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

Municipal Code section 12-3.1 defines PREMISES to mean 'any building, lot or parcel of real estate or land or portion of land, whether improved or unimproved,' so a vacant lot falls squarely under the weed and hazard abatement article. Section 12-3.4(A)(2) then singles out vacant lots by name, declaring a nuisance where there is 'any accumulation of wastepaper, hay, grass, straw, weeds, litter, debris or combustible trash upon any roof or in any building, entranceway, court, yard, vacant lot or open space,' or any weeds, grass, vines or other growth that endangers property or is liable to catch fire.

The same article also reaches an unsecured vacant structure, deeming it unsafe under section 12-3.4(A)(7), and an excessive tire accumulation not tied to a conforming commercial use under section 12-3.4(A)(5). The responsible person, defined in section 12-3.1 as the owner or any agent, lessee or occupant in control, is responsible for clearing the lot; if they do not respond to the fire marshal's annual notice (issued by April 1 under section 12-3.5) or to a hearing opportunity under section 12-3.7, the city can abate the lot itself and place the cost as a lien on the property under sections 12-3.8 through 12-3.12. An immediately dangerous vacant-lot condition can be summarily abated without notice under section 12-3.15.