San Bernardino Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance Rules (2026)

San Bernardino Municipal Code Chapter 8.27 implements the state weed and rubbish abatement provisions of Government Code 39501 through 39588 by declaring vegetation and debris a public nuisance and authorizing annual abatement. Each spring the City Council adopts a Weed Abatement Resolution identifying parcels requiring clearance. Owners receive mailed notice and a deadline of typically late May to complete clearance, which means mowing weeds to 3 inches or less, removing dry vegetation within 30 feet of structures and 100 feet in high fire areas such as the foothills near Devore and Verdemont, and removing rubbish, tires, and illegal dumping. Lots that are not cleared by the deadline are abated by city contractors, and the cost, typically several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on size and condition, is billed to the owner and placed as a lien on the property tax roll. Vacant lots also fall under general blight rules in Chapter 8.30, which require fencing around unsecured or dangerous lots, removal of graffiti within 72 hours of notice, abatement of attractive nuisances such as open holes or pools, and prevention of standing water under the San Bernardino County Mosquito and Vector Control requirements. Illegal dumping on private vacant lots remains the owner responsibility to clean up, though owners can report known dumpers and recover cleanup costs through civil action or the city Clean Up Grant when available.