Earlier editions: 2026-09
Chapter 3 — AGRICULTURE AND PLANT PROTECTION
Lake County Municipal Code Art. I Pests and Diseases
Lake County Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-03 · Lake County
Cite as: Lake County Municipal Code Article I · Text as of 2026-10-03
Sec. 3-1. - Definitions.¶
1.1 As used in this article, the following words and phrases shall have the following…¶
(a) Fire Blight: A disease of Pome fruits and related plants, caused by bacterium Erwinia Amylovora (Burill) Winslow, et al.
(Ord. No. 198, § 1, 1929; Ord. No. 743, § 1, 5-15-73)
(b) Host Plant: Any tree, shrub, bush or vine, subject to being infected with fire blight.
(Ord. No. 198, § 1, 1929; Ord. No. 743, § 1, 5-15-73)
(c) Infected with Fire Blight: Where evidence shows that fire blight is or has been present.
(Ord. No. 198, § 1, 1929; Ord. No. 743, § 1, 5-15-73)
(d) Pear Psylla: The insect designated as Psyllia Pyricola.
(Ord. No. 433, § 2, 1962)
(e) Infested with pear psylla: Where evidence shows that pear psylla is present.
(Ord. No. 433, § 2, 1962)
(f) Stem and Bulb Nematode: A disease on garlic plants designated as Ditylenchus Dipsaci (Kuhn) Filipjer.
(Ord. No. 414, § 1, 1960)
(g) White Rot and Fungus: A disease on garlic plants designated as Sclerotiun Cepivorum Berk.
(Ord. No. 414, § 1, 1960)
(h) Grape Phylloxera, as the term is used in this article, means the insect designated as Phylloxera Vitifolias.
(Ord. No. 693, § 2, 1972)
(i) Infested with Grape Phylloxera, as the term is used in this article, means that evidence shows that Grape Phylloxera is present.
(Ord. No. 693, § 2, 1972)
(j) Unmanaged (neglected or abandoned) apple, pear trees or rootstocks therefrom, as the term is used in this article, means trees that have not been pruned prior to end of full bloom and no effective pest management activity has been employed. Effective pest management is when pest and diseases are maintained at or below the established economic threshold for commercial pear and apple production.
(k) Proof of management, as the term is used in this article, means paid invoices documenting pest management activities, such as to control/manage codling month, oriental fruit moth, fire blight, pear scab (if pears or pear rootstock re-growth), pear rust mites (if pears or pear rootstock re-growth) and pear blister mites (if pears or pear rootstock re-growth).
(l) Vicinity, as the term is used in this article, means within ½ mile radius of commercial pear or apple production.
(Ord. No. 2895, § 1, 3-17-2009; Ord. No. 2975, §§ 1, 2, 6-19-2012)
Sec. 3-2. - Fire Blight.¶
2.1 It shall be the duty of any person, firm, company, association or corporation, upon…¶
(Ord. No. 743, § 1, 5-15-73; Ord. No. 2895, § 2, 3-17-2009)
2.2 All cuttings, prunings, limbs, branches, twigs, trees or parts thereof infected…¶
2.3 It shall be the duty of the County Agricultural Commissioner to enforce the…¶
2.4 Any person, firm, company, association or corporation, who violates any of the…¶
(Ord. No. 743, § 1, 5-15-73)
(Ord. No. 2975, §§ 1, 2, 6-19-2012)
Editor's note— Ord. No. 743, § 1, amended § 3-2 to read as herein set out. Prior to the adoption of said ordinance, § 3-2 contained provisions pertaining to the pear blight.
Sec. 3-3. - Pear Psylla.¶
3.1 Any premises, tree, or plant in the County of Lake which is infected or infested…¶
(Ord. No. 433, § 3, 1962; Ord. No. 466, § 1, 1965; Ord. No. 885, § 1, 3-29-76)
3.2 The Lake County Agricultural Commissioner is hereby designated the officer…¶
(Ord. No. 466, § 1, 1965; Ord. No. 885, § 2, 3-29-76)
3.3 The Board of Supervisors shall by Resolution adopt a Pear Psylla Inspection and…¶
(Ord. No. 443, § 4, 1962; Ord. No. 885, § 3, 3-29-76)
3.4 Abatement procedures for Pear Psylla shall be as set forth in Division 4, Part 1,…¶
(Ord. No. 443, § 5, 1962; Ord. No. 885, § 4, 3-29-76)
Sec. 3-4. - Unmanaged, Neglected or Abandoned Pear and Apple Trees.¶
4.3 The Board of Supervisors shall by Resolution adopt an unmanaged, neglected or…¶
4.4 Abatement procedures for unmanaged, neglected or abandoned apple and pear trees and rootstock re-growth therefrom, shall be as set forth in Division 4, Part 1, Chapter 7, Article 1.5, commencing with Section 5561 of the California Food and Agricultural Code, except that the time for the abandoned or neglected plant or crop to be removed or destroyed as provided in Section 5563 of the California Food and Agricultural Code is hereby established as forty-five (45) days.
(Ord. No. 2895, § 3, 3-17-2009; Ord. No. 2975, §§ 3, 4, 6-19-2012)
Editor's note— Ord. No. 1029, adopted July 3, 1978, repealed § 3-4 which pertained to garlic disease control and was derived from Ord. No. 414, §§ 2—5, 1960.
Sec. 3-5. - Grape Phylloxera.¶
5.1 Purpose.¶
5.2 Name.¶
5.3 Definitions.¶
(a) Grape Phylloxera, as the term is used in this ordinance, [section], means the insect designated as Phylloxera Vitifoliae.
(Ord. No. 2173, § 1, 7-20-93)
(b) Infested with Grape Phylloxera, as the term is used in this ordinance [section], means that evidence shows that Grape Phylloxera is present.
(Ord. No. 2173, § 1, 7-20-93)
(c) Other Exotic Grape Pests includes insects and diseases such as Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer (Harrisina brillans), Grape Leafroll Virus, Fanleaf Degeneration, Root Lesion Nematodes (pratylenchus), and other pests designated by the Lake County Agricultural Commissioner.
(Ord. No. 2173, § 1, 7-20-93)
(d) Competent annual survey means a visual survey by the County Agricultural Commissioner or other regulatory agricultural official of the growing grounds and/or vineyards from which the grapevines, cuttings or other grape nursery stock originated.
(Ord. No. 2173, § 1, 7-20-93)
5.4 Intercounty Shipments.¶
(a) All shipments of grapevines and cuttings, rooted or otherwise, entering Lake County must be certified at the point of origin prior to shipment.
(Ord. No. 2173, § 1, 7-20-93)
(b) All shipments of grapevines and cuttings, rooted or otherwise, originating from outside the County, must be held for inspection by the County Agricultural Commissioner at the point of destination within Lake County.
(Ord. No. 2173, § 1, 7-20-93)
(c) Certification may be granted if a competent annual survey of the point of origin has been made by the County Agricultural Commissioner and a certificate has been issued stating that no grape phylloxera is known to exist in the area where the vines or cuttings were grown.
(Ord. No. 2173, § 1, 7-20-93)
(d) If no competent annual survey has been made, or if a survey has been made and the area is found to be infested with grape phylloxera, then all vines and cuttings originating from that area must be subjected to one of the following methods of treatments and so certified.
(1) Hot water treatment: Complete submergence in water at a temperature not less than one hundred twenty-five (125) degrees (F) nor more than one hundred thirty (130) degrees (F) for not less than three (3) or more than five (5) minutes.
(Ord. No. 2173, § 1, 7-20-93)
(2) Methyl bromide fumigation: Atmospheric fumigation in an approved gas-tight fumigation chamber, equipped with a heating unit; fan for dispersal of gas and clearing chamber of gas after fumigation and an interior thermometer (visible from the outside) with a dosage of not less than two pounds of methyl bromide per one thousand (1,000) cubic feet for a period of at least three hours at a temperature of not less than sixty-five (65) degrees (F); the fan to be operated during and for ten (10) minutes after the injection of gas.
(Ord. No. 2173, § 1, 7-20-93)
(e) Any shipment of green-growing (leaf bearing) grapevines or cuttings that cannot be certified as originating from a Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer (Harrisina brillans) free area must be accompanied by a Certificate of Treatment affirming that the grapevines or cuttings were treated by one of the following methods:
(1) Treatment with six (6) to eight (8) pounds per acre of Cryolite, with thorough coverage; or
(2) Other insecticidal treatments approved, in writing, by the Lake County Agricultural Commissioner.
(Ord. No. 2173, § 1, 7-20-93)
5.5 Intercounty Shipment and Quarantine Policy Within Lake County.¶
5.6 Reshipment.¶
5.7 Certificates.¶
5.8 Fees.¶
5.9 Enforcement.¶
Any person, firm, partnership, association or corporation who violates or causes the violation of any of the provisions of this ordinance [section] shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or by imprisonment in the County jail for a period of not more than six (6) months or by both such fine and imprisonment.
(Ord. No. 2173, § 1, 7-20-93)
Editor's note— Prior to its reenactment by Ord. No. 2173, § 3-5 was derived from Ord. No. 693, § 3, 1972.
Sec. 3-6. - [Artificial Application of Pollen.]¶
6.1 Artificial Application of Pollen Prohibited: It shall be unlawful for any person,…¶
6.2 Any person, firm, company, association or corporation who violates any of the…¶
Sec. 3-7. - Blackline Disease.¶
7.1 Any English (Persian) Walnut tree in the County of Lake which is infected with…¶
7.2 The Lake County Agricultural Commissioner is hereby designated the officer…¶
(Ord. No. 1237, § 1, 4-13-82)
7.3 Abatement procedures for Blackline disease shall be as set forth in Division 4, Part 1, Chapter 6 of the Agricultural Code commencing with Section 5401 and for neglected and abandoned trees, Division 4, Part 1, Chapter 7 of the Agricultural Code commencing with Section 5551.
(Ord. No. 1237, § 1, 4-13-82)
Secs. 3-8—3-15. - Reserved.
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