Landscaping Rules in Lynnwood, WA

Lynnwood maintains 115 local ordinances across all categories, and 5 of those deal specifically with landscaping rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Lynnwood falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Weed Ordinances

Lynnwood, Washington declares residential lawn grass a public nuisance once it grows past eight inches, under Lynnwood Municipal Code § 10.08.200(B)(12)(c). City officers can order the owner to cut it, and every 24 hours it stays uncut past the deadline counts as a separate violation of the code.

Key details: Height limit: 8 inches or less. Governing section: LMC 10.08.200(B)(12)(c). Notice before abatement: At least 10 days. Repeat violation window: Every 24 hours. Max fine: $300, plus 90 days jail.

Failing to cut grass to eight inches or less after notice exposes the owner to a misdemeanor under LMC 10.08.070 (up to $300 and 90 days in jail) and a fresh violation for every 24 hours the lawn stays overgrown under LMC 10.08.230. The city may also abate the lawn itself and recover its costs under LMC 10.08.260.

Tree Trimming

Lynnwood's landscaping maintenance code requires branches to be trimmed to at least six feet of clearance above the ground so sightlines and walkways stay open, rising to eight feet wherever a branch overhangs a driveway, parking lot or other vehicular use area, as an ongoing duty tied to every approved landscape plan.

Key details: Ground-level clearance: 6 ft minimum. Clearance over vehicular areas: 8 ft. Maintenance duty: in perpetuity per approved plan. Applies to: any site with required landscaping. Street/sidewalk trees: deep-rooted species + root barrier.

Branches left below the six-foot ground clearance, or below eight feet over a driveway or parking area, are a landscape-maintenance violation of LMC 8.40.0220(C); the development and business services department can require corrective trimming as part of ongoing monitoring of landscaping conditions of approval, and an unresolved violation can hold up release of a landscaping installation bond posted under subsection (A)(2).

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Removing a tree anywhere in Lynnwood requires a tree removal permit under LMC 17.15.100 unless a narrow exemption applies. Significant trees, six inches or more in diameter, trigger replacement requirements measured in tree units, and violations can bring stop-work orders, civil penalties, and a $25.00-per-day fine for noncompliance.

Key details: Governing section: LMC 17.15.100. Significant tree size: 6+ inches D.B.H.. Permit expiration: 12 months from issuance. Class I limit: 2 trees or 40% per year. Class II bond: 125% of replacement cost, 3+ yrs.

Removing a tree in violation of Chapter 17.15 is unlawful and enforced in progressive steps under LMC 17.15.170: the director can issue a stop-work order, require replacement trees calculated from the LMC 17.15.090 tree-unit table (each removed tree is a separate offense), assess civil penalties under LMC 1.01.085, and require a maintenance bond. If a replacement order is not complied with, the property owner faces a civil fine of $25.00 per day, deposited into the city's tree fund; where a site cannot sustain the required replacements, the city instead assesses a fine equal to twice the unreplaceable tree fee per missing tree.

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

Rainwater Harvesting

Lynnwood's Unified Development Code lets rain barrels of 50 gallons or less project up to two feet into a required street or interior setback, the same limited encroachment allowed for gutters, eaves, and cornices, under LMC 8.30.0940(D)(1).

Key details: Rain barrel setback exemption: up to 50 gallons. Maximum encroachment allowed: 2 feet into setback. FAR exclusion: rainwater collection floor area excluded. Governing code: LMC 8.30.0940(D), Title 8 UDC.

A rain barrel or cistern larger than 50 gallons placed inside the required setback is treated as an unpermitted encroachment like any other setback violation. The development and business services department can issue a notice of violation and corrective order under LMC Chapter 1.40, and unresolved violations accrue civil penalties starting at $100 for the first day and rising to $500 per day, plus a possible lien on the property after 30 days unpaid.

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

Water Restrictions

During a water shortage, Lynnwood's water utility can forbid, restrict or ration irrigation, cooling and other water uses citywide or by customer class under LMC 13.16.030. Wasting water on irrigation beyond what is reasonably necessary is separately prohibited year-round under LMC 13.16.020.

Key details: Emergency authority: Utility may forbid/restrict/ration irrigation. Trigger: Any declared water shortage. Scope: Citywide, by district, or by customer class. Standing duty: No wasteful irrigation use, LMC 13.16.020. Administered by: Lynnwood public works water utility.

LMC 13.16.020's waste prohibition and any shortage-triggered restriction or rationing order under LMC 13.16.030 are enforced by the Lynnwood public works water utility. The utility's general remedy for water-use violations under this title is a service action, including requiring repairs, and, for serious or continued noncompliance with utility rules, termination of water service to the property under related Title 13 provisions.

The Bottom Line

Lynnwood'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 Lynnwood is broadly strict or permissive.

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