Yuba City, CA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Sec. 104 defines a 'vacant building' as any residential, commercial, or industrial structure, or any one unit of a multi-unit building, that is unoccupied or occupied by unauthorized persons, and it regulates the yards around that building along with the structure itself. Commercial and industrial properties must keep at least 50% of the non-paved, publicly visible exterior yard covered in live trees, shrubs, lawn, or other live plant material, with the remaining non-paved area covered in live plants or decorative landscaping installed over weed block; residential vacant properties need acceptable ground cover, decorative rock, redwood bark, or lawn, as determined by the City Manager's designee.

Interior yards not visible to the public only need to be kept safe, with plant growth kept under control. The same section sets hard maintenance deadlines: broken windows must be boarded within 24 hours and replaced within 72 hours; trash and debris must be removed within 72 hours of appearing; graffiti must be removed within 48 hours; and the building exterior, including paint and finishes, must be kept in good condition. The owner must also secure the structure against trespassers with working locks and intact doors and windows, though the code disfavors boarding up windows or fully fencing the property, treating that as a last resort once the City Manager's designee finds no reasonable alternative exists.

Where the City orders it, an owner must submit a vacant building plan under Sec. 105 within 30 calendar days, describing how and when the property will be occupied, sold, leased, or demolished, generally within 180 calendar days.