Overgrown Conditions
City Codes state that grass and weeds higher than 10 inches in height within 200 feet of any building, recreational area, or street right-of-way is not allowed. The City’s Weed Abatement Program is a year-round effort to keep Fresno clean and safe. During the fire season, the primary goal is to prevent fire hazards and blight.
Weeds And Tall Grass Abatement Program
The City’s Weed Abatement Programis a year-round effort to keep Fresno clean and safe.
Each year, the Division deals with approximately 5,000 property owners of vacant lots and lots with vacant structures in order to mitigate weed issues. Violations pose a significant fire hazard during the peakfire season. Property owners are asked to maintain their property THROUGHOUT the year and to keep their property free from dry grass, weeds, trash, and debris. This means that the owner must disk and/or clean their lots and ensure that they remain free from fire hazards and debrisall year long. If a property is found to have a violation with no visible attempts for clean-up, the property is summarily abated. The property owner is then billed for the cost of abatement plus an administrative fee. The average bill totals about $500.00.
During the fire season, our primary goal is to prevent fire hazards and blight through proactive code enforcement. However, the program continues year-round to keep City-owned and privately-owned lots and parcels free from weeds, trash, debris, abandoned cars, tires, overgrown vegetation, and tumbleweeds.
The compliance rate by property owners has increased each year. We appreciate your interest and hope the information provided helps you understand the City standards for vacant lots and lots with vacant structures.
Thank youfor doing your part to keep Fresno clean and safe!
The City of Fresno may require additional or more stringent abatement on certain properties because of special problems with terrain, land use, growth, location, or the fire history of the property. These standards apply to all weeds, grass, or other vegetation that is normally dry during the year, particularly in the summer, and all combustible rubbish. Standards also apply to all vacant and unimproved lots throughout the year, including those lots with vacant structures on them.
Public Notice of Weed Abatement of Vacant Lots
City Standards For Weed Abatement
The following are minimum abatement standards.
The City of Fresno may require additional or more stringent abatement on certain properties because of special problems with terrain, land use, growth, location, or the fire history of the property. These standards apply to all weeds, grass, or other vegetation that is normally dry during the year; particularly in the summer, and all combustible rubbish.
These standards shall apply to all vacant and unimproved lots throughout the year, including those lots with vacant structures.
All Properties:
This includes any alleys, sidewalks, park strips, or unimproved public easem*nts abutting a property.
- Remove all rubbish, trash, trimmings, litter, tires, and combustible waste material.
- Disc all weeds, grass, brush, or other combustible vegetation according to the disking standards set forth below for parcels over or under five (5) acres.
- Remove all grass and other cuttings after mowing, hoeing, or cutting.
- Remove all sagebrush, chaparral, tumbleweeds, and any other brush or weeds which attain growth as to become a fire menace to adjacent improved property when dry.
Vacant Structures:
- Make sure all windows are intact; board-up those that are broken.
- Make sure all doors are locked or nailed shut.
- If your property is fenced, make sure all planks or links are in good condition.
- If you board-up your structure(s); please do so with solid sheets of wood – scraps tend to be torn off easily.
- Secure all structures (garages, sheds, accessory buildings) on your property – not only the main building.
Disking Standards for Parcels UNDER Five (5) Acres:
- All disking work should be completed so that weeds, grass, crops, or other vegetation or organic material which could possibly burn, are substantially turned over so there is insufficient fuel to sustain or allow the spread of fire.
- Along fence lines and other places where disking may not be possible, hand work including mowing, weed-eating, or hoeing may be utilized.
- These areas must be free and clear of growth and dead vegetation.
- Disking Standards for Parcels OVER Five (5) Acres:
- In lieu of disking the entire parcel, firebreaks may be provided in such a manner that no single fire area shall exceed five (5) acres.
- Firebreaks shall be constructed in such a way as to be a continuous strip of land, which is clear of all combustible weeds, grass, stubble, rubbish, or other material, which would allow the travel of fire.
- Firebreaks may include fire-resistive vegetation, such as irrigated crops, ice plant, green ivy, and other live plants recognized by the City as being fire-resistive.
Firebreaks:
Provide 30-foot wide firebreaks around all combustible structures and storage areas.
- Provide 30-foot wide firebreaks along each side of any roads accessible to the public and around all brush areas.
- Provide 15-foot wide firebreaks along each side of fenced property lines, ditches, and creeks.
- Any parcel which is adjacent to developed property must have 30 foot wide firebreaks along the fence/property line Graded fire roads (not less than 15 feet in width) may be done in lieu of 15 feet width of disked firebreaks where specifically pre-approved by the City.
- Abandoned orchards, vineyards, etc., should be completely abated. No firebreaks are allowed
Non-irrigated pasture land being used for grazing must have 30 foot wide firebreaks with substantial cross-disking.
PLEASE NOTE: Should a fire occur due to the lack of weed and/or debris removal, the Fire Department may charge you for any and all firefighting costs incurred by the City.
Improper Parking: RVs, Boats, Commercial Vehicles
City of Fresno Codes state that trucks or trailers with the capacity of more than one ton and made by the manufacturer to be used for commercial use are not allowed to be parked on a residentially zoned property. Recreational vehicles (RVs, tent trailers, and boats) or auto trailers must be stored in a side or rear yard enclosed behind a five-foot wall or fence. (Other restrictions may apply.) It is also illegal to park, store upon, or otherwise obstruct the public right of way (sidewalk, park strip, driveway approach, or alley) with a vehicle.
