Inyo County, CA Property Maintenance: Weeds & Overgrown Grass (2026)

Weed and dry-grass control in the unincorporated county is governed by Inyo County Code Chapter 7.60 (Refuse and Weed Abatement), adopted by Ordinance 619 in 1985. Section 7.60.020 declares that the uncontrolled growth and/or accumulation of grass, weeds, and refuse is a public nuisance. Section 7.60.030 defines 'weeds' to include: (1) weeds bearing seeds of a downy or wingy nature; (2) sagebrush, chaparral, and other brush or weeds that attain large growth and become a fire menace; (3) otherwise-noxious weeds and grasses; (4) poison oak and poison ivy where growth menaces the public; and (5) dry grass, stubble, brush, litter, or other flammable material that endangers public safety by creating a fire hazard. Notably, Inyo County does not set a specific numeric grass height — the standard is condition-based, keyed to fire risk and noxious or hazardous vegetation, which fits the County's high-desert, fire-prone environment. The County (Building & Safety / Public Works) issues a notice to remove the weeds and refuse and can abate the nuisance directly if owners fail to act.