Rancho Cucamonga, CA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Rancho Cucamonga enforces weed abatement through Municipal Code Chapter 8.19 and the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection Districts Hazard Reduction Inspection Program. Each spring, typically in April, RCFPD and Code Enforcement inspect parcels citywide, with heightened focus on the foothill VHFHSZ, vacant lots, and properties adjacent to open space. Weeds and dry vegetation must be cut to 4 inches and dead material (including tumbleweeds, dead palm fronds, and fallen branches) must be removed. Property owners receive a Notice to Abate by mail, with an initial compliance period usually around 30 days. Re-inspections follow, and properties that remain non-compliant are abated by a city-hired contractor. The cost of abatement plus a significant administrative fee (often a few hundred dollars) is billed to the owner, and unpaid amounts become a lien placed on the property tax roll. The program applies to vacant lots, foreclosed properties, and occupied residences alike. Tumbleweeds are specifically called out because Rancho Cucamonga experiences seasonal Santa Ana winds that pile them against fences and homes. Disposal should be through Burrtec green waste service or a scheduled bulky pickup, never by burning.