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Zone Zero · City of MalibuZone Zero Landscaping Rules in Malibu
What Zone 0 changes in your yard, and what it spares
The first draft of these rules alarmed people, and the pushback worked. Homeowners across California, Malibu included, objected that blanket vegetation removal would strip mature trees and the shade that makes coastal gardens livable. The April 17, 2026 draft softened the vegetation language in response.
What survives contact with your actual garden: the rule targets what burns easily at ground level in the first five feet. Bark mulch, dead and dying plants, resinous shrubs against the wall. It is not a mandate to pave your landscape.
Malibu's landscape palette makes this easier than most places. Succulents, agave, and aloe already dominate coastal yards here, and they are among the best-behaved plants in ember exposure testing.
A coastal yard that passes inspection
Three moves cover most Malibu properties. None of them require giving up a garden.
Swap the mulch ring
Replace bark mulch in the first five feet with decomposed granite or beach stone. It reads as coastal, drains well, and cannot ignite.
Plant low and lean
Succulents, agave, and low irrigated groundcover near the structure. Keep anything resinous or twiggy outside the five-foot line.
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
Do I have to remove every plant within five feet?
No. The April 2026 draft scaled back earlier blanket vegetation language. Expect the final rule to target combustible plants, dead material, and mulch in the ember-resistant zone, while giving well-maintained, irrigated plantings and mature trees more nuanced treatment. Verify against the final text before removing anything mature.
What about my mature trees and the shade they provide?
This is the live issue statewide, and the draft acknowledges it. Well-maintained trees with canopies clear of the roof are treated differently from ground-level fuels. In Malibu, where mature sycamores and ornamental plantings define many properties, prune and maintain first; removal is not the default.
Is decorative bark mulch really banned near the house?
Combustible mulch within the first 5 feet is exactly what Phase 1 targets. Ember tests light bark mulch reliably. Replace it with stone, decomposed granite, or bare soil in the zone. Outside 5 feet, mulch remains fine.
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.
Get a landscape plan that passes
A CSLB-licensed contractor maps the ember-resistant zone onto your actual planting plan. Free, and you keep the garden.