Martinez, CA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

California Food & Agricultural Code §5004 authorizes county agricultural commissioners to maintain noxious weed lists and coordinate with landowners for control. The Contra Costa County Agricultural Commissioner works with Martinez Code Enforcement and ConFire on invasive plant abatement, particularly in hillside and open-space-adjacent parcels. High-priority invasive species in the Martinez area include: yellow star-thistle (Centaurea solstitialis), French/Scotch broom (Genista/Cytisus), pampas grass (Cortaderia), giant reed (Arundo donax), cape ivy (Delairea odorata), and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). Many of these are on the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) high-impact list and also create fire hazards — French broom in particular is highly flammable and prohibited in the WUI. Property owners adjacent to Briones Regional Park, Alhambra Creek, and open-space preserves face heightened expectations from East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) and the John Muir Land Trust, which conduct adjacent-land outreach. CEQA mitigation for new development often requires invasive plant removal. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) "A" and "B" rated pests may trigger state-level abatement authority. Homeowners are encouraged to plant California natives and drought-tolerant non-invasives listed on the Cal-IPC "PlantRight" alternatives list. Sale and planting of some invasive species (e.g., pampas grass in landscape trade) remains legal statewide but is discouraged in Martinez.