Landscaping Rules in Huntington Beach, CA (2026)

Huntington Beach, CA, Municipal Code § 8.17.010(B) (Sidewalks-Streets-Obstructions)

Trees, bushes, vines or any other vegetation growing in, upon, or overhanging any public right-of-way shall be deemed to interfere with and obstruct the vision or free passage of pedestrians or vehicles upon said public right-of-way, within the meaning of this section, unless the lower limbs, twigs or leaves of such trees, bushes, vines or vegetation are kept removed at all times so as to provi...

Huntington Beach, CA, Municipal Code § 13.50.120 (Permit-Planting); § 13.50.180 (Defacing Prohibited)

§ 13.50.120. Permit—Planting. No person shall plant, replant, relocate or remove any tree from any street, parkway or public place without first complying with Sections 13.50.050 through 13.50.070. ... § 13.50.180. Defacing Prohibited. No person shall cut down, pull up, burn, destroy or remove any tree, plant or shrub in any street or public place. No person shall trim, skin, deface or remove t...

Huntington Beach, CA, Municipal Code § 8.16.010 (Removal Required); § 8.16.030 (Removal, Notice to Owner)

§ 8.16.010. Removal Required. All persons owning any real property in this City are required to keep said property free from weeds whose seeds are of a winged or downy nature, weeds which attain such large growth as to become, when dry, a fire menace, and dry grass, stubble, brush, litter, or other flammable material which endangers the public safety by creating a fire hazard. § 8.16.030. Remov...

Cal. Code Regs. tit. 23, §§ 490-495 - Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO)

New development and retrofitted landscape water efficiency standards are governed by the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) . The MWELO is also referenced by Title 24, Part 11, Chapters 4 and 5 CalGreen Building Code. All local agencies must adopt, implement, and enforce the MWELO or a local Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO) that is at least as effective as the MWELO. Us...

Cal. Water Code §§ 10572, 10573(b), 10574

10574. Use of rainwater collected from rooftops does not require a water right permit pursuant to Section 1201. ... 10573. (b) "Rain barrel system" is a type of rainwater capture system that does not use electricity or a water pump and is not connected to or reliant on a potable water system. ... 10572. Nothing in this part shall be construed to do any of the following: (a) Alter or impair any ...

Huntington Beach Municipal Code § 14.52.070(C)(7) and (G)(3)

For calculation of the EAWU, a temporarily irrigated hydrozone area, such as an area of highly drought-tolerant native plants that are not intended to be irrigated after they are fully established, shall be defined as a very low water use hydrozone with a plant factor of 0.1. ... Plants shall be selected appropriately based upon their adaptability to the climatic, geologic, and topographic cond...

California Civil Code Section 4735

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a provision of the governing documents or architectural or landscaping guidelines or policies shall be void and unenforceable if it does any of the following: (1) Prohibits, or includes conditions that have the effect of prohibiting, the use of low water-using plants as a group or as a replacement of existing turf. (2) Prohibits, or includes conditions that ha...

CA Health & Safety Code Section 39730.6 (SB 1383)

(a) Consistent with Section 39730.5, methane emissions reduction goals shall include the following targets to reduce the landfill disposal of organics: (1) A 50-percent reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2020. (2) A 75-percent reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2025. (b) Except as provide...