Reno's Landscaping Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles landscaping rules a little differently. In Reno, Nevada, there are 6 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

Reno assigns lawn irrigation to three fixed days a week by address parity and bans watering between noon and 6 p.m. all summer, enforced with civil fines.

Key details: Even addresses: Tue, Thu, Sat only. Odd addresses: Wed, Fri, Sun only. Summer noon-6pm ban: Memorial Day-Labor Day. Wrong-day fine: $200 per § 12.14.210. Enforced by: Public Works & TMWA.

Civil infraction. First offense carries no fine; wrong-day watering or watering during the noon-6 p.m. ban is $200.00 per the fine schedule in § 12.14.210; a second citywide violation is $25.00 and a third is $75.00 under the same schedule.

Tree Trimming

Reno residents may trim trees on their own property without a city permit. Trees overhanging streets or sidewalks must maintain 8 feet clearance over sidewalks and 14 feet over streets per RMC 12.16. Utility line trimming is handled by NV Energy.

Key details: Sidewalk Clearance: 8 ft minimum. Street Clearance: 14 ft minimum. Permit: Not required on private trees. Utility Lines: NV Energy handles free. Boundary Line: Trim to line, no trespass.

Branches obstructing sidewalk/street: notice to abate within 30 days, then city trims with cost recovery. Willful damage to a neighbor's tree: civil treble damages under NRS 40.140.

The rules around tree trimming in Reno lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Artificial Turf

Reno's landscaping code allows artificial turf as ground cover, but caps it at 25% of the required landscaped area unless the city administrator approves more.

Key details: Cap on inert ground cover: 25% of required landscape area. Exceeding the cap: requires Administrator approval. Applies to: required landscape areas citywide. Governing rule: RMC § 18.04.805(c)(2)c.

Exceeding the 25% inert-ground-cover cap without administrator approval is a landscaping plan violation, enforced through the site plan review and permitting process rather than a standalone fine.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Reno's Municipal Code Chapter 8.32 makes it unlawful to remove, top, mutilate, or injure any tree, shrub, or vine on a public street, park, or other public place without a written permit from the city's urban forester.

Key details: Enforcing official: Reno Urban Forester. Permit required: for any work on public trees. Banned street species: elm, poplar, cottonwood, willow. Penalty: misdemeanor plus tree-value restitution. Landmark trees: removal needs city council approval.

Damaging, topping, or removing a public tree without an urban forester's permit is a misdemeanor; violators must also compensate the city for the tree's value under RMC § 8.32.180.

Weed Ordinances

Reno requires owners and occupants to clear weeds, dry grass, and dead trees from their property and the abutting sidewalk or alley, or face nuisance enforcement.

Key details: Governing section: RMC § 8.22.060(b). Nuisance trigger: Overgrown weeds unremoved 10+ days. Applies to: Property, sidewalk, and alley frontage. Large-acreage exemption: Over 1 acre, hazardous terrain.

Misdemeanor under § 8.22.040; the city can issue a notice of violation, abate the nuisance under chapter 1.05, and bill the owner for removal costs. Each day of noncompliance is a separate violation.

Native Plants

New development landscape plans in Reno must cap turf at 50 percent of the required landscape area in multi-family, Urban and Employment districts, and every non-turf area must emphasize low water-use plants.

Key details: Turf cap: 50% max in MF/Urban/Employment districts. Non-turf standard: must emphasize low water-use plants. Trees: drought-tolerant trees required in plans. Exempt: single-family and duplex need no plan.

The Administrator withholds landscape-plan approval, and ultimately the certificate of occupancy, until a plan meets the turf cap and irrigation standards; installed landscaping that isn't maintained can trigger conditional-use-permit or business-license proceedings under § 18.04.807(b)(3).

The Bottom Line

Reno'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 Reno is broadly strict or permissive.

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