Weed Abatement Regulations Take Effect

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — There may be snow on the mountains, but Santa Clara County officials said that it's already time for property owners to prepare for fire season.

Santa Clara County's Weed Abatement team will be inspecting properties to enforce regulations in San Jose, Santa Clara and Campbell that took effect Wednesday and will remain in place throughout fire season. The regulations will be in effect for unincorporated areas and other cities later in the spring, according to the county.

Those regulations are enforced by the county's Weed Abatement Program, which requires property owners to reduce fire hazards created by excess vegetation and combustible debris.

Under the program, property owners must keep grass and weeds from growing taller than 6 inches, clear overgrown vegetation from roadways, protect structures from combustible materials and other requirements.

Those rules don't apply to ornamental vegetation like roses and hedges.

People who don't maintain their properties within county regulations can be put on a three-year-long watchlist in which they have to demonstrate that their properties meet minimum fire safety standards.

All property owners are responsible for the costs of all weed abatement work.

The county said that it's critical to keep hazards in check because it creates a buffer zone that can slow or stop the spread of fire, which is something that is especially important for rural property owners who live on the "wildland-urban interface," where human development ends and open space begins.

That's something that isn't top of mind for property owners who may still be dealing with the effects of recent winter storms that have inundated the region.

"Even though the weather over the past week has been wet and frigid, the time for Santa Clara County property owners to help protect their community from wildfires begins now," said Edgar Nolasco, director of the county's Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees the Weed Abatement Program. "By removing fire hazards from your property, you can prevent grass fires from spreading into developed areas, where they threaten homes and families."

Santa Clara County is only one of a handful of California counties that have a dedicated weed abatement program. Fire departments elsewhere usually handles that, but the county said that having a dedicated program allows weed abatement to "get the attention it deserves."

But the program, which is funded through fees incurred by people who have been fined for failing to maintain their properties within county regulations, is only managed by two employees and not many people know that the program exists.

Furthermore, county documents show that many of the properties that Santa Clara County is monitoring in unincorporated areas are owned by LLCs and they may not be aware of the regulations.

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