Ventura, CA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height trigger
- 50% of weeds/grasses over 12 inches
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 8.10.130(C)
- Enforcing agency
- Community Development code enforcement division
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under § 8.10.150
- Cost recovery
- Nuisance abatement lien or tax-roll special assessment
- Repeat violation
- Treble abatement costs within two years
Summary
The City of Ventura caps weed and grass height under Municipal Code Section 8.10.130(C): if 50 percent of the weeds or grasses within a property's weed or grass growth area exceed 12 inches, the property is a declared public nuisance. Community Development's code enforcement division can order the owner to mow or clear the growth through the same nuisance abatement hearing process used citywide.
It is declared a public nuisance for any person owning, leasing, occupying or having charge or possession of any real property in this city to do any of the following: ... C. ... To maintain or fail to maintain the property so as to allow 50 percent of the weeds or grasses within the weed or grass growth area on the property to exceed 12 inches in height.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-008, passed May 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
10's Article 1 nuisance list, sets a numeric standard rather than a general hazard test: it is a public nuisance to maintain or fail to maintain a property so that 50 percent of the weeds or grasses within its weed or grass growth area exceed 12 inches in height. This numeric trigger stands apart from subsection B, which separately reaches unmowed growth that becomes a fire or health hazard regardless of height, so a lot can violate one, both, or neither depending on the facts.
430 that identifies the alleged violation. 460, issues a final and conclusive decision ordering abatement within a set time. 4110, or transfers it to the county tax roll as a special assessment. 4120.
Violations & Fines
Letting more than half the weeds or grasses on a growth area grow past 12 inches violates Section 8.10.130(C) and is a misdemeanor under Section 8.10.150. Enforcement starts with a notice of hearing, not a citation; if the owner does not mow after the hearing officer's order, the city clears the lot and bills the owner, recording unpaid costs as a nuisance abatement lien under Section 8.10.4110 or a special assessment on the tax roll.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can weeds get on my property in Ventura before it's a violation?
Who enforces the weed height rule and how does the process start?
What if I ignore the order to mow?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ventura
How Ventura compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Ventura to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Weed Ordinances in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle weed ordinances.