Tuolumne County, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing code
- Tuolumne County Ordinance Code Chapter 1.10 (Code Compliance)
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Tuolumne County (not the City of Sonora)
- First-violation penalty
- $100, rising to $200 then $500 within 12 months (unspecified violations)
- Correction period
- Opportunity to Correct up to 90 days (except health/safety violations)
- Unpaid costs
- Become a lien / special assessment on the property
- Report to
- Code Compliance, (209) 533-6511; private-property dumping line (209) 533-5577
Summary
In unincorporated Tuolumne County, blight such as accumulated garbage, refuse, rubbish and recyclables on private property is a code violation abated under Chapter 1.10 Code Compliance. The County uses Opportunity to Correct and Notice and Order procedures, with penalties, abatement, and liens for noncompliance.
22660. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a city, county, or city and county may adopt an ordinance establishing procedures for the abatement and removal, as public nuisances, of abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles or parts thereof from private or public property, and for the recovery, pursuant to Section 25845 or 38773.5 of the Government Code, or assumption by the local authority, of costs of administration and the removal. (Amended by Stats. 1988, Ch. 126, Sec. 1.)
Full Breakdown
Tuolumne County's Community Development Department Code Compliance program enforces the Ordinance Code on private property and road rights-of-way in the unincorporated area. 10 (Ord. 3457, 2024) sets the abatement framework. 020(Q) lists "accumulated solid waste" among "violations impacting health and safety," which bypass the five-year statute of limitations and the normal Opportunity to Correct step. 020(M)), then a Notice and Order if uncorrected. 070(C), penalties for unspecified violations run \$100 first, \$200 second, and \$500 for additional violations within 12 months, assessed daily for up to 15 days after a Notice and Order; commercial properties that fail to remove visible refuse face escalating building-code penalties up to \$2,500. 260). Note: complaints about abandoned or inoperable vehicles are directed to the Sheriff's Department, and weeds/brush complaints to CAL FIRE, not Code Compliance.
Violations & Fines
Allowing accumulated garbage, refuse, rubbish, junk, or other blight to constitute a public nuisance under Civil Code 3479 and the Tuolumne County Ordinance Code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tuolumne County regulate property blight in unincorporated areas?
What happens if I don't clean up after a notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tuolumne County
California rules heatmap·Compare Tuolumne County to another location·View the California property maintenance overview
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