San Ramon, CA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Municipal Code § B6-131(E) lists 26 conditions the city council has declared public nuisances, including item 2's 'accumulation of debris, litter, dirt, overgrown vegetation, dead trees or plant materials or weeds' and item 12's overgrown, dead, decayed or diseased trees or vegetation that are likely to harbor rats and vermin, pose an injury risk, or overhang or obstruct a sidewalk, street, driveway or alley. Subsection C makes it unlawful for any person or entity to maintain, create, cause or permit a public nuisance on private or public property, and subsection D places primary responsibility on the property owner regardless of whether the lot is occupied.

Enforcement runs through Article 2: the city manager may enter the front yard setback and areas visible from the street to inspect under § B6-142, and issue a notice of violation under § B6-145 describing the condition and giving the owner between thirty and ninety days to voluntarily correct it. An owner may request an administrative hearing to contest the notice within ten days under § B6-146, or the city can proceed with administrative citations and fines under § B6-143, which must be paid within thirty days of issuance.

Unaddressed nuisances can be abated by the city with the cost, plus administrative expenses, assessed against the property as a special assessment or lien under Article 3 of the chapter.