Landscaping Rules in Farmington Hills, MI: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Farmington Hills or are thinking about moving there, landscaping rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Farmington Hills has 8 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of landscaping rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

A Tree Removal Permit must be obtained from the Farmington Hills Planning Office prior to all tree removal activity involving trees six (6) inches or more DBH (diameter at breast height) in accordance with City of Farmington Hills Zoning Chapter 34-5.18. The requirement applies citywide, not just to development sites. Replacement trees must have shade potential and other characteristics comparable to the trees being removed. Trees within ten (10) feet of the building envelope must be replaced when removed.

Key details: Permit Authority: Zoning Chapter 34-5.18 (Tree Removal Permit). DBH Trigger: 6 inches or more — measured at breast height. Issuing Office: Planning Office — (248) 871-2400. Survey Requirement: Tree Survey at 1 inch = 50 feet, paint/flag markings. Replacement Trigger: Trees within 10 ft of building envelope.

Removing a tree of 6 inches DBH or greater without a Tree Removal Permit is a Chapter 34 Zoning violation citable as a municipal civil infraction in 47th District Court, with replacement obligations imposed by the Planning Office. Removing a tree designated for retention on an approved development plan, or damaging a protected drip-line zone, triggers replacement orders and may result in stop-work, certificate-of-occupancy holds, and civil infraction fines. Removing or damaging a tree on City right-of-way or City-owned property without permission is enforced as injury to public property with restitution measured by ISA Trunk Formula or Replacement Cost Method appraisal. Damage to a neighbor's tree is actionable in Oakland County Circuit Court with treble damages under MCL 600.2919 for willful destruction of trees.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Farmington Hills actively enforces its tree removal & heritage trees requirements.

Rainwater Harvesting

Michigan has no statewide volume cap on residential rainwater collection, and Farmington Hills does not regulate residential rain barrels under its municipal code. Rain-barrel installations must conform to the Michigan Plumbing Code where they connect to building systems, and any cross-connection to potable water requires backflow protection. The Oakland County RainSmart Rebates program offers up to $2,000 to homeowners in southeast Oakland County (including Farmington Hills) for rain barrels, rain gardens, and tree-planting installations.

Key details: State Restriction: None — Michigan has no statewide volume cap. City Permit: Not required for simple downspout-fed rain barrels. Plumbing Code Trigger: Connection to building plumbing or potable system. Cross-Connection: Backflow prevention required under Ch. 33. Rebate Program: Oakland County RainSmart — up to $2,000.

Installation of a simple downspout-fed rain barrel without plumbing connections does not require a city permit and is not subject to fines in Farmington Hills. Plumbed rain-barrel or cistern systems installed without a plumbing permit from the Building Division are Code violations subject to stop-work and after-the-fact permitting. Cross-connections that contaminate the public water supply trigger immediate disconnection by the Department of Public Services, mandatory backflow testing, and reporting to EGLE under MCL 325.1001 et seq. Possession or use of a non-compliant invasive aquatic plant (e.g., water hyacinth, water lettuce — added to the State Prohibited list in May 2026) in a rain-barrel ornamental container violates MCL 324.41323.

The rules around rainwater harvesting in Farmington Hills lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Artificial Turf

Farmington Hills does not prohibit artificial turf on residential, commercial, or institutional property. Michigan has no statewide artificial-turf or non-functional-turf prohibition equivalent to Colorado SB 24-005. Artificial-turf installations on developed sites that affect impervious-surface coverage are subject to Chapter 34 (Zoning) site-plan review and the City's Storm Water Management Plan / MS4 NPDES permit obligations to the Rouge River watershed.

Key details: Local Ban: None — artificial turf allowed citywide. MI State Ban: None — no statewide equivalent to CO SB 24-005. Zoning Trigger: Ch. 34 lot-coverage / impervious-surface review. Stormwater Trigger: MS4 NPDES permit + Storm Water Management Plan. Permeable vs. Impermeable: Permeable backing favored under stormwater standards.

Installing artificial turf without site-plan amendment on commercial, multi-family, or institutional parcels where the installation triggers Chapter 34 lot-coverage or impervious-surface review is a Zoning violation enforced by the Planning & Community Development Department with stop-work and replacement orders. Non-compliance with the City's stormwater design standards or NPDES MS4 permit obligations may trigger EGLE enforcement against the City and pass-through enforcement against the property owner. Failure to obtain a required plumbing or grading permit for the underlying installation may be enforced as a Building Code violation. HOA enforcement against private installations is a contract matter resolved in Oakland County Circuit Court.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Farmington Hills gives residents more flexibility on artificial turf.

Tree Trimming

Farmington Hills does not require a permit to prune healthy trees on private residential property. Trees in the public right-of-way and on City-owned property are maintained by the Department of Public Services (DPS) in coordination with the Planning Office, which administers the Zoning Chapter 34-5.18 tree provisions. Farmington Hills is a Tree City USA designated by the Arbor Day Foundation and observes Arbor Day annually as part of program participation.

Key details: Private Pruning Permit: Not required. ROW / City Tree Maintenance: Department of Public Services (DPS). Tree City USA: Farmington Hills — Arbor Day Foundation designation. Common Law: Trim to property line; no trespass, no kill (Mass. rule). Utility Line Clearance: DTE Energy / Consumers Energy under MPSC tariff.

Unauthorized pruning, damage, or removal of a City-owned street tree or right-of-way tree may be cited under Chapter 34 Zoning enforcement provisions and may trigger restitution measured by the tree's appraised value (typically via ISA Trunk Formula or Replacement Cost Method) plus civil infraction penalties prosecuted in 47th District Court. Damaging a neighbor's tree by trespass or willful injury is actionable in Oakland County Circuit Court for actual damages and, under MCL 600.2919, for treble damages plus reasonable attorney fees for willful destruction or carrying away of trees.

The rules around tree trimming in Farmington Hills lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Native Plants

Farmington Hills does not mandate native plants in private landscapes, but actively encourages native and Michigan-adapted species through the City's Reduce Flooding campaign as a way to slow rainfall and reduce runoff into the Rouge River. Native-meadow plantings that exceed the 8-inch grass-height standard in Chapter 17, Article II may still be subject to nuisance abatement within the 100-foot trigger zones, so coordination with Code Enforcement is recommended. Michigan has NO statewide HOA xeriscape protection law equivalent to Colorado's CRS 38-33.3-106.5.

Key details: Mandatory Native Use: Not required on private lots. Encouragement: City Reduce Flooding campaign + ARC + Friends of the Rouge. 8-Inch Nuisance Tension: Native meadows in trigger zones — coordinate with Code Enforcement. MI HOA Xeriscape Shield: NONE — Michigan has no statewide protection. HOA Governing Law: MCL 559.101 (Condo Act) + restrictive covenants.

There are no penalties for using native plants on a private lot, provided general nuisance and noxious-vegetation rules are followed. A native-meadow planting exceeding the 8-inch height limit in the Chapter 17, Article II trigger zones may be cited as noxious vegetation with the standard notice / City-cut / Section 17-29 cost-recovery process. HOA enforcement of lawn-aesthetics rules against native-plant landscaping is a private contract matter handled in Oakland County Circuit Court — Michigan provides no statutory HOA xeriscape shield. Installation, removal, or disturbance of vegetation in a regulated wetland under MCL 324.30101 et seq. without an EGLE permit is enforceable as a state-law violation with restoration orders and civil penalties.

Farmington Hills is more permissive than most cities when it comes to native plants. That said, there are still limits.

Grass Height Limits

Chapter 17 (Nuisances), Article II of the Farmington Hills Code of Ordinances requires property owners on land within 100 feet of a platted subdivision, single-family residential condominium, or any major road to keep noxious vegetation and lawn grass cut to a maximum height of eight (8) inches above ground level, or to a level that prohibits a flower-bearing state, whichever is less. Vegetation not appropriately cut by June 1 and thereafter for the remainder of the year may be cut by the City, with the owner billed for the cost of each cut as provided in Section 17-29.

Key details: Authority: Farmington Hills Code Ch. 17 (Nuisances), Art. II. Height Limit: 8 inches maximum (or flower-bearing prevention, whichever is less). Trigger Zone: Within 100 ft of platted sub, SF condo, or major road. Annual Deadline: June 1 — and thereafter through the growing season. Abatement Cost: City cuts; owner billed actual cost per Sec. 17-29.

First step: written notice to the property owner under Chapter 17, Article II. If uncorrected after the notice period, the City performs the cutting and bills the owner the actual expense and costs of each cut under Section 17-29. Unpaid charges may be placed on the Oakland County tax roll under standard Michigan municipal lien procedures and collected with property taxes. Continued or repeat violations may be cited as municipal civil infractions in 47th District Court, which serves Farmington Hills. The Code Enforcement Division reaches out at (248) 871-2450.

Weed Ordinances

Farmington Hills regulates noxious vegetation locally through Chapter 17 (Nuisances), Article II, alongside the 8-inch grass-height standard. State-level invasive-plant authority sits with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and EGLE under Part 413 of NREPA (MCL 324.41301 et seq.). In May 2026, the Michigan Commission of Agriculture & Rural Development added six species — callery pear, common buckthorn, glossy buckthorn, Japanese barberry, water hyacinth, and water lettuce — to the State's Prohibited and Restricted Plant lists.

Key details: Local Authority: Farmington Hills Code Ch. 17, Art. II — Nuisances. State Authority: NREPA Part 413 — MCL 324.41301 et seq.. Designation Body: MI Commission of Agriculture & Rural Development. May 2026 Additions: Callery pear, buckthorn (2), Japanese barberry, water hyacinth, water lettuce. Enforcing State Agencies: EGLE, MDNR, MDARD.

Chapter 17, Article II violations are enforced as nuisance abatements: written notice, City-cut on failure to comply, owner billed actual cost under Section 17-29, with unpaid charges placed on the Oakland County tax roll. Repeat violations may be cited as municipal civil infractions in 47th District Court. Possession, sale, or movement of a state-listed Prohibited or Restricted species is enforced under MCL 324.41323 (criminal misdemeanor for prohibited species — fines up to $20,000 plus civil penalties), with cases handled by EGLE, MDNR, and MDARD in coordination with Michigan State Police Conservation Officers.

Water Restrictions

Farmington Hills purchases drinking water from the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) — sourced from Lake Huron via the Lake Huron Water Treatment Plant in Port Huron and from the Detroit River via the Springwells Water Treatment Plant. From April 1 through October 31, outdoor watering follows a hard-coded odd/even address-based schedule under Chapter 33 (Water and Sewers), Article V — odd-numbered addresses water Monday/Wednesday/Saturday and even-numbered addresses water Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday, with no irrigation permitted between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Key details: Local Authority: Farmington Hills Code Ch. 33 (Water & Sewers), Art. V. Wholesale Source: Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA). Source Water: Lake Huron (Port Huron WTP) + Detroit River (Springwells WTP). Restriction Window: April 1 – October 31 (annual). Odd Addresses: Water Monday / Wednesday / Saturday.

Watering on the wrong day, or watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the April 1–October 31 restriction period, is a violation of Chapter 33, Article V enforceable as a municipal civil infraction in 47th District Court. The City typically issues a written warning for first offenses, with civil-infraction fines escalating for repeat violations. Persistent non-compliance may trigger water-service restrictions consistent with GLWA wholesale-customer obligations. Cross-connections or unauthorized tampering with the City water supply are enforced under Chapter 33 with potential service-disconnection authority and referral to EGLE under Michigan's Safe Drinking Water Act (MCL 325.1001 et seq.).

This is one of the stricter rules in Farmington Hills's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Farmington Hills gives residents more room on landscaping rules. 4 of the 8 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

All of the above reflects Farmington Hills's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.