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Zone Zero · City of MalibuLandscaping in Malibu's First Five Feet: What Is Required Now
What Malibu's rule changes in your yard, and what it spares
In the first five feet of a building, on projects requiring permits: mulch must be nonflammable (gravel, decomposed granite); shredded bark, pine needles, artificial turf, wood chips, and shredded rubber are prohibited; hedges are prohibited. Exemptions are in MMC 17.53.030(B). Source: City of Malibu, Fire-Resistant Landscaping.
It is not a mandate to pave your landscape, and we found no retrofit deadline for existing yards. The statewide draft is Proposed — not in force, and its vegetation language could still change, so do not remove mature trees on the strength of a draft.
Malibu's landscape palette makes this easier than most places. Succulents, agave, and aloe are low-fuel choices that suit coastal yards.
A coastal yard built for the first five feet
Three moves cover most Malibu properties. None of them require giving up a garden.
Swap the mulch ring
Where Chapter 17.53 applies (permitted projects), mulch in the first five feet must be nonflammable: decomposed granite or gravel. It reads as coastal and drains well.
Plant low and lean
Succulents, agave, and low irrigated groundcover near the structure. Keep anything resinous or twiggy outside the five-foot line, and remember Ch. 17.53 prohibits hedges within 5 feet of a building on permitted projects.
Maintain the trees
Limb up, clear the roofline, remove deadwood. The city's free hazard tree removal program can handle genuinely dangerous trees at no cost.
Landscaping questions, answered
Is bark mulch banned near a Malibu house?
On projects requiring permits, yes, within the first 5 feet. Malibu's Chapter 17.53 requires nonflammable mulch there, such as gravel or decomposed granite, and prohibits shredded bark, pine needles, artificial turf, wood chips, and shredded rubber. We did not find a retrofit deadline for existing yards. Replacing bark mulch in the first 5 feet is Recommended now either way.
Do I have to remove every plant within five feet?
Not under a statewide rule: no statewide Zone 0 regulation is in force. Chapter 17.53 prohibits hedges within 5 feet of a building on projects requiring permits, with exemptions in MMC 17.53.030(B). Check with the City of Malibu before removing anything mature.
What about my mature trees and the shade they provide?
Prune and maintain first: limb up, clear the roofline, and remove deadwood. Removal is not the default. The statewide draft is Proposed — not in force and could change, so verify before removing anything mature.
Does the city offer any help deciding what stays?
Yes. Malibu's Fire Safety Liaisons run free home wildfire hardening assessments that cover vegetation in the home ignition zone, and the city has offered a free hazard tree removal program. Book through City Hall before you pay for removal.
Have a question about your landscaping?
Send a request and the team will follow up by email.