Medford, OR Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Medford's weed and brush nuisance law doesn't treat every parcel the same. 430(1) sets tailored mitigation standards for land that isn't built out. 5 acres separated by 30-foot cross-breaks, and wherever the vacant land sits next to an improved subdivision or property, an additional 100-foot firebreak is required, with the width of an adjoining road counted toward that 100 feet. Platted subdivisions that have paved streets but aren't fully built out get a stricter rule: every individual lot must have its fire-hazard vegetation disked, cut, or removed, the firebreak substitute isn't offered.

Unmaintained agricultural land follows the same one-acre-plus formula: a minimum 30-foot perimeter firebreak measured from the edge of the road, plus the 100-foot buffer next to any improved subdivision or property. All of these standards can be enforced outside the May-to-September season if the Fire Chief determines the unmaintained vegetation is a fire hazard. As with the general weed rule, the City Manager can mail a 15-day notice, and if the owner of a vacant parcel doesn't comply, the city can send crews to disk, cut, or remove the hazard and record the cost as a lien against the property, with a hardship appeal available through the City Recorder and City Council.