Residential Property Maintenance Guide

The purpose of the City's property maintenance requirements are to preserve property values while assuring a clean and attractive community. Residents are encouraged to maintain attractive homes that have a positive effect on the overall appearance of your neighborhood. This Property Maintenance guide has been developed to assist you in preserving and enhancing the value of your home and the aesthetic quality of your neighborhood.

• Park your vehicles (including, but not limited to cars, boats, trailers, recreational vehicles, etc.) in the garage, carport, or driveway to ensure public safety, easy trash pick-up, fast access for emergency vehicles, and improved street sweeping, street maintenance, and repair.
• Residents are responsible for the maintenance of parkways adjacent to their property with the exception of trees trimmed by the City. Residents are expected to regularly water parkway trees. To request tree trimming of a parkway tree, contact the Community Services Division at 909-839-7060. Parkways must be maintained free of trash. Grass and plants must be maintained.

Municipal Code

The City's Neighborhood Improvement Officers proactively investigate Municipal Code violations. Commercial and industrial areas in Diamond Bar are also encouraged to maintain attractive places of business.

• All vehicles, which are under repair, being dismantled or incapable of operating are considered "inoperable" and shall not be stored in public view or parked on City streets at any time. Such vehicles must be stored in a garage or in other permitted areas out of public view. Detached trailers may not be parked on City streets at any time, except with a temporary permit. (D.B.M.C. § 22.80.020, 10.20.010, 10.16.150(d))
• Motor vehicle parking of currently licensed and operative motor vehicles, trailers, and boats shall occur within a garage or carport, or upon a concrete or asphalt driveway or other approved all-weather surfacing. All vehicles are prohibited from parking on any landscaped area. (D.B.M.C. § 22.30.070)
• Commercial vehicles weighing over 10,000 gross pounds are prohibited from stopping, parking, or standing on any street in a residential area except for necessary pickup or delivery of goods, wares, or merchandise. These vehicles can damage City streets, create unsafe conditions, and ruin a neighborhood's appearance. (D.B.M.C. § 22.34.030(b), 22.34.40(c), 10.12.920)
• Except for property under construction, no person shall park or store any commercial vehicle, commercial trailer or related commercial equipment for a period in excess of 72 hours. No more than two commercial vehicles or trailers may be parked on a parcel at any one time. (D.B.M.C. § 22.34.030(b), 22.34.40(c), 10.12.920)
• All vehicles are prohibited from parking on City streets for longer than 72 hours without being moved. (D.B.M.C. § 22.34.030(b), 10.16.430)
• All trash cans, rubbish, and discarded objects must be kept out of public view at all times. (Exception will be made on the evening prior to, and/or the day of your trash pick-up.) (D.B.M.C. § 8.16.100, 22.34.030(a), 22.34.040(a))
• Maintain your home with a fresh coat of paint. Peeling or cracked surfaces can contribute to wood rot, termite infestation, water damage, and other conditions, which reduce property values. (D.B.M.C. § 22.34.030(c), 22.34.40(d))
• All yard areas and slopes must be landscaped and maintained. Overgrown vegetation, dead, decayed or diseased trees, and unsightly weeds or lawns that detract from the appearance of the home and the neighborhood are not permitted. Such vegetation may harbor vermin. Property values also may be affected by the unsightliness of poor landscaped maintenance. (D.B.M.C. § 22.34.040(e), 22.34.030(d))
• All concrete drainage devices (i.e. terrace, bench, or down drains) must be kept free and clear of debris and landscape material to prevent erosion and discharges into the storm drains. (D.B.M.C. § 8.12.1660(b)(c))
• The front and side yards shall be kept and maintained free and clear of all construction and automotive materials or parts, trash, refuse, debris, trash storage receptacles, inoperative vehicles, dismounted camper bodies, discarded or broken materials, appliances, furniture, equipment, or similar materials. (D.B.M.C. § 22.34.030(a), 22.34.040(a))
• Rear yard storage of trash receptacles, newspapers, building and automotive materials, landscape maintenance tools, equipment or licensed boats or trailers, shall be screened by approved walls or fences from view of neighboring property, public and private streets, and public and private right-of-way. For bulky item pickup, contact your waste hauler - Single family residences may contact Waste Management at 909-599-1274 and multi-family residences may contact Valley Vista at 800-442-6454. (D.B.M.C. § 22.16.080)
• Buildings shall remain free of a faulty, sagging, and leaking roof, missing roof tiles or other visible roofing materials. Warped, bowed, or sagging headers, sills beams, eaves, doorways, etc. are in violation of City property maintenance standards. Substantial areas of deteriorated building materials, such as dry rot and broken or missing pieces of stucco, are not permitted in residential areas. Broken or missing windows, inadequate site drainage, broken or inoperable plumbing facilities, broken or missing foundation are violations of building maintenance standards. (D.B.M.C. § 22.34.030, 22.34.040)
• Hedges, trees, shrubs, or plants may not overhang sidewalks, parkways, curbs, or streets in any way that interferes with vehicles, pedestrians, water drainage, or street maintenance. (D.B.M.C. § 12.04.140)
• Fences and walls in front yard setbacks shall not exceed three and one-half feet in height to ensure the view of motorists and pedestrians is not obstructed and provide an open and attractive look to your neighborhood. Walls are to remain free of sagging, broken, rotted, or defective support posts, missing or broken fence boards, and damaged or missing blocks from a block wall. (D.B.M.C. § 22.16.090, 22.34.030(e), 22.34.040)
• Temporary signage announcing garage or yard sales shall not exceed three square feet, can only be displayed during time of sale and shall be promptly removed at the end of the sale. Signs shall not be placed on any public property, including properties of public utility companies. (D.B.M.C. §22.36.050 4(b))
• All temporary decorative lighting (Christmas lights, etc.) shall be permitted for no more than 90 days. (California Electrical Code Article 305)

Additional Information

For more information, contact the Neighborhood Improvement office at 909-839-7030