Zone Zero Regulations for Peninsula Homeowners
Three laws, one five-foot rule
AB 3074 (2020) created the "ember-resistant zone" within 5 feet of structures in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. It is the statute everything else builds on.
SB 504 (2024) and AB 1455 (2025) refined how the zone is defined, funded, and phased in. The details that decide what you actually have to do, and by when, live in the Board of Forestry regulations, of which the April 17, 2026 draft is the most current text. Final regulations are expected late 2026.
Two provisions apply immediately upon adoption, with no phase-in: the restriction on new combustible fencing in the zone, and Zone 0 requirements for new construction and rebuilds.
How Zone 0 lands on the Peninsula
The state framework is the floor. What governs you is local. On the Peninsula that means the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the fire authority in all four cities, plus each city's own 2025 hazard map ordinance.
In 2025, CAL FIRE and the State Fire Marshal released remapped Fire Hazard Severity Zones for local responsibility areas, and the Peninsula cities adopted them. Palos Verdes Estates adopted its updated maps on July 8, 2025; the maps across the Peninsula include Moderate, High, and Very High zones. The exact acreage in each tier varies by city, so check your parcel on the CAL FIRE FHSZ viewer rather than relying on the street you live on.
Regulation questions, answered
Is Zone Zero already law on the Peninsula?
The statute (AB 3074) has been law since 2020, but it takes effect through regulations the Board of Forestry is still finalizing. The most current text is the April 17, 2026 draft, with final regulations expected late 2026. Once adopted, new-fence and rebuild rules apply immediately.
Do all four Peninsula cities follow the same Zone Zero rules?
The state framework is the same, and LA County Fire is the fire authority in all four cities. But each city adopted its own 2025 hazard severity zone map by ordinance, and Phase 2 timing is set locally. Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, and Rolling Hills Estates can each land on different specifics.
My parcel is in a landslide zone. Does Zone Zero still apply?
Zone Zero applies based on your fire hazard designation, not your geology. Portuguese Bend area homes affected by land movement remain subject to the same ember-resistant zone rules as any other Very High FHSZ parcel, and the dry, disturbed terrain of the slide area is itself a fuel concern.
Who actually knocks on the door about compliance?
The Los Angeles County Fire Department is the Authority Having Jurisdiction across the Peninsula, and its defensible space inspection program is the enforcement vehicle. The April 2026 draft makes enforcement education-first: expect notices and correction windows before penalties.
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