Gilbert's Landscaping Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles landscaping rules a little differently. In Gilbert, Arizona, there are 4 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Gilbert's Land Development Code sets a minimum planting size for every approved tree: six feet for deciduous and non-deciduous trees (typically a 24-inch box), five feet for palms, and a 0.75-inch trunk caliper measured four inches above the soil line for single- and multi-trunk trees.

Key details: Shade tree minimum: 6 ft height (24-in. box). Palm tree minimum: 5 ft height. Single-trunk caliper: 0.75 in., 4 in. above soil. Multi-trunk caliper: 0.75 in. average of 2 largest trunks.

A landscape plan proposing trees under the six-foot/24-inch-box (or five-foot palm, 0.75-inch caliper) minimums will not clear Design Review, and trees installed below size are flagged at final inspection and must be replaced before the Town issues a Certificate of Occupancy; damaged or undersized trees are also enforceable later as a landscape maintenance violation under Section 5.4.9.

Weed Ordinances

Code of Gilbert § 42-317(e) makes lawn grass or weeds taller than ten inches a code violation on any exterior property area, vacant or improved, along with tumbleweeds and dead palm fronds left within ten feet of a structure, fence or other combustible. The town enforces it through the same 30-day abatement notice and $500 civil fine used for other property-maintenance violations.

Key details: Governing section: Code of Gilbert § 42-317(e). Max lawn grass height: 10 inches. Max weed height: 10 inches. Applies to: vacant and improved land. Max civil fine: $500 per violation (§ 42-334(b)).

A failure to mow or clear vegetation past the ten-inch limit is enforced through § 42-311's 30-day notice-to-abate process, and an uncorrected violation carries a Municipal Court civil fine of up to $500 under § 42-334(b), plus the possibility of a recorded lien for abatement costs under § 42-329 if the town has to clear the lot itself.

Water Restrictions

Gilbert restricts lawn watering only when the town manager or council declares a water-shortage stage under Code of Gilbert § 66-381. Stage three lets the town publish time-of-day, address or other restrictions on lawn watering, and stage four bans watering lawns outright, along with lawn overseeding, fountain operation and new pools, per § 66-383.

Key details: Governing sections: Code of Gilbert §§ 66-381, 66-383, 66-384. Trigger: Only active during a declared shortage stage. Stage 3: Lawn watering limited by time/address if imposed. Stage 4: Watering lawns prohibited outright. Enforcement: Code compliance manager; complaint to municipal court.

Under § 66-384, the code compliance manager investigates complaints and sends the property owner written notice to stop the violation; continued noncompliance triggers a complaint filed in Gilbert Municipal Court and exposes the owner to civil sanctions and criminal penalties. A first-time offender can have the civil fine waived by completing a town-sponsored water-efficiency program instead of paying it.

Tree Trimming

Gilbert makes the owner, occupant or person controlling a property responsible for keeping the sidewalk out front clear of grass, weeds and rubbish and for trimming vegetation so it doesn't block pedestrian or street travel, under Code of Gilbert § 54-5. The same section requires frontage irrigation ditches and retention berms to be kept in repair so they don't dump water onto public property.

Key details: Duty holder: Owner, occupant, or person in control of premises. Covers: Sidewalk grass, weeds, rubbish, vegetation trimming. Also covers: Frontage irrigation ditches & retention berms. Violation classification: Civil offense, § 54-5(c). Chapter: Ch. 54, Streets, Sidewalks & Other Public Places.

Failing to keep the sidewalk clear or the vegetation trimmed under § 54-5(a) is expressly made a civil offense by § 54-5(c), enforced through the town's standard code-compliance citation process for right-of-way conditions. Letting an adjacent irrigation ditch or retention berm fall out of repair so water escapes onto public property is a separate civil offense under the same section.

The Bottom Line

Gilbert'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 Gilbert is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Gilbert's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.