Santa Maria, CA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited condition
- Vegetation 'likely to harbor rats or vermin' (5-6.202(c)(3))
- Enforcement path
- Compliance Order, then Hearing Officer review
- Max administrative penalty
- $2,500/day, $100,000 total cap
- Public record
- Notice of Nuisance recorded with County Recorder
- Unresolved nuisance
- City may abate directly and lien the property
Summary
Santa Maria's property nuisance ordinance makes it unlawful to maintain premises with dead, decayed, infested, or overgrown vegetation 'likely to harbor rats or vermin.' Code Compliance officers issue a written Compliance Order, and an unresolved violation goes before a Hearing Officer, who can issue a Nuisance Abatement Order and record it against the property with the County Recorder.
It is unlawful for any person owning, renting, leasing, occupying, managing or having charge, or possessing of any real property in this City to maintain such premises in such a manner that any of the following conditions are found to exist thereon: ... (c) Property maintained in a condition so defective, unsightly, or in a state of such deterioration, disrepair or neglect that it causes a health, safety or fire hazard or an attractive nuisance to children such as: ... (3) Trees, weeds, or other vegetation which are dead, decayed, infested, diseased, overgrown, or likely to harbor rats or vermin, or which are detrimental to neighboring property or property values;
Full Breakdown
Section 5-6.202(c)(3) declares it unlawful for any owner, tenant, or person in charge of real property to maintain premises where trees, weeds, or other vegetation are 'dead, decayed, infested, diseased, overgrown, or likely to harbor rats or vermin, or which are detrimental to neighboring property or property values.' Any property found in violation of Section 5-6.202 is declared a public nuisance under Section 5-6.203, and the City may record a Notice of Nuisance with the Santa Barbara County Recorder to give constructive notice to buyers and successors.
The Compliance Officer serves a written Compliance Order (Section 5-6.206), and if the condition isn't corrected in the time given, the matter goes to a hearing before a Hearing Officer appointed under Section 5-6.101, following the procedures of Sections 1-8.06 and 1-8.07. If the Hearing Officer finds the violation continued past the compliance deadline, they issue a Nuisance Abatement Order (Section 5-6.303), which the City Clerk records with the County Recorder once no appeal is filed (Section 5-6.310) and releases upon compliance. Property owners may appeal to the Hearing Officer's decision under Section 5-6.306 before that recordation occurs.
Violations & Fines
If the nuisance isn't corrected under the Nuisance Abatement Order, the City may abate it directly and impose the cost as a special assessment or lien on the property under Sections 5-6.402/5-6.403. Separately, Section 1-8.09(a) lets the Hearing Officer impose administrative penalties of up to $2,500 per day for each ongoing violation that is a misdemeanor under the Code, capped at $100,000 total exclusive of administrative costs, interest, and inspection restitution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Santa Maria rule addresses rodent-attracting properties?
What happens after a Compliance Order is issued?
How much can the City fine me for a rodent-harborage nuisance?
Can the City record a nuisance notice against my property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Maria
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Maria to another location·View the California public health rules overview
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