What are the landscaping requirements for my yard?

All areas of a yard (front, side and rear) need to be kept weed free and maintained. Side yards that are not adjacent to a street and rear yards have no landscaping requirements. Specific requirements for front yards and side yards adjacent to a street are described below.

Front Yards
Landscaping in front yards must meet the following standards:

  • Landscaping needs to be installed between the front of house and the sidewalk or the front property line where no sidewalk exists.
  • Landscaping must include:
    • at least one tree and
    • a combination of lawn, shrubs or ground cover.
  • At least 30 percent of the entire front yard must be live plant material (excluding tree canopies). This amount may be reduced to 15 percent if artificial turf is used. Where artificial turf is used, the standards found here must be met. The remaining areas, if any, can be nonliving ground covers such as rock or bark mulch or artificial turf.

Side Yards Adjacent to a Street
On corner lots, landscaping must be installed in all areas between the sidewalk (or side property line where no sidewalk exists) and the side of the house between the front property line and the rear property line which are visible from the street.

More Information

  • To download a Residential Landscaping information sheet, click here.
  • To download an Artificial Turf information sheet, click here.

Show All Answers

1. What are the landscaping requirements for my yard?
2. Can I xeriscape my yard, or am I required to have grass in my yard?
3. What can I put in my park strip?
4. Can I add more concrete or expand the driveway in my front yard?
5. Are there any programs to incentivize xeriscaping?