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El Dorado County, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Dangerous building code
El Dorado County Code Ch. 110.36
Nuisance/enforcement chapter
El Dorado County Code Ch. 9.02
Appeal body
Nuisance Abatement Hearing Board
Misdemeanor penalty
up to $1,000 or 6 months jail
Infraction alternative
up to $500 fine

Summary

El Dorado County enforces the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings against unsafe structures and treats junk accumulation, visual blight, and unmaintained pools as public nuisances. Violations are misdemeanors, and owners can appeal abatement orders to the Nuisance Abatement Hearing Board.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of El Dorado County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

The latest duly adopted Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings at the time of the proposed abatement, as published by the International Conference of Building Officials, are hereby adopted by reference for use in El Dorado County... A swimming pool, pond, or other body of water which is abandoned, unattended, unfiltered, or otherwise un-maintained, wherein the water becomes polluted by bacterial growth, algae, remains or nesting sites of insects or deceased animals or reptiles, rubbish, refuse, debris or other foreign matter, thereby creating an unhealthy, unsafe, or unsightly condition.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13 Update 4).

Full Breakdown

36 adopts by reference the latest Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, as published by the International Conference of Building Officials, for use against unsafe structures countywide, along with the notice-of-abatement procedures in Title 25 of the California Code of Regulations. 02, and affected owners are liable for fines and enforcement measures set out in that same chapter. 02 defines the public nuisance conditions the County targets: junk (trash, inoperable appliances, unregistered vehicle hulks, and construction debris), junkyards, visual blight (any deteriorated or unlawful condition detrimental to neighboring property or offensive to a person of reasonable sensibilities), and specifically an abandoned, unattended, unfiltered pool, pond, or other body of water that becomes polluted and creates an unhealthy or unsightly condition.

Any violation of the California Building, Fire, Housing, Plumbing, Mechanical, or Electrical codes is separately declared a nuisance. The Enforcement Official, defined broadly to include the Sheriff, Fire Chief, code enforcement officers, and department directors, has authority to inspect property and issue notices and orders, though officers may not carry firearms while doing so. 045 to prevent, remove, or abate a nuisance once they know or have reason to know it exists.

Violations & Fines

Maintaining a public nuisance or dangerous building is a misdemeanor under Section 9.02.050, punishable by a fine up to $1,000.00 or up to six months in jail, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense; the District Attorney may reduce it to an infraction capped at $500.00. The County can also impose administrative fees to recover abatement costs, revoke or condition related permits and licenses, and require a performance bond to secure compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What code does El Dorado County use to condemn a dangerous building?
Chapter 110.36 adopts the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings by reference, along with the Title 25 California Code of Regulations notice procedures, to govern abatement of unsafe structures.
Can I appeal an order to fix or demolish my building?
Yes. Section 110.36.030 lets you appeal a proposed or summary abatement action to the County's Nuisance Abatement Hearing Board using the procedures in Chapter 9.02.
Does an unmaintained pool count as blight in El Dorado County?
Yes. Chapter 9.02's public nuisance definition specifically includes an abandoned, unattended, or unfiltered swimming pool, pond, or body of water that becomes polluted and creates an unhealthy, unsafe, or unsightly condition.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in El Dorado County

All El Dorado County rules

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