Landscaping Rules in Brownsville, TX (2026)
5 verified landscaping rules for Brownsville, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Removed trees must be replaced on the same site: one caliper inch for each inch of Protected Tree and three caliper inches for each inch of Heritage Tree. Every replacement tree must be at least three caliper inches.
Replace caliper inch for inch, three-to-one for heritage
Some RestrictionsBrownsville Unified Development Code § 5.1.4.A (Tree Mitigation)
Protected Tree. Protected Trees shall be mitigated at a one-to-one (1:1) caliper inch ratio at the time of planting for every tree removed. Replacement trees shall have a minimum caliper of three (3) inches.
Weed Ordinances
Brownsville caps grass and weeds at 18 inches under Section 54-62, and applies the rule up to 5,000 feet beyond the city limits. Owners also mow the strip to the center of an abutting alley and the ground abutting the street.
Grass over 18 inches triggers city mowing
Some RestrictionsBrownsville Code of Ordinances § 54-62 (Rubbish; weeds) (Code 1971, § 16-32; Ord. No. 93-562-C, § 1, 8-31-1993)
Grass or weeds over 18 inches in height shall be prima facie evidence that the lot is unsightly to a person of ordinary sensibilities.
Rainwater Harvesting
Texas encourages rainwater harvesting rather than restricting it. Brownsville requires no permit for residential rain barrels, state law bars HOAs from banning them and bars cities from denying building permits over them, and the UDC awards design points for larger systems.
Rain barrels encouraged, protected by state law
Few RestrictionsTex. Local Gov't Code § 580.004(c)
A municipality or county may not deny a building permit solely because the facility will implement rainwater harvesting.
Native Plants
Brownsville writes native and drought-tolerant planting into the Unified Development Code as a stated purpose, publishes Approved Plant Materials tables built around Rio Grande Valley species, and awards design points for certifying land as a Texas Wildscape or Monarch Waystation.
City code promotes native, drought-tolerant planting
Few RestrictionsBrownsville Unified Development Code § 4.6.3.A (Landscaping — Purpose), Ord. 2020-235.95, eff. March 31, 2021
Promote native and adaptable, drought-tolerant species to conserve water and promote local biodiversity.
Artificial Turf
Brownsville's code never mentions artificial or synthetic turf. The Unified Development Code instead requires builders to sod every uncovered part of a new single-family lot, and required landscaping must come from the city's Approved Plant List, so synthetic grass cannot satisfy those obligations.
Artificial turf unaddressed, but sod is required
Some RestrictionsBrownsville Unified Development Code § 4.6.3.E.1 (Minimum Landscaping Standards — Single Family, Duplex, and Townhome Construction), Ord. 2020-235.95, eff. March 31, 2021
The Applicant or builder shall sod all areas on a lot that are not covered by a building, structure, driveway, or sidewalk.
Looking for Cameron County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Brownsville city rules.
Landscaping Rules in Cameron County →