Santa Barbara, CA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Vacant and undeveloped lots in the City of Santa Barbara are regulated primarily for wildfire risk under the City's own adoption of the California Fire Code, codified at Santa Barbara Municipal Code Chapter 8.04, plus the City's Code Compliance program for general blight. The City's Fire Department administers defensible space for all parcels in the High Fire Hazard Area, which is divided into four zones with escalating clearance: the Extreme Foothill Zone (150 feet of defensible space), Foothill Zone (100 feet), Coastal Interior Zone (50-70 feet), and Coastal Zone (30-50 feet). Under the City's fire code provisions, 'the owner, occupant or other person in control of any real property (vacant or developed) in, upon, or adjoining hazardous fire areas shall maintain an area cleared of flammable vegetation and other combustible growth for a distance of 10 feet on each side' of improved roads and private streets used for vehicular traffic. Owners are directed to remove dead grasses, weeds, plants and foliage, plus fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones and small branches. Vegetation installed without an approved landscape plan must be removed if the fire code official finds it capable of being ignited and endangering property. Separately, the City's Code Compliance Division addresses trash, debris and unpermitted storage on vacant parcels under general property-maintenance standards. (Note: weed-abatement clearance distances for High Fire Hazard Areas are set by the City; verify the current required footage with the City Fire Department before relying on a specific number.)