Landscaping Rules in Auburn, WA

If you live in Auburn or are thinking about moving there, landscaping rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Auburn has 5 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of landscaping rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Composting

Auburn bans mixing yard debris into the garbage or recycling stream and requires food scraps and yard waste to go into a city-approved compostables cart, with plastic bags treated as a banned contaminant even for compostable material.

Key details: Governing section: ACC 8.08.120. Cart sizes: 35, 64 or 96 gallons. Plastic bags: Banned as a contaminant. Overflow limit: 32-gallon container or paper bag. Food scraps excluded: Plastics, diapers, pet waste, liquids.

Mixing yard debris into garbage or recycling, or setting out compostables in plastic bags, violates ACC 8.08.120 and is enforced through ACC 8.08.250 and Chapter 1.25 ACC as a civil infraction, carrying a maximum fine of $250 per ACC 1.25.050, with each day of noncompliance a separate violation.

Water Restrictions

Auburn has no standing odd/even watering-day schedule. Instead, the mayor can order water use restrictions and conservation measures under ACC 13.14.020 during a drought, utility damage, or other threat to supply, subject to city council ratification, with violations enforced as civil infractions or, on repeat, misdemeanors.

Key details: Governing chapter: ACC 13.14, water shortage emergency response. Who triggers restrictions: Mayor's proclamation, ratified by council. Variance appeal window: 24 hours to the mayor. First violation: Civil infraction under Ch. 1.25 ACC. Repeat violation: Misdemeanor, up to 90 days jail/$1,000 fine.

ACC 13.14.060 lets the public works director, code enforcement officers, or police officers enforce the chapter. A first violation is a civil infraction under Chapter 1.25 ACC and RCW 7.80.120(1)(a), processed under Chapter 7.80 RCW and the Infraction Rules for Courts of Limited Jurisdiction. A second or subsequent violation can be charged as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

Compared to other cities, Auburn takes a harder line on water restrictions. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Weed Ordinances

Auburn caps lawn grass on occupied residential lots at six inches under ACC 8.20.010(C); taller grass, weeds, brush or dead vegetation citywide is a declared public nuisance. The RC residential conservancy zone is exempt. Code enforcement can order abatement, bill the owner for the cutting, and place a lien on the property if the bill goes unpaid.

Key details: Max height (occupied residential): 6 inches, ACC 8.20.010(C). Max height (other lots): 12 inches, ACC 8.20.010(D). Zone exemption: RC residential conservancy zone. Abatement notice: At least 10 calendar days. Appeal deadline: 10 calendar days of notice.

Violating Chapter 8.20 is a civil infraction or civil penalty under Chapter 1.25 ACC, escalating to a misdemeanor only where ACC 1.25.050 designates it as such. A property owner who ignores a correction notice faces city-ordered abatement, a billed cost that becomes a property lien equal in rank to tax liens, referral to a collection agency, and no defense that the city failed to act, since ACC 8.20.070 makes enforcement discretionary, not mandatory.

Tree Trimming

Auburn declares any tree, shrub or vine that overhangs a sidewalk, street or alley a public nuisance under ACC 8.20.010 if it creates a sight-distance hazard or blocks full use of the right-of-way. Code enforcement can order the owner to trim the growth, and unresolved violations escalate to civil penalties and city abatement under ACC 8.20.030 and 8.20.040.

Key details: Nuisance trigger: Overhang creating sight-distance or right-of-way obstruction. Grass height limit: 6 inches on occupied residential lots. Abatement notice: 10 calendar days before city can abate. Appeal window: 10 calendar days to director of CD&PW. Cost recovery: Unpaid abatement becomes a property lien.

Ignoring an ACC 8.20.030 notice to trim overhanging or hazardous vegetation is a civil infraction, or a civil penalty under Chapter 1.25 ACC, and repeat violations can be charged as a misdemeanor under ACC 1.25.050. If the owner still does not comply, the city can abate the nuisance directly, bill the full cost of the work as a lien against the property, and refer unpaid bills to a collection agency under ACC 8.20.050.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Auburn requires developers to retain every "significant tree" (six-inch evergreens or four-inch deciduous trees) standing in a project's required perimeter landscaping area under ACC 18.50.045, and pruning that strips more than half a tree's live crown counts as removal, triggering the same enforcement track as an unauthorized removal.

Key details: Protected size: 6-inch evergreen or 4-inch deciduous, measured 4 ft up. Excluded species: Alders and cottonwoods do not count. Removal permit path: Alternative landscape plan under ACC 18.50.080. Crown-loss threshold: Pruning over 50% of live crown counts as removal. Replacement ratio: 150%-200% of original size, same species.

A property owner who removes a significant tree without an approved alternative landscape plan, or who prunes it past half its live crown without authorization, faces a Chapter 1.25 ACC code compliance case. The corrective action plan must replace an unlawfully removed tree with stock at 150 percent of its original planted size, or 200 percent for a tree that was excessively pruned, in the same or a similar species approved by the planning director.

The Bottom Line

Auburn's landscaping rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Auburn is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Auburn's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.