Contra Costa County, CA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Weed threshold
- Over 18 inches
- Governs
- Unimproved lots, tracts, parcels
- Resecuring window
- 24 months, no new notice needed
- Cost recovery
- Lien or civil action against owner
- Appeal path
- Chapter 14-4, per § 720-6.620
Summary
Unimproved lots in unincorporated Contra Costa County fall under the county's Vacant Property Ordinance, Chapter 720-6, which bars owners from letting nuisance conditions like weeds over eighteen inches, dumped trash, or discarded vehicles accumulate. Properties with repeat nuisance problems can be ordered fenced, and the county building official can fence the lot itself and bill the owner if the order is ignored.
No owner shall maintain or allow the maintenance of vacant property in such a manner that any nuisance condition exists on the vacant property... "Nuisance condition" is one or more of the following conditions occurring on a vacant property:(1)Substantial amounts of trash, debris, rubbish, or garbage;...(5)Weeds over eighteen inches in height... After issuing a notice and order to abate, the county building official may secure the vacant property and recover costs as provided for in Article 720-6.8 if the owner does any of the following:(1)Fails to erect a fence in the manner and within the time specified in the notice and order to abate;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Ordinance Code: Supplement 103).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 720-6, the Vacant Property Ordinance of Contra Costa County, applies to any unimproved tract, lot, easement, or parcel in the unincorporated county, per Sections 720-6.202 and 720-6.208(d). Section 720-6.404(a) bars an owner from maintaining or allowing a 'nuisance condition' on vacant land, a term Section 720-6.208(b) defines to include substantial trash or debris, discarded vehicles, boats, trailers, or parts, attractive nuisances like abandoned equipment or unsafe pools and excavations, discarded furniture or shopping carts, and weeds over eighteen inches in height. When the county building official documents a nuisance condition, it can issue a notice and order to abate; if the property has previously required a court or administrative order, or the nuisance recurs, the county can also order the property secured with a fence meeting building inspection department specifications.
If the owner fails to erect a compliant fence within the time given, Section 720-6.612(a) lets the county building official secure the property itself and recover the cost of materials, labor, and administrative overhead from the owner, either through a lawsuit or a lien on the property under Chapter 14-6. A property that becomes unsecured again within twenty-four months of a prior securing can be resecured by the county without a new notice and order first. Owners can appeal any building official determination under this chapter under Chapter 14-4, per Section 720-6.620.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 720-6.610, a vacant property owner who ignores a notice and order to abate faces county-initiated remedies including infraction prosecution under Chapter 14-8, administrative penalties under Chapter 14-12, and nuisance abatement under Chapter 14-6, in addition to the county fencing and rebilling the owner under Section 720-6.612. Reinspection fees under Section 720-6.804 apply on top of any abatement costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can weeds get on a vacant lot in unincorporated Contra Costa County before it's a violation?
What can the county do if I don't fence my vacant lot as ordered?
Can the county resecure my lot without warning me again?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Contra Costa County
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