Grass Valley Municipal Code Ch. 8.36 Weed Abatement

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Sec. 1 of Ord. No. 763, adopted Oct. 27, 2015, repealed Ch. 8.36, which pertained to similar subject matter, consisted of §§ 8.30.010—8.30.140, and derived from the prior code; and Ord. 639, 2004. Sec. 2 of said ordinance enacted new provisions to read as herein set out.

Every person who owns or is in possession of any property within the city shall, at his or her own expense, maintain his or her property free from any growth of weeds or other flammable vegetation that constitutes a fire hazard.

(Ord. No. 763, § 2, 10-27-2015)

In order to reduce fire hazards and nuisances associated with weeds, other flammable vegetation, refuse, rubbish and dirt upon or in front of private property, the city council may conduct proceedings pursuant to the California Government Code, Title 4, Division 3, Part 2, Chapter 13, Article 2 (Section 39560 et seq.). Such proceedings may include requiring abatement of fire hazards throughout the city, entering upon private property and performing abatement where the private property owner does not abate, and placing a lien on the property to recover costs.

(Ord. No. 763, § 2, 10-27-2015)

A. No property owner may allow any portion of any vegetation on his or her property to interfere with street and emergency vehicle access, regardless of whether the access is along a public street or along a private residential access road. Vegetation must be trimmed back a minimum distance of three feet from the edge of street pavement. Vegetation must also be trimmed to a minimum height of thirteen feet six inches above street pavement. The fire chief or his or her designee may provide written notice to the property owner requiring vegetation to be trimmed for a specified additional distance when the fire chief determines the vegetation would otherwise interfere with street or emergency vehicle access. If the property owner fails to maintain these clearance requirements, the city may abate this nuisance without further notice and at the property owner's expense. This subsection shall not apply to cultivated ground cover such as green grass, ivy, succulents, or similar plants used as ground covers, provided they do not constitute a fire hazard.

B. Without notice, the fire chief may also summarily abate weeds or hazardous growth on private property that in any way hinders emergency access, and may charge the property owner for the costs of the abatement.

(Ord. No. 763, § 2, 10-27-2015)