproved parcels, grasses must be trimmed to less than 4 inches in height. In State Responsibility Areas (SRA), Zone 2 (30-100 feet from structures) carries a 4-inch maximum. Cutting to bare soil is prohibited to prevent erosion. Inspections are conducted annually beginning in late spring; if a property fails the first inspection, the owner has 30 calendar days to bring it into compliance, then 15 calendar days after a second failed inspection.
Failure to maintain grass at the required height is a violation of Chapter 13A. Penalties include reinspection fees, citation, and forced abatement by the County at the owner's expense; the owner is also liable for all damage and emergency response costs from any resulting fire. Unpaid fees, penalties, and abatement costs may be recorded as a lien on the property.
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