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1. 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.

2. Can I xeriscape my yard, or am I required to have grass in my yard?

Residential yards are not required to have grass or lawn. A front yard, which is the area between the front of the building and the front lot line, is required to have at least 30% live plant material. See 7-11-205 for residential landscaping requirements.

3. What can I put in my park strip?

The park strip is the space between the back of the curb (or edge of pavement if there is no curb) and the sidewalk (or the property line if there is no sidewalk). City ordinance requires either landscaping or concrete to be installed in park strips. Landscaping in park strips can include live plant material or non-living ground covers such rock or bark mulch. A permit is required from the Public Works Department to install concrete in the park strip or to add another drive approach. Except for certain streets listed here, artificial turf is not allowed in park strips.

Certain tree varieties are prohibited in park strips. The list of prohibited trees can be found here.

4. Can I add more concrete or expand the driveway in my front yard?

For single family homes, up to 40 percent of the front yard, the area between the front of the building and the front lot line, can be hard surfaced. This percentage may be increased to 50% for lots on cul-de-sacs and lots on major streets that need a circular driveway. See 7-9-114 for surfacing requirements. If you want to add a new drive approach for the driveway, a permit is required from the Public Works Department.

5. Are there any programs to incentivize xeriscaping?

The Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District has some programs for residential landscapes.