Richmond, CA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

California Food and Agricultural Code Section 5004 tasks county agricultural commissioners with maintaining noxious-weed lists. Richmond property owners are subject to the Contra Costa County Department of Agriculture's A- and B-list noxious weeds, which include yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis), pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana), French broom (Genista monspessulana), Scotch broom, and Arundo donax (giant reed). These species are particularly problematic in the East Bay because they fuel wildfire, outcompete native habitat, and invade the shoreline and creek corridors. Richmond's Code Enforcement coordinates with the County Agricultural Commissioner for state-listed noxious weeds, while the municipal code separately addresses general vegetation blight under Gov Code 39560 et seq. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) publishes the statewide noxious weed list with A (eradication), B (containment), and C (no state action but locally managed) ratings. Residents are not typically fined for common lawn weeds (dandelions, crabgrass), but persistent stands of state-listed invasives on a parcel can trigger an abatement notice. The Richmond shoreline and Wildcat Creek corridor have active restoration programs that remove invasive pampas grass and broom; property owners adjacent to these habitats are encouraged to remove invasives to support restoration. East Bay Regional Park District and the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District offer volunteer removal days and sometimes cost-share programs. Herbicide use for weed control is subject to California Department of Pesticide Regulation rules and may require a county agricultural commissioner permit for restricted-use products.