Landscaping Rules in Kailua, HI: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Kailua or are thinking about moving there, landscaping rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Kailua has 9 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of landscaping rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Grass Height Limits

Kailua properties near Kailua Beach and Lanikai must keep vegetation from becoming a public nuisance under ROH Chapter 16A, which targets fire hazards and vermin harborage.

Key details: Code: ROH Chapter 16A, Article 2. Compliance window: 30 days after notice. Enforcement: Planning and Permitting. Height limit: Not specifically codified.

DPP issues written notice to abate. Noncompliance within 30 days authorizes city entry to cut vegetation, with abatement costs billed to the property owner.

Tree Trimming

Kailua homeowners along Kailua Road and Kalaheo Avenue must obtain an Urban Forestry permit before trimming street trees under ROH Sec. 10-1.4.

Key details: Code: ROH Sec. 10-1.4. Permit issuer: Parks and Recreation Urban Forestry. Scope: Public right-of-way trees. Exceptional trees: ROH Chapter 40, Article 8.

Unpermitted trimming may trigger citation and arborist-assessed restitution. Killed or disfigured street trees can lead to replanting orders at the owner's expense.

Weed Ordinances

Vacant parcels in Kailua, including infill lots near Enchanted Lake and Maunawili, face 30-day weed abatement notices under ROH Chapter 16A.

Key details: Code: ROH Sec. 16A-2.1 et seq.. Notice period: 30 days to comply. Remedy: City abatement at owner cost. Scope: Vacant and improved lots.

Failure to abate within 30 days permits city entry and removal. The owner is billed for abatement costs, which become a lien on the parcel if unpaid.

Water Restrictions

Kailua irrigation users along Kailua Beach and Lanikai must follow Board of Water Supply drought stages; ROH Chapter 30 sets broader management policy.

Key details: Code: ROH Sec. 30-2.3. Operator: Board of Water Supply. Drought stages: 1 through 4. Typical limits: Day-of-week watering.

BWS warns first-time violators and may issue fines or service-flow restrictions for repeat offenders during declared shortage stages.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Kailua property owners cannot remove designated exceptional trees, including notable monkeypods near Kailua Beach, without a Parks and Recreation permit under ROH Chapter 40.

Key details: Code: ROH Secs. 40-8.1 to 40-8.9. Permit issuer: Parks and Recreation. Emergency removal: Sec. 40-8.9 process. Street trees: See ROH Sec. 10-1.4.

Unpermitted removal or destruction of an exceptional tree can trigger fines and replacement orders; repeat violations are prosecuted as misdemeanors under Chapter 40.

Compared to other cities, Kailua takes a harder line on tree removal & heritage trees. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Rainwater Harvesting

Kailua residents can collect rainwater for outdoor irrigation without a permit; the Board of Water Supply offers rebates for rain barrels on windward lots.

Key details: Permit threshold: 360 gallons storage. Code reference: Hawaii Plumbing Code Ch. 16. Rebates: BWS rain barrel program. Indoor use: Requires plumbing permit.

Unpermitted plumbing tie-ins or cross-connections to the potable supply can trigger BWS violations; exterior-only catchment for irrigation is not regulated.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Kailua gives residents more flexibility on rainwater harvesting.

Native Plants

Kailua landscaping may substitute native Hawaiian species for standard plantings under LUO Sec. 21-4.70; no native-only mandate exists.

Key details: Code: LUO Sec. 21-4.70. Mandate: None, substitution allowed. Resources: BWS Xeriscape Program. Shoreline use: Often required for revegetation.

No penalties for choosing non-native species, but substandard landscaping for commercial zoning can delay permit approvals under LUO Sec. 21-4.70.

The rules around native plants in Kailua lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Artificial Turf

Kailua homeowners can install artificial turf on private property; LUO Sec. 21-4.70 may affect whether it counts toward required landscape area.

Key details: Code: LUO Sec. 21-4.70. Residential use: Permitted, no permit. Commercial use: DPP discretion. Drainage concern: Near shoreline lots.

No residential penalties exist, but commercial projects that rely on turf to satisfy landscape area may face permit revisions if DPP rejects the substitution.

Kailua is more permissive than most cities when it comes to artificial turf. That said, there are still limits.

Composting

Kailua residents and food businesses must follow ROH Sec. 42-3.5 food waste recycling rules; curbside food scrap collection is being phased in under the G.R.O.W. Program.

Key details: Code: ROH Sec. 42-3.5. Program: G.R.O.W. curbside. Start date: April 1, 2025. Commercial duty: Mandatory diversion.

Commercial non-diversion can trigger escalating fines under Chapter 42. Residential setout violations may result in uncollected carts and administrative citations.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Kailua gives residents more room on landscaping rules. 3 of the 9 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 Kailua'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.