8.20.040   Duty to abate refuse.
It shall be the duty of every owner, occupant and person in control of any land or interest therein in the city to abate therefrom and from all sidewalks, parkways and from the untraveled portions of any public highway or public road easement adjacent to such, all noxious weeds or vegetation, dry grass, Russian thistle (tumbleweeds), dead trees, and all combustible rubbish or noxious vegetation that constitutes a fire, health or safety hazard which may endanger or injure neighboring property, or the health, safety or well-being of persons or property.
In the case of any parcel or contiguous parcels under the same ownership upon which exists over five contiguous acres of vegetation which may constitute a fire hazard, the requirements of this section shall be satisfied if there is cleared, and maintained cleared, a forty (40) foot wide strip of land at the boundaries of such land, and through such land so that there shall not be any portion of the land larger than two and one-half acres which is not enclosed by itself within such a strip, which shall be a firebreak. The agricultural commissioner’s office may require firebreaks exceeding this forty (40) foot width or solid disking of larger than five acre parcels if larger breaks or solid disking are deemed necessary for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare, and where the neighboring properties are very sensitive to the effects of a fire, including, but not limited to, schools, hospitals, mobilehome parks, retirement residences and chaparral/develop-ment interfaces. It shall be the landowner’s responsibility to notify the enforcing agency, in writing, if the landowner is desirous of utilizing those provisions for fire breaks as set forth in this section. (Ord. 163 § 3, 1997)