DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS FOR TAHOE AND TRUCKEE AREA SELLERS BEGINNING JULY 1, 2021
Beginning July 1, 2021, any seller in the Tahoe area is required to have a defensible space
inspection. A highlight of this requirement includes:
“In order to minimize the risk of fire affecting a building or structure on the Property, a defensible
space around the improvement be maintained within 100 feet of the improvement. Many local
governments have enacted a local vegetation management ordinance for that same purpose.”
View Defensible Space addendum contract here.
This rule varies in locations around the Tahoe area, but it doesn’t have to make selling your
home any more difficult. A realtor is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to local resources,
and defensible space is no exception. In addition to knowing requirements by area, I can
share a list of dependable and knowledgeable defensible space experts. If you’re looking to sell
your home, I can promise you that I can take the stress out of the process for you!
DEFENSIBLE SPACE GUIDELINES BY AREA
Wherever you call home in the Tahoe area, inspection requirements may vary, either by state or
local government. For instance, in North Tahoe, an inspection runs $140, and if the property is
not compliant, the seller will need to have the work done. In Nevada County there is no point-of-sale mandate requiring an inspection by Truckee Fire, and the corrective work is required either by buyer or seller, or as negotiated.
Defensible space requirements don’t have to be stressful with the my help.
Contractors are booked out months in advance, but I am aware of the best businesses for
the job. Local contacts can make all the difference for these new defensible space
requirements, so let me book the inspection even a year in advance of selling to ensure
your sale goes off without a hitch. Highlights of defensible space requirements by area are as
follows:
NORTH TAHOE DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS:
A checklist includes creating a green zone within 30 feet of all structures or to the property line.
Needles, leaves, dead trees, weeds, and shrubs should be removed. Grasses and plants should
be no more than four inches, and spark arrestors must be put on a chimney or stovepipe
opening. To learn more about defensible space requirements in North Tahoe, click here.
NEVADA COUNTY DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS:
A checklist includes different requirements around three zones of the house: the immediate
zone, the intermediate zone, and the extended zone. A no-fuel space is required in the
immediate area up to five feet from a home. Intermediate zones required trimmed grasses and
vegetation islands to break up fuels. Extended zones should not host dead trees and shrubs. To
learn more about defensible space requirements in North Tahoe, click here.
OLYMPIC VALLEY DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS:
In Olympic Valley, annual grasses and weeds must be maintained at no more than four inches
or less than 100 feet from a horse or property line. Debris must be removed, and trees must be
limbed up to six feet from the ground. A ⅛-inch spark arrestor on chimneys, stovepipes, and
solid-fuel-burning appliances must be installed. To learn more about defensible space
requirements in Olympic Valley, click here.
NORTHSTAR DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS:
A layer of pine needle/forest duff must be between one to two inches. Suppressed trees acting
as ladder fuels must be removed, as well as all branches within 10 feet of a chimney or
stovepipe outlet. Outbuildings and liquid propane gas storage tanks should have 10 feet of
clearance to bare mineral soil without flammable vegetation around. To learn more about
defensible space requirements in Northstar, click here.
TRUCKEE DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS:
All branches, bark chunks, and scrap lumber must be removed, which includes residential and
vacant lots. Addresses must be clearly visible to emergency response personnel should an
emergency occur. All dead trees, pine needles, and flammable vegetation will not be allowed on
any lot. To learn more about defensible space requirements in Truckee, click here.
GLENSHIRE DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS:
Overgrown and fuel-ladder conditions shall be thinned as noticed in the CA Fire defensible
space guides. Any violation of CA Fire, Truckee Fire or other government agency pertaining to
defensible space will be cited with a defensible space violation. Those who do not comply within
14 days may receive additional fines per week, starting at $100 per item. To learn more about
defensible space requirements in Glenshire, click here.
TAHOE DONNER DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS:
The Tahoe Donner Forestry Department may require homeowners to perform defensible space
and/or forest health maintenance at any time. Tahoe Donner has been a Firewise Community
with a defensible space program in place for many years. Around residences, needles, limbs up
to 10 feet, and brush around a propane tank must be removed. Around the property, dead
and/or beetle-infested trees must be removed. To learn more about defensible space
requirements in Tahoe Donner, click here.
BEST TAHOE BUSINESSES FOR DEFENSIBLE SPACE
Knowledgeable and local professionals can make defensible space inspections straightforward
and easier than ever, especially with the help of an agent to set up the inspection for you.
Topnotch local defensible space experts include:
- Elements Mountain Co: Known as the snow removal experts, the company that offers
painting services, asphalt maintenance, and deck restoration now offers defensible
space services - Truckee Fire Protection District
- Alpen Tree Experts
- Timberwolfe Tree Service
- Arbor Solutions Tree Care
Whether you’re looking to sell in a week or in a year, don’t let a defensible space inspection
overwhelm you. If you’re looking to sell a home, an agent can schedule and inspection and and oversee scheduling with the most effective local defensible space experts in the area. Don’t hesitate to reach out and learn more about defensible space requirements for your home – let’s chat!
