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Glenn County, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Water restrictions in Glenn County, CA, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.

Key Facts

Rule
Water required landscaping or face citation
Applies to
Residential plantings visible from street
Exception
Active water rationing measures
Basis
Glenn County Code § 1.15.022(A)(6)
Appeal window
10 days after notice
Penalty accrual cap
90 calendar days

Summary

In unincorporated Glenn County, letting required landscaping die from lack of water is a public nuisance under Glenn County Code Section 1.15.022(A)(6), which requires residential lawns and landscaping visible from the street to be watered enough to prevent dead or dying growth and fire hazards, unless water rationing has been imposed.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Glenn County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Failure to install or to maintain landscaping required by this code or other requirements of the county. Required landscape maintenance under this section includes, but is not limited to, providing adequate watering to maintain and prevent fire hazards such as dead and dying lawns or other landscaping plantings in all residential districts when any residential lawn or landscaping planting has been installed and is visible from the public right-of-way, except in the event that water rationing measures have been imposed.

Full Breakdown

022(A)(6) makes it a public nuisance to fail to install or maintain landscaping required by the county code or other county requirements. The section specifically ties required landscape maintenance to watering: it directs that maintenance includes, but is not limited to, providing adequate watering to maintain and prevent fire hazards such as dead and dying lawns or other landscaping plantings, wherever a residential lawn or landscape planting has been installed and is visible from the public right-of-way. 15, Public Nuisance Abatement, adopted by Ordinance 1281 in 2019.

The code carves out one exception: the watering duty does not apply while water rationing measures have been imposed, recognizing that a homeowner cannot be cited for a dying lawn during a mandated water shortage. 060.

Violations & Fines

A property owner who lets required landscaping die without a water-rationing exception can be issued an administrative citation with a penalty that accrues from the date of the Notice of Violation for up to 90 calendar days under Section 1.15.090. Unresolved violations expose the owner to county abatement action and recovery of costs as a lien, tax assessment, or civil judgment under Section 1.15.060.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Glenn County cite me for a dead lawn?
Yes. Section 1.15.022(A)(6) treats a dead or dying residential lawn or landscape planting visible from the public right-of-way as a public nuisance if the owner failed to provide adequate watering, unless water rationing measures are in effect at the time.
Does the watering rule still apply during a drought?
No. The code excuses the watering duty whenever water rationing measures have been imposed by the relevant water provider, so a homeowner complying with a mandatory rationing order cannot be cited under Section 1.15.022(A)(6) for a lawn that dies as a result.
What happens after I get a landscaping violation notice?
You have ten calendar days from service of the Notice of Violation to request a hearing before the administrative hearing officer under Section 1.15.090, or you can correct the watering problem before that deadline to avoid further enforcement action.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Glenn County

All Glenn County rules

How Glenn County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Glenn County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview

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