Junk removal and brush clearing in Santa Barbara, CA

Santa Barbara homes, by the numbers

Santa Barbara has about 36,300 lived-in homes and about 88,000 people (Census Reporter, Santa Barbara). About 74 percent were built before 1980, and only about 40 percent are owned by the people living in them, so most households rent.

Many rentals and old homes mean move-outs, turnovers, remodel debris and old garages to clear, with brush clearing up in the foothills.

Santa Barbara’s defensible space zones

The City of Santa Barbara sets brush clearance by zone. Its High Fire Hazard Area requirements call for 30 to 50 feet of defensible space from a structure in the Coastal Interior zone, 50 to 70 feet in the Coastal zone, 100 feet in the Foothill zone and 150 feet in the Extreme Foothill zone (City of Santa Barbara).

Outside the city, Santa Barbara County Fire requires at least 100 feet and weeds mowed under 4 inches (Santa Barbara County Fire Standard 6). Brush clearing covers both.

Recycling and drop-offs in Santa Barbara County

Santa Barbara County’s recycling site lists where each kind of item goes, including household hazardous waste and large appliances, and the county’s waste facilities (LessIsMore.org hazardous waste, large appliances, county facilities). Mattresses can be recycled through the state’s Bye Bye Mattress program (Bye Bye Mattress).

For a whole apartment or garage, junk removal carries it out and takes each kind of item where it belongs.