Chino Hills, CA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Weed and brush control in Chino Hills is primarily a wildfire-safety program, not a cosmetic nuisance rule. The City directs that homeowners finish cutting weeds on their property by May 15 each year, with the program typically beginning before fire season in April and continuing through July. The City states the work is required pursuant to the Chino Valley Independent Fire District's code and is performed under the direct supervision of that District to create a buffer or fuel-modification zone between structures and open space. For properties in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ), defensible-space standards apply based on California Government Code and CVFD Ordinance 2022-01, including brush clearance, removal of weeds and some shrubs, and removal of ladder fuels and undergrowth that let a ground fire climb into the tree canopy. The City's broader Vegetation Management program (a multi-year effort on City open space) works toward roughly 10-foot crown-to-crown separation between tree canopies and removes ladder fuels. For exact required clearance distances and grass/brush heights on a specific parcel, the Fire District's standards and notices control; FHSZ questions go to the CVFD Fire Marshal (firemarshal@chofire.org).