Landscaping Rules in High Point, NC

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

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Required canopy trees, understory trees, and shrubs on High Point commercial, multifamily, and mixed-use sites can't be removed or relocated once installed without an approved revised landscape plan, and unauthorized removal triggers mandatory replacement at ratios up to 4-to-1.

Key details: Applies to: Commercial, multifamily, mixed-use sites. Exempt: Single-family detached & duplex dwellings. Removal requires: Approved revised landscape plan. Max replacement ratio: 4:1 for canopy trees 24"+ DBH. Enforced under: Development Ordinance Chapter 9.

Unauthorized removal of required landscaping is a Chapter 9 violation; the landowner must replace it per Table 5.5.16.C: up to 4-to-1 for large canopy trees, 3-to-1 if size can't be verified, 2-to-1 for shrubs.

Weed Ordinances

High Point, North Carolina treats dense weeds, grass, or noxious vegetation taller than 12 inches on any lot as a public nuisance, with an exemption for certified natural buffers, floodplains, and greenways.

Key details: Height limit: 12 inches. Notice to abate: 10 days. Enforcing office: Planning and Development Director. Uncorrected lots: City mows, bills owner, liens property. Repeat offenders: 3+ notices/year = chronic violator.

Failure to abate after notice draws civil penalties under Code § 1-1-4 and G.S. 160A-175; the city may also mow or clear the lot itself and place the cost as a lien on the property.

Water Restrictions

High Point only restricts lawn watering to odd or even calendar days, based on address, once the city formally declares a water shortage alert, a voluntary first step that becomes mandatory, with civil penalties, if the shortage worsens.

Key details: Citation: High Point Code § 8-2-40(b). Trigger: Declared water shortage alert. Phase one: Voluntary odd/even day watering. Season: April 15 through September 15. Phase two penalty: $100 to $600 per violation.

Once mandatory phase-two conservation is declared, unauthorized outdoor irrigation draws a civil penalty of $100 (or $200 for meters 1½ inches and larger), doubling for each repeat offense up to $300/$600, with every violating day counted separately.

Artificial Turf

High Point's Development Ordinance excludes artificial turf from the 'built-upon area' impervious-surface count, as long as the turf drains through its backing and sits over a pervious surface per the manufacturer's specs.

Key details: Exempt from BUA if: turf drains through backing. Also required: installed per manufacturer's specs. Also required: laid over a pervious surface. Applies to: watershed & stormwater impervious-cover limits. Source: §10.4 Definitions, 'Built-Upon Area'.

Installing turf that doesn't drain, or laying it over an impermeable base, means the area still counts as built-upon area and can push a lot over its watershed impervious-cover limit.

The rules around artificial turf in High Point lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Tree Trimming

High Point, North Carolina requires trees, hedges, and shrubs to be trimmed back at least 6 inches from any sidewalk and kept clear of intersection sight lines, or they're a declared nuisance.

Key details: Sidewalk clearance: 6 inches minimum. Corner-lot vision triangle: 25 ft from ROW intersection. Legal status: Declared public nuisance. Compliance window: 10 days after order.

After an order to remove the encroachment, failure to comply within 10 days is a civil-penalty violation under § 1-1-4 and G.S. 160A-175, escalating from $50 to $500 for repeat offenses.

The Bottom Line

High Point'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 High Point is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects High Point'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.