Tuolumne County, CA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Controlling ordinance
- Chapter 8.14 (Ord. 3428, 2022)
- Annual grass height
- Max 4 inches in Reduced Fuel Zone
- Roadway clearance
- 15 ft overhead + 10 ft Reduced Fuel Zone from edge
- Defensible space
- 100 ft (PRC 4291)
- Wood pile / propane clearance
- 10 ft to bare mineral soil
- Slope exemption
- Not required on slopes over 30% grade
Summary
Tuolumne County's weed rule is its Hazardous Vegetation Management Ordinance, Chapter 8.14 (Ord. 3428, 2022). Every parcel in the unincorporated county must clear hazardous vegetation, maintain Reduced Fuel Zones, and keep 100 feet of defensible space; the Fire Prevention Division enforces and the County can abate uncorrected hazards at the owner's cost.
5004. “Noxious weed” means any species of plant that is, or is liable to be, troublesome, aggressive, intrusive, detrimental, or destructive to agriculture, silviculture, or important native species, and difficult to control or eradicate, which the director, by regulation, designates to be a noxious weed. In determining whether or not a species shall be designated a noxious weed for the purposes of protecting silviculture or important native plant species, the director shall not make that designation if the designation will be detrimental to agriculture. (Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 556, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1993.)
Full Breakdown
14 of the Ordinance Code, the County Hazardous Vegetation Management Ordinance (Ord. 3428, 2022). 050 prohibits allowing hazardous vegetation to accumulate so as to constitute a fire hazard in violation of PRC 4291, which requires 100 feet of defensible space around dwellings and buildings. 060 imposes a duty on every owner/responsible person to remove hazardous vegetation from driveways, roadways, and road easements they control, maintaining 15 feet of overhead clearance from the road surface and a 10-foot Reduced Fuel Zone from the roadway edge; unimproved parcels must complete a Reduced Fuel Zone within 100 feet of a building on an adjacent parcel.
030(N)) includes mowing annual grass to a maximum of 4 inches, spacing shrubs and trees, removing standing dead vegetation, and keeping 10 feet of clearance around wood piles and propane tanks. Fuel reduction is not required within stream beds/banks, riparian areas, wetlands, areas with cultural resources, or on slopes greater than 30% grade. The County draws its authority from California Health and Safety Code 14875-14931, the California Fire Code, 14 CCR 1270-1276, PRC 4291, and Government Code 25845.
Violations & Fines
Allowing hazardous vegetation to accumulate as a fire hazard violates Section 8.14.050. The Fire Prevention Division enforces the chapter through the County code-compliance process (Chapter 1.10): owners get an Opportunity to Correct or a Notice and Order, and the County may abate the nuisance and recover its abatement costs from the owner under Health and Safety Code 14875-14931 and Government Code 25845/25845.5. These violations affect health and safety and are not subject to the usual statute of limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tuolumne County make me clear weeds on my property?
What if I don't clear the hazardous vegetation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tuolumne County
How Tuolumne County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Tuolumne County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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