Landscaping Rules in Flagstaff, AZ (2026)
7 verified landscaping rules for Flagstaff, Arizona, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
In the City of Flagstaff, any property owner must trim trees on their land that overhang a public thoroughfare so branches do not interfere with pedestrians or travel, and must keep hedges and shrubbery from extending over a public sidewalk at all. Injuring or destroying a tree or shrub on public ground without authority is a separate offense.
Flagstaff Sidewalk Tree Trimming Duty
Some RestrictionsFlagstaff City Code § 8-04-001-0001, § 8-04-001-0002
Any owner of any real property shall trim all trees on property owned or occupied by him. overhanging any public thoroughfare, so that the branches thereon will not interfere with pedestrians or public travel. ... Any owner or occupant of any real property shall maintain all hedges and shrubbery adjacent to public sidewalks so that no part of said hedges and/or shrubbery shall extend over any p...
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
In the City of Flagstaff, cutting down a forest-resource tree inside the Resource Protection Overlay beyond what a City permit allows is a separate offense for every tree, punishable by up to $1,000 under Flagstaff Zoning Code § 10-50.90.120, plus mandatory replacement planting and per-tree fines that climb from $1,000 to $10,000 based on trunk diameter.
Flagstaff Protected Tree Removal Permit Fines
Significant RestrictionsFlagstaff Zoning Code § 10-50.90.120
A. Any individual, corporation, association or other entity violating any provision of this division shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000 per offense. The cutting down or destruction of each tree shall constitute a separate offense. B. If trees identified as forest resources are cut down, destroyed, intentionally damaged or removed for any reason, in conj...
Water Restrictions
In the City of Flagstaff, once the City declares Strategy I of its water availability plan under Code Section 7-03-001-0014, watering days split by street address: even-numbered addresses irrigate Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, odd-numbered addresses irrigate Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and nobody may irrigate on Monday.
Flagstaff Odd-Even Irrigation Days
Some RestrictionsFlagstaff City Code § 7-03-001-0014(E)(1)(a)
No person shall: a. Irrigate between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Even-numbered street addresses shall irrigate Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Odd-numbered street addresses shall irrigate Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. No irrigation shall be allowed on Monday. Daily hand watering with a hose or watering can is allowed. Strategy I irrigation hours shall apply to hand watering. Water...
Rainwater Harvesting
In the City of Flagstaff, a residential subdivision or multifamily development can earn a 25 percent density bonus by dual-plumbing every building for an active rainwater harvesting system, one of four water-resource options under Zoning Code Section 10-30.70.040. It is not a citywide mandate, but a route to build more units.
Flagstaff Rainwater Harvesting Density Bonus
Light RestrictionsFlagstaff Zoning Code §§ 10-30.70.030, 10-30.70.040
B. Market Rate Residential Units. When a development complies with Section 10-30.70.040, a density increase of 25 percent above the maximum density permitted in the designated zone shall be allowed. ... ... A. Water Resource Protection. The development shall comply with at least one of the following: ... ... 3. All buildings within a residential development shall be dual plumbed so that rainwat...
Native Plants
Flagstaff's Zoning Code lets a landscaped site count as Hydrozone 3, the native zone, when at least 80 percent of the plant selection is native or already-preserved native vegetation, and it allows those areas to go without a permanent irrigation system once the plants are established. That native-plant option sits alongside less restrictive water-use zones for oasis and transition planting on the same lot.
Flagstaff Native Plant Landscaping Rules
Some RestrictionsFlagstaff Zoning Code § 10-50.60.060
C. Hydrozone 3. ... Hydrozone 3 is usually on the periphery of a development site adjacent to hydrozone 2. ... This includes native plants, native vegetation preserved on-site, and low-water use naturalized plants. ... Table 10-50.60.060.A.: Hydrozones Hydrozone Plant Selection ... Hydrozone ... 3 Native Zone Plants/Vegetation with very low watering requirements (Predominantly1 native plants an...
Artificial Turf
In the City of Flagstaff, artificial turf is legal in landscaped areas, but Section 10-50.60.050.B.3.e treats it as a special case: turf must sit on a permeable base, it never counts toward the landscape area a lot must plant, and the turfed area cannot exceed the maximum oasis allowance set for the property.
Flagstaff Allows Artificial Turf With Permeable Base
Some RestrictionsFlagstaff Zoning Code § 10-50.60.050.B.3.e
Artificial shrubs shall not be allowed. Artificial turf may be installed provided it has a permeable base. Any artificial turf area shall not count as required landscape area, and shall not exceed the area allocated for an oasis as defined in subsection (C) of this section;
Composting
In the City of Flagstaff, City Code § 6-06-001-0003 exempts dead vegetative matter such as grass clippings, leaves and tree trimmings from the citywide ban on letting litter accumulate on private property, as long as the pile is kept for composting, regularly maintained, and confined so it cannot drift, blow, or generate obnoxious odors onto a neighboring property.
Flagstaff Backyard Composting Rules
Light RestrictionsFlagstaff City Code § 6-06-001-0003
It shall be unlawful for any owner, occupant, or lessee of Private Property to allow Litter to accumulate on the Private Property unless the same is kept in covered bins or other Authorized Container. However, dead vegetative matter including grass clippings, leaves and tree trimmings may be permitted to remain on the property for the purpose of composting, provided such compost is regularly ma...
Looking for Coconino County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Flagstaff city rules.
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