Pomona's Landscaping Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles landscaping rules a little differently. In Pomona, California, there are 8 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.

Water Restrictions

Pomona is served by multiple water providers following MWELO requirements. New landscapes over 500 sq ft must meet Maximum Applied Water Allowance calculations. CA Gov Code Section 65595 prohibits banning drought-tolerant landscaping.

Key details: MWELO: Applies to new landscapes over 500 sq ft. Drought-Tolerant: Cannot be prohibited (Gov Code 65595). State Law: AB 1881 Water Conservation Act. Commercial Turf: AB 1572 bans potable irrigation.

Non-compliant landscape installations delay project approval. Water waste violations are enforced by the local water provider with potential fines.

Compared to other cities, Pomona takes a harder line on water restrictions. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Composting

Pomona's solid waste code lets residents manage organic waste on site or through a community composting operation instead of curbside collection, but caps what counts as "community composting" at 100 cubic yards and 750 square feet at any one time, and requires operators to report capacity data to the city on request.

Key details: Governing sections: City Code Secs. 62-581, 62-653(a), 62-791(b). Community composting cap: 100 cubic yards and 750 sq ft on site. Operator reporting duty: Respond to city capacity requests in 60 days. Above the cap: Full facility approvals required, Sec. 62-842. First-violation penalty: $50 to $100.

Failing to respond to a city capacity-planning request within 60 days, or operating above the 100 cubic yard/750 square foot community composting threshold without the land-use and facility approvals required by Sec. 62-842, exposes an operator to enforcement under Sec. 62-795: a notice of violation with 60 days to comply, followed by an administrative citation carrying a base penalty of $50 to $100 for a first violation, $100 to $200 for a second, and $250 to $500 for a third or later violation of the same requirement within a year.

Weed Ordinances

Pomona code enforcement designates overgrown, dead, or hazardous weeds and vegetation a public nuisance under City Code Sec. 18-222(9)-(10), with no fixed height trigger. The rule targets vegetation that can harbor rats, block sightlines, promote blight, or create a fire hazard, and separately makes owners abutting a sidewalk, parkway, or alley responsible for weeds and refuse there.

Key details: Height standard: None fixed, condition-based test. Sidewalk/parkway weeds: Abutting owner's duty, Sec. 18-222(9). Nuisance triggers: Rat harborage, sightline block, blight, fire hazard. Appeal window: 10 calendar days, no fee. Penalty: Misdemeanor plus abatement lien.

Failing to abate cited vegetation is a misdemeanor under Sec. 18-221(d), capped under Sec. 1-7's general penalty at the Penal Code Sec. 19 misdemeanor fine, up to six months in jail, or both, with each continuing day a separate offense. If the owner does not comply within the notice period, the city can perform the abatement itself and assess the cost as a lien or special assessment on the property.

Native Plants

Pomona's Zoning and Development Code requires every landscape permit to emphasize drought-tolerant and native plant species. Front and street-facing yards must use native water-conserving plants under Sec. 1300.I, and landscape plans earn up to 40 of 140 required points for covering 75 percent of the planted area with native or water-conserving species under Sec. 1300.O.

Key details: Permit required since: April 1, 2017. New project threshold: 500 sq ft landscape area. Min parcel landscaped (residential): 20 percent. Native/water-conserving plant points: 40 of 140 points. Minimum score to approve plan: 100 of 140 points/category.

Installing landscaping without the required Sec. 1300 permit, or submitting a plan that fails to meet the 100-of-140-point technique threshold, blocks Development Services approval and can trigger a stop-work order on the installation. Sec. 11110 of the Zoning and Development Code routes ongoing violations, including unmaintained or noncompliant landscaping under Sec. 1300.P, to the enforcement provisions of Division 5 of the Pomona City Code for correction notices and civil citations.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Pomona requires a Major Oak Tree Permit before anyone relocates or removes an Oak tree over 8 inches in diameter on public or private property outside historic districts. The Planning Commission decides Major permits at a public hearing; unpermitted removal is a misdemeanor.

Key details: Protected size: Oak trunk over 8 inches diameter. Removal/relocation permit: Major Oak Tree Permit. Trimming permit: Minor Oak Tree Permit. Permit validity: 30 days, one 30-day extension. Residential replacement: 24-inch box Oak, 1-to-1.

Trimming, cutting, relocating or removing a protected Oak without a valid permit is a misdemeanor punishable as set forth in Section 1-7(c) of the Pomona City Code. If a permittee fails to correct non-conforming work within 7 days of written notice from the Planning Manager, that failure is also deemed a misdemeanor for each affected tree. If a permitted or violating Oak dies within 3 years of a conviction, the convicted person must pay the City the ISA-appraised replacement value, remitted for planting a new Oak in the same Council district.

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

Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in California. No Pomona-specific restrictions exist. CA law allows residential rainwater collection without a permit for non-potable uses.

Key details: State Law: Legal for non-potable uses. Permit: Not required for residential collection. Local Restrictions: None specific to Pomona. Encouraged: Part of water conservation efforts.

Tree Trimming

Pomona regulates tree trimming under its Tree Preservation Program and Street Tree Policy Manual. Trees in historic districts require a Certificate of Appropriateness before trimming. Street trees follow ISA pruning standards.

Key details: Historic Districts: Certificate of Appropriateness required. Street Trees: City-managed per Street Tree Policy. Standards: ISA pruning standards. Code: Ch. 46, Art. X / Ch. 18, Art. V.

Improper trimming of street trees or heritage trees may require administrative review under the Historic Preservation Ordinance. Unauthorized removal of significant trees may result in penalties.

Artificial Turf

Artificial turf is permitted in Pomona as a water-saving alternative. CA law prohibits cities from requiring natural grass. MWELO encourages low-water landscaping options including synthetic turf.

Key details: Allowed: Yes, as water-efficient alternative. State Law: Cities cannot mandate natural grass. MWELO: Supports low-water alternatives. HOA: CA law limits HOA turf mandates.

The Bottom Line

Pomona is tougher than many cities when it comes to landscaping rules. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Pomona, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

All of the above reflects Pomona'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.