Placer County, CA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Ordinance
- County Code 9.32, Part 4
- Effective date
- May 21, 2020
- Grass/weed max height
- 4 inches or less
- Tree limbing
- 6 feet from ground
- Covers vacant parcels
- Yes, within 100 ft of structures/roads
- State basis
- PRC 4291 (100 ft defensible space)
Summary
Unincorporated Placer County's Hazardous Vegetation and Combustible Material Abatement ordinance (County Code 9.32, Part 4) requires owners to clear weeds and brush for wildfire safety. Annual grasses and weeds must be kept at four inches or less; non-compliance leads to county abatement and cost recovery.
It shall be the duty of every owner, occupant, and person in control of any improved or unimproved parcel of land or interest therein, which is located in the unincorporated territory of the county of Placer, to abate therefrom, and from all private roadways, all combustible material and hazardous vegetation constituting a fire hazard that may endanger or damage neighboring property.
Full Breakdown
Placer County's weed-abatement program is run as a wildfire-defense program rather than a generic nuisance program. 32, Part 4), which the Board of Supervisors approved effective May 21, 2020, governs both improved and unimproved (vacant) parcels in the unincorporated county. Owners must abate hazardous vegetation: annual grasses and weeds maintained at four inches or less and tree branches limbed up six feet from the ground within the abatement area. California Public Resources Code 4291 already requires 100 feet of defensible space around structures, and the county ordinance extends abatement duties to owners of unimproved parcels when their vegetation lies within 100 feet of a neighboring structure or along roadways the county fire warden identifies as essential for safe ingress and egress.
The county fire warden may require clearance beyond 100 feet in extraordinary high-hazard situations. If an owner does not abate after notice, the county can abate the hazard itself (or via contractor) and recover the cost from the owner, including by lien or special assessment. The program is administered with Placer County fire agencies; questions go to the Placer County Fire District.
Violations & Fines
After a notice to abate, failure to clear hazardous vegetation lets the county perform the abatement and bill the owner for the work plus administrative costs, which can become a lien or special assessment on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Placer County make me clear weeds on a vacant lot?
What happens if I ignore a weed-abatement notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Placer County
How Placer County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Placer County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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