Arcadia, CA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Section 9406.5 sits in the Development Code's property maintenance and nuisance abatement chapter, under the City's registration program for unoccupied residences. Subsection A requires unoccupied properties to be, in comparison to the neighborhood standard, kept free of weeds, dry brush, dead vegetation, trash, junk, debris and building materials. It also requires visible front and side yards to be landscaped and maintained to the neighborhood standard existing at the time registration was required. The yardstick is the neighborhood, not a measurement: the section prints no height limit for grass or weeds. Section 9403 separately puts a duty on the owner or occupant of any improved or unimproved lot to keep it free of substandard, nuisance and unlawful conditions, and it prints no weed height either.

A property becomes an unoccupied residence under § 9406.2 when a building intended as a single family residence is legally unoccupied or shows evidence of vacancy that has lasted at least thirty (30) days. Overgrown or dead vegetation is itself listed as evidence of vacancy. Properties actively under construction, in escrow, or actively marketed by an identified listing agent are excluded. Under § 9406.3 the owner registers with the Development Services Department when the home will not be occupied within thirty (30) days, names at least two other authorized agents, and provides a local 24-hour contact who can respond within one hour. The fee is set by City Council resolution and the registration is valid for one year.

Enforcement runs through Code Services. Under § 9404.2 a written Notice of Violation orders correction within 14 days, or sooner if the condition is a hazard to public health or safety. The responsible party can request a hearing within fourteen (14) days after the notice is mailed, and the Director's decision is final (§ 9404.3). If the City abates the weeds itself, § 9405.2 has Code Services mail an itemized invoice by certified mail, and the owner can request a hearing with the Director in writing within 10 days of the notice date. Unpaid costs become a special assessment after thirty (30) calendar days (§ 9405.3), and the City can also record a nuisance abatement lien with the Los Angeles County Recorder's Office (§ 9405.4). Section 9406.6 authorizes police officers, code services officers and the Building Official to enforce the chapter.