Landscaping Rules in Glendale, AZ (2026)
6 verified landscaping rules for Glendale, Arizona, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Glendale requires owners of trees overhanging a street or right-of-way to prune them so they don't block intersection sightlines or the sidewalk, and lets the Administrator prune or remove hazardous limbs at the owner's expense if they don't.
Glendale Duty to Prune Trees Over Streets
Some RestrictionsGlendale Code of Ordinances § 19-99
Every owner of any tree overhanging any street or right-of-way within the city shall prune the branches so that such tree shall not obstruct the view of any street intersection or interfere with persons utilizing the sidewalk or street. Said owners shall remove all dead, diseased or dangerous trees or broken or decaying limbs which the administrator determines constitutes a hazard or danger to ...
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
No one may plant, remove, cut above ground or disturb a tree in a Glendale street right-of-way, park or other public place without first getting a permit from the City's urban forestry administrator.
Glendale Public Tree Removal Permit Rule
Significant RestrictionsGlendale Code of Ordinances § 19-97
No person shall plant, remove, cut above the ground, or disturb any tree within any city right-of-way, park or other public place without first obtaining a permit from the administrator. The person obtaining the permit shall abide by the standards set forth in this article.
Weed Ordinances
Glendale caps grass and weeds at six inches on every property, occupied or not, and separately bars weeds in sidewalk cracks and curb openings that create a tripping hazard. Desert-landscaped yards get a blight/infestation/hazard standard instead of a strict inch count.
Glendale Grass and Weed Height Limit
Some RestrictionsGlendale Code of Ordinances § 25-21(g)
(g)No person owning or occupying any property shall allow thereon grass or weeds to exceed six (6) inches in height. No person owning or occupying and desert landscape property fronting on any street, alleyway, or public place in the city including the area between the property line of such property and the street shall allow thereon grass or weeds to grow in a manner that such conditions creat...
Water Restrictions
Glendale requires all water customers to curtail usage during declared droughts under a City-adopted Drought Management Plan. A first violation brings a written warning and conservation materials, but a second violation adds a fine tied to the drought stage, and a third or later violation doubles the previous fine.
Glendale Drought Water Curtailment Rules
Significant RestrictionsGlendale Code of Ordinances §§ 33-81, 33-84
Sec. 33-81. - Declaration of policy. It is the policy of the City of Glendale that water usage of all City users and Customers shall be curtailed during times of drought. ... Sec. 33-84. - Enforcement. (a)For a first violation of any provision of this division, the City shall issue a written notice of first violation and provide educational materials on water conservation, including a copy of t...
Artificial Turf
Glendale's Unified Development Code bans artificial plant materials from counting toward required landscaping, with one named exception: synthetic turf. Under UDC § 35.4.105, only turf grass substitutes qualify as artificial landscape material, so homeowners and developers may install synthetic turf on private lots, but plastic shrubs, trees or flowers never satisfy any landscape-plan requirement enforced by the Development Services Department.
Glendale Artificial Turf Landscaping Rules
Few RestrictionsGlendale Code of Ordinances § 35.4.105
A.Plant materials must be included on the most recent edition of the Phoenix Active Management Area Low Water Using Plant List and shall be installed in accordance with the Arizona Nursery Association Container Grown Tree Guide, unless otherwise specified herein.B.With the exception of synthetic turf, no artificial plant materials may be used to satisfy the requirements of this Section.
Composting
Glendale generally bans letting garbage or solid waste accumulate on property, but carves out an exception letting residents pile up and store leaves, grass clippings, and similar organic yard waste for composting under rules the solid waste Administrator can set.
Glendale Residential Yard Waste Composting Rule
Light RestrictionsGlendale Code of Ordinances § 18-9(a)
(a)No owner, operator, or occupant of property shall allow garbage, trash, refuse, other solid waste, or recyclable material to accumulate or remain on its property, including any street, sidewalk, alley, right-of-way, unless such material is managed in in accordance all applicable health codes, ordinances, and rules and regulations of the Administrator, City, county, state and federal governme...
Looking for Maricopa County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Glendale city rules.
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