Shasta County, CA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Weed/grass height in clearance area
- 6 inches max (County Code 8.10.050(A))
- Tree stump height
- 8 inches max above ground
- State grass-cut standard
- 4 inches in 30-100 ft zone (14 CCR 1299.03)
- Defensible space distance
- Up to 100 ft (County 8.10 / PRC 4291)
- Enforcement
- Fire Warden; nuisance abatement + lien
Summary
Unincorporated Shasta County has no general aesthetic lawn-height limit, but its defensible space ordinance (County Code Chapter 8.10) caps weeds and annual grasses at six inches when they are removed as fire fuel within required clearance areas. Statewide PRC 4291 also requires 100 feet of defensible space around structures.
Compliance with the defensible space requirements shall be achieved through the vegetation management and removal as provided here. Vegetation removal shall be conducted using mowing, cutting, grazing, or trimming methods that minimize surface disturbance, maintain root structure integrity, and prevent soil erosion. Tree stumps shall be cut no higher than eight (8) inches above ground level. Weeds and annual grasses shall not exceed a height of four (4) inches. On-site chipping of trees or vegetation is permitted provided materials are dispersed to a depth not exceeding six (6) inches. Urban Parcels that are two (2) acres or less in size shall have the entire area of the parcel treated for hazardous vegetation. For urban parcels between two and less than ten acres, property owners must maintain either a thirty-foot perimeter of defensible space around the property and/or complete a hazardous vegetation mitigation plan as specified by the Fire Warden or their designee.
Full Breakdown
Shasta County does not impose a county-wide cosmetic lawn-height limit the way some cities do. The enforceable height standard comes from fire protection. 050(A) states that 'the height of weeds and annual grasses shall not exceed a height of six inches,' that removed-tree stumps be cut no higher than eight inches, and that on-site chipping not exceed six inches in depth. These standards apply within the defensible space a responsible party must maintain: 100 feet from the exterior perimeter of any improvement, up to 30 feet along property lines where fuel endangers a neighbor's structure, and up to 10 feet on each side of roads and driveways.
03) calls for cutting annual grasses to a maximum of four inches in the 30-to-100-foot zone. Tall dry grass that is not part of a required clearance zone is generally addressed only when it becomes a fire hazard or public nuisance.
Violations & Fines
Failure to maintain required defensible space is a fire hazard and public nuisance enforceable under County Code Chapters 1.08, 1.12 and 8.28. The County may abate the nuisance and specially assess or lien abatement costs against the parcel under Government Code 25845 and Health and Safety Code 14931.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Shasta County limit how tall my lawn can be?
Is the six-inch limit the same as the state's defensible space rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shasta County
How Shasta County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Shasta County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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