Riverside Municipal Code Ch. 6.14 Property Maintenance

The City Council finds and determines as follows:

A. The property values and the general welfare of the City of Riverside are founded, in part, upon the appearance and maintenance of private property located within the City.

B. The lack of landscaping and/or landscape maintenance on private property, including overgrown, dead, or decayed vegetation and weeds and the accumulation of rubbish and debris, is a condition that is injurious to the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of the City of Riverside.

C. The lack of exterior structure maintenance, including, but not limited to, partially destroyed or partially constructed buildings; unpainted buildings or portions of buildings; broken windows; and damaged or defective building exteriors; roofs, walls, fences, driveways, sidewalks or walkways, is injurious to the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of the City of Riverside.

(Ord. 6970 § 2, 2007)

A. It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having possession or control of any property subject to the provisions of Title 19 of this Code for which landscaping standards or requirements were established by the Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission to fail to maintain such landscaping that is visible from the public right-of-way in accordance with such conditions of approval imposed thereon and generally recognized horticultural standards.

B. It shall be unlawful for any owner and/or occupant of any property visible from the public right-of-way and used for commercial, office, industrial or residential purposes to:

1. Allow or permit on such property overgrown vegetation including trees, shrubbery, ground covers, lawns and other plantings.

2. Allow or permit on such property dead, decayed or diseased trees, shrubs, or other vegetation.

3. Fail to provide and properly maintain landscaping in required yard areas not covered by buildings, related structures, and driveways in a residential zone; provided, however, consideration shall be given to the uses permitted in the underlying residential zone. Landscaping is grass, trees, plants, shrubs, flowers, or permitted decorative bark and decorative stones.

4. Fail to provide and properly maintain landscaping in required landscape areas on property zoned for commercial or industrial use. Landscaping on commercial and industrial properties cannot be decorative bark, concrete, or rock unless prior approval in writing is obtained from the Community & Economic Development Department Director or his or her designee or unless approved in accord with Title 19.

C. It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having possession or control of any property to maintain such property in violation of the following minimal standards:

1. Landscaped areas shall be kept free from weeds and debris;

2. All plant materials shall receive regular maintenance, including but not limited to, watering, fertilizing, mowing, and trimming;

3. Any damaged, dead, diseased, or decaying plant materials shall be removed and replaced;

4. Irrigation systems shall be kept in proper working order to provide proper amounts of water and proper coverage; and

5. Landscape screening materials, such as hedges, shall be pruned to maintain their screening ability.

D. Owners and/or occupants of properties fronting on, or adjacent to, any portion of a street shall comply with the provisions of this Section 6.14.020 as well as Chapter 13.06 for any landscaping along the street or within the street right-of-way adjacent to their property, fronting on, or adjacent to, any portion of the street, that includes the care of public or private parkways.

E. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to require removal of biological resources as described in the Western Riverside County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan.

F. Enforcement of landscape maintenance shall consider applicable water shortage contingency stages declared by Resolution of the City Council and shall be subject to Section 6.14.040.

(Ord. 7341 § 5, 2016; Ord. 7289 § 1, 2015; Ord. 7182 § 9, 2012; Ord. 7152 § 1, 2012; Ord. 6970 § 2, 2007)

It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having possession and control of any property to maintain any structures on the property with a lack of exterior structure maintenance, as described in Section 6.14.010 C. For businesses, structures and/or buildings that are occupied and/or conducting business, the use of materials other than glass, as a replacement or covering of windowpanes, is prohibited unless the City Manager and/or City Council has declared an emergency and the application of other materials, such as boards, is necessary to protect life and/or property. Boards and other materials shall be removed no later than 30 days after installation, unless extended by Order of Emergency Services Director or City Council, while an emergency declaration is in effect.

(Ord. 7544, § 1, 2020; Ord. 6970 § 2, 2007)

The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced consistent with Table 6.14.040 A (Landscape Maintenance/Water Shortage Contingency Stage Enforcement) and may be enforced through the administrative code enforcement remedies set forth in Chapter 1.17 of this Code in addition to all other proceedings authorized by this Code or otherwise by law.

(Ord. 7289 § 2, 2015)

Table 6.14.040 A Landscape Maintenance/Water Shortage Contingency Stage Enforcement

(Ord. 7556 § 1(Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 7289 § 3, 2015; Ord. 6970 § 2, 2007)