Does Zone 0 Change Landscaping Rules in Calabasas?
Zone 0 is about ground fuels, and the tree question stays local
The first-five-feet idea targets what is on the ground and against the wall: mulch, dead material, dense low shrubs, and stored items. It is not a tree-removal program, and no Zone 0 rule in force requires you to take out a mature tree.
What existing law does require is that branches within 10 feet of a chimney outlet be removed. Before you remove or heavily prune any mature or native tree, check with the City of Calabasas and your HOA, because tree work can be regulated locally regardless of fire rules.
A healthy, well-pruned tree with a clean floor beneath it and no dead limbs over the roof is a very different thing from a juniper hedge planted against stucco. The first is a judgment call for you, the city, and your HOA. The second is the kind of fuel we recommend removing.
Three layers of landscape review in Calabasas
LA County Fire is the fire authority, and its Defensible Space page lists chimney clearance as required and a 100-foot defensible-space radius as a recommendation. The City of Calabasas is where to confirm any local rule, including tree work. And on many gated streets, your HOA reviews the visible design. The sequence that works: city and HOA paperwork, then the crew.
Landscaping questions from Calabasas homeowners
Does Zone 0 change landscaping rules in Calabasas?
Not by a Zone 0 rule we have identified. As of September 19, 2026 no statewide Zone 0 regulation is in force and we have not identified a local Zone 0 ordinance for Calabasas. Existing law still applies, including removing branches within 10 feet of a chimney outlet. Clearing combustibles from the first 5 feet is Recommended now.
Do I have to remove a mature tree near the house?
No Zone 0 rule requires it. The statewide draft is Proposed — not in force, and we have not identified a local Zone 0 ordinance for Calabasas. Existing law does require branches within 10 feet of a chimney outlet to be removed. Check with the City of Calabasas and your HOA before removing or heavily pruning any mature or native tree.
Is bark mulch banned in the first 5 feet?
Not by a Zone 0 rule we have identified for Calabasas. Bark and shredded wood mulch against the foundation is still a common way for embers to reach a wall, so replacing it with gravel, decomposed granite, pavers, or bare soil is Recommended now.
What should I plant in the first 5 feet?
No approved plant list applies in Calabasas that we have identified. As a recommendation, favor low-fuel, well-irrigated, and noncombustible ground treatments, and avoid dense shrubs, dry grasses, and anything that accumulates dead material against the house.
Do HOA rules affect landscaping changes?
Many HOAs review landscaping changes. Check your HOA's guidelines and get approval in writing before starting work, so the first-five-feet conversion is planned once.
Redesign the five feet once, correctly
Send a request and the team will follow up by email about your first five feet and what the city and your HOA review.