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

The provision in the Novato Municipal Code that names vacant lots is its litter rule, and weeds and brush on empty land fall under the general nuisance and maintenance sections. In the Police Regulations chapter, Section 14-6.20 prohibits any person from throwing or depositing litter on any open or vacant private property within the City of Novato, whether owned by that person or not. Section 14-6.19 puts the burden on the owner: the owner or person in control of any private property must at all times maintain the premises free of litter, although storing litter in authorized private receptacles for collection is allowed.

Occupied property gets a parallel rule in Section 14-6.18. On the overgrowth side, Section 1-6.4 declares public nuisances any accumulation of debris or rank overgrowth constituting a fire hazard, potential to become a fire hazard, or likely harborage for vermin, and any tree, weeds, or other vegetation that is overgrown, dead, decayed, or diseased and likely to harbor vermin or a serious risk of physical injury to the public. It also reaches packing boxes, litter, garbage, junk metal, and automobile parts whose volume, type, or length of storage promotes infestation by rats or vermin.

Section 19.31.030 of the Zoning Ordinance applies to any property, or on-site improvements, and presumes vegetation overgrown or dead after 15 days from the Director's notification. Enforcement of the zoning rule runs through Division 19.59: the Director gives the record owner and any person in control of the site a written Notice of Violation with a 30-day correction period, and the City recovers its administrative costs from the property owner. Under Section 1-6.6 the Community Development Director can also refer a nuisance to the Housing and Building Codes Appeals Board.