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The Law, PlainlyZone Zero Regulations for Chatsworth Homeowners
Three laws, one five-foot rule
AB 3074 (2020) added the ember-resistant zone, Zone 0, to California's defensible-space law. It is the reason the first 5 feet around your home are now regulated separately from the rest of your yard.
SB 504 (2024) and AB 1455 (2025) refined how the rule rolls out, including how local jurisdictions implement and enforce it.
The Board of Forestry's draft regulations (April 17, 2026 revision) turn the statutes into operating rules: what counts as combustible, what the phases are, and when they land. Final adoption is expected late 2026.
| Rule | What it covers | Status in Chatsworth |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 0 clearing (Phase 1) | Combustible mulch, dead vegetation, firewood, and stored items out of the 0-5 ft zone | Phase 1 Est. 2027-2028 for existing homes |
| Built materials (Phase 2) | Combustible fences, gates, and attached structures in the zone replaced | Phase 2 City of LA sets the date, up to 5 years after adoption |
| New combustible fences | Prohibited within 5 ft of a structure in Very High zones | Immediate at adoption |
| New construction and rebuilds | Full Zone 0 compliance from day one | Immediate at adoption |
How the City of LA applies Zone 0 in Chatsworth
The statute is statewide, but enforcement runs through LAFD, the same department whose Brush Clearance Unit already inspects Chatsworth's Very High FHSZ parcels each year starting in May. Expect Zone Zero checks to ride along with that existing inspection cycle rather than arriving as a separate program.
Enforcement is education-first under the April 2026 draft: notices and correction periods before penalties. That is a window to fix things on your schedule instead of the city's.
Chatsworth's rim parcels, backing onto Stoney Point, Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park, Chatsworth Park South, and the Browns Canyon interface, are the ones LAFD's brush inspectors already know street by street.
What "combustible" means in the zone
- Bark and wood-chip mulchOut
- Dead or dying vegetationOut
- Firewood and lumber pilesOut
- Wood fences touching the housePhase 2
- Gravel, pavers, concreteAllowed
- Ember-resistant hardscapeAllowed
Zone 0 rules, answered for Chatsworth
Does Zone Zero apply to every Chatsworth home?
No. It applies to homes in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which in Chatsworth means the hillside rim and the streets bordering it. The valley-floor industrial core is largely outside. Your parcel's status follows the official maps, so check rather than assume.
What laws actually created Zone Zero?
AB 3074 (2020) created the ember-resistant zone. SB 504 (2024) and AB 1455 (2025) refined implementation. The Board of Forestry's draft regulations, most recently revised April 17, 2026, set the operating rules. Final adoption is expected late 2026.
Is anything banned immediately?
Once regulations adopt, new combustible fences within 5 feet of a structure are prohibited immediately, and new construction and fire rebuilds must comply from day one. Existing conditions get phased deadlines.
Who do I actually answer to, the state or the city?
The City of Los Angeles, through LAFD. The state statute is the floor. LAFD inspections and the city's implementation schedule are what a Chatsworth homeowner will actually experience.
Find out exactly what your home needs
Free assessment from a CSLB-licensed local contractor. Know where your property stands before the deadlines arrive.