Fairfield, CA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Fairfield treats vacant parcels and structures under Chapter 27 (Community Preservation). Vacant land must be maintained so it does not create an unreasonable fire risk — owners are required to remove weeds and vegetation that could constitute a fire hazard. Vacant buildings must be structurally sound, with all systems (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) in conformance with the California Building Standards Code and not creating a hazard to public health or safety. A 'vacant building' is any building not legally occupied unless it meets all codes, does not contribute to blight, is ready for occupancy, and is actively being offered for sale, lease, or rent — or is actively being maintained and monitored by the owner. Owners subject to registration must designate a responsible agent; an owner living within 60 miles of the parcel may designate themself, but an owner more than 60 miles away must designate an agent with a home or place of business inside Fairfield. Window displays are required for vacant commercial space in the downtown and downtown-core districts. Separately, California Government Code §38773 authorizes any city to declare weeds on private property a public nuisance and abate them at the owner's expense. Solano County Resource Management's Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (wildland-urban interface) feeds Fairfield's weed-abatement priorities.