Fillmore Weed Ordinances Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Fillmore's weed abatement requirements stem from the city's public nuisance code (Chapter 6.04) and the state-authorized annual weed abatement program under California Government Code Sections 39560 through 39588. Each spring, typically in March, the city mails weed abatement notices to property owners directing them to clear dry, dead, or overgrown weeds before the start of fire season. The compliance deadline is generally May 1, though it may vary slightly by year. Code Enforcement officers and VCFD inspectors survey properties for compliance, and parcels that remain non-compliant after the deadline are subject to forced abatement at the owner's expense.

The fire hazard dimension of weed abatement is especially critical in Fillmore. The city sits in the Santa Clara River Valley surrounded by hillsides and agricultural land that dry out quickly in late spring. The combination of abundant fine fuels from dried annual weeds, strong seasonal Santa Ana winds, and proximity to wildland-urban interface areas places Fillmore at elevated wildfire risk. Ventura County Fire Department defensible space standards require that within Zone 1 (0 to 30 feet from any structure), all dead weeds, dry annual grasses, and plant litter be completely removed from the ground surface rather than simply mowed down. Within Zone 2 (30 to 100 feet), weeds must be mowed, chipped, or disced to reduce the volume of fine fuels. Weeds growing along fence lines, around outbuildings, and in drainage channels on the property are specifically included in the clearance requirement.

A third layer of regulation comes from the Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner, who enforces mandatory eradication of state-listed noxious weed species. Fillmore property owners — particularly those with parcels near the Santa Clara River, Sespe Creek, or adjacent agricultural land — are legally required to eradicate species such as yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis), giant reed (Arundo donax), and tree tobacco (Nicotiana glauca). The Agricultural Commissioner can order forced eradication at the landowner's cost if the owner fails to act. Given Fillmore's agricultural heritage and the proximity of residential neighborhoods to active farmland and riparian corridors, invasive weed management is both a fire safety and an agricultural protection priority.