Open Space Parks Brush Management Program

The Open Space Division of the Park and Recreation Department is responsible for conducting brush management (vegetation thinning) on approximately 1,180 acres of city-owned property. The majority of this city property is adjacent to privately-owned lots which are developed with habitable structures.

The Division conducts brush management in accordance with Section 142.0412 of the San Diego Municipal Code and San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Bulletin #1 : Brush Management Guide. Specifically, the Division will thin brush on city property only within 100 horizontal feet of a habitable structure unless a site-specific report, which indicates that a greater distance is necessary, is approved by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

The Division prioritizes and schedules brush management primarily on the basis of hazard ratings assigned to the city land by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. When parcels hazard ratings are equal, during the Californian gnatcatcher breading season (March 1 through August 15), the highest priority is given to parcels that do not support California gnatcatcher breeding habitat. Outside the breeding season (August 16- February 28), priority is given to parcels may support California gnatcatcher breeding habitat. In order to conduct brush management on parcels that may support California gnatcatcher breeding habitat during the breeding season, presence/absence surveys, conducted in accordance with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-approved protocols, for California gnatcatchers must be conducted and must conclude that gnatcatchers are not present. On parcels where fire hazard ratings and breeding habitat/breeding season factors are all equal, the Division prioritizes and first schedules work on those city parcels where the distance between the city parcel and a street access (the distance that crews must haul deadwood and cut brush) is less than 300 feet.

Due to limited public access between city streets and brush management locations, crews often need to haul deadwood and cut brush more than 300 feet across steep slopes in order to haul it away. By offering crews access through your property, you can make the brush management program more efficient and the brush management on city property behind your home or business may occur sooner. If you would like to offer this access, please complete the City of San Diego/Homeowner Brush Management Access Agreement and send it to:

Brush Mangement Schedule Coordinator
1250 Sixth Avenue, MS 804A
San Diego, CA 92101

You or your contractor may also thin brush on city property behind your property in accordance with regulations if you first obtain a "Right of Entry" permit from the Open Space Division. You can apply for a Right of Entry permit by completing the application materials (the permit form and supplemental information form) and sending them to:

Brush Mangement Right of Entry Permit Coordinator
1250 Sixth Avenue, MS 804A
San Diego, CA 92101