The tension
Fire agencies recommend - and insurers increasingly require - defensible space: trimmed trees, cleared brush, no ladder fuels near the house. The Design Guidelines regulate landscaping changes and can treat removals as violations.
What the rules say
- The Design Guidelines (Feb 2026) govern landscaping modifications and design review.
- The association has a Firewise program page on sjvhoa.org.
Practical guidance
- Document before you cut. Photos, the fire agency’s recommendation, and your insurer’s letter if you have one.
- Ask the Architectural/Landscape Committee in writing whether defensible-space work requires review. A written yes-or-no protects you either way.
- If you’re cited for defensible-space work, that is exactly the kind of case to bring to a hearing with your documentation.
We’ll expand this page as we go through the Firewise material.