Ontario requires owners of vacant lots to clear weeds, trash, and fire hazards annually under OMC Chapter 30 and Fire Code Chapter 49 to reduce wildfire and blight risks.
Owners of vacant and undeveloped parcels in Ontario must maintain the property free of weeds more than 6 inches tall, dead vegetation, accumulated trash, and combustible materials. The Ontario Fire Department conducts annual weed abatement inspections each spring under California Fire Code Chapter 49 and OMC Chapter 30, mailing notices to parcels that require cutting, discing, or clearing. Owners typically have 30 days to clear the lot; failure to act results in the City contractor performing the abatement and recording the cost as a lien on the property tax bill along with an administrative fee. Vacant lots must also be secured against illegal dumping and trespass, which may require fencing along public frontage. Dirt lots with visible debris or dumping are cited as public nuisances and must be cleaned immediately on notice. Lots adjacent to Wildland-Urban Interface zones require a wider defensible space clearance under California Public Resources Code 4291.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Ontario, CA
Outdoor music is regulated under OMC Title 5 Chapter 29 and the special-event permit process. Venues and events with amplified sound need a city permit; resi...
Ontario, CA
Aircraft noise from Ontario International Airport (ONT) is regulated by the FAA, not the city. ONT runs an FAA Part 150 noise compatibility program; federal ...
Ontario, CA
Ontario requires a building permit for masonry walls and any fence over 7 feet under the California Building Code. Retaining walls over 4 feet also require p...
Ontario, CA
Ontario fence requirements include zoning-based heights, setbacks, sight triangles, buffer walls on industrial edges, and CBC structural standards. Pool, ret...
Ontario, CA
Ontario limits residential fence heights under the Development Code. Typical maximums are 6 feet rear/side, 3 feet front, and 42 inches in sight-distance tri...
Ontario, CA
Ontario requires dogs to be leashed off-property under OMC Title 6. Maximum leash length is 6 feet, with owner control required in all public spaces except d...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Bernardino County.
See how other cities in San Bernardino County handle vacant lot maintenance.
See how Ontario's vacant lot maintenance rules stack up against other locations.
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