Landscaping Rules in Idaho Falls, ID (2026)
9 verified landscaping rules for Idaho Falls, Idaho, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Grass Height Limits
Idaho Falls City Code defines a 'weed' as any plant (other than a tree or shrub) more than ten inches tall. Allowing weeds or noxious weeds to grow is an unlawful public nuisance under Title 5, Chapter 8, enforced by Code Enforcement.
Idaho Falls Grass and Weed Height Limit
Some RestrictionsTree Trimming
Idaho Falls property owners must keep trees clear of public ways: 8 feet over sidewalks, 13 feet over curbs, and 15 feet over the street/alley centerline. Pruning public/street trees needs City permission, and tree-service firms must be City-licensed.
Idaho Falls Tree Trimming and Clearance Rules
Some RestrictionsTree Removal & Heritage Trees
Removing a private tree on your own property generally needs no City permit in Idaho Falls. But removing or cutting any public or street tree requires written permission from the Director or City Forester, and abuse of public trees is unlawful under City Code 8-9-9 and 8-9-12.
Idaho Falls Tree Removal Rules
Some RestrictionsWeed Ordinances
Idaho Falls bans noxious weeds and weeds over ten inches as public nuisances (City Code 5-8-11), layered on top of Idaho's statewide noxious-weed law (Idaho Code 22-2407), which makes every landowner responsible for controlling state-designated noxious weeds at their own cost.
Idaho Falls Weed and Plant Nuisance Ordinance
Some RestrictionsWater Restrictions
Idaho Falls runs its own municipal water utility drawing from the Snake River Plain aquifer. There is no fixed odd/even watering schedule, but City Code 8-4-8 bans wasting water and prohibits irrigation by open hose. In a shortage, the Mayor may proclaim mandatory limits (8-4-9).
Idaho Falls Outdoor Watering Restrictions
Some RestrictionsRainwater Harvesting
Idaho Falls has no city ordinance restricting rainwater collection. Under Idaho law, you may capture rooftop rainwater on your own property for beneficial use, so long as it has not entered a natural waterway and you do not injure others' established water rights.
Idaho Falls Rainwater Harvesting Rules
Few RestrictionsNative Plants
Idaho Falls encourages native and low-water landscaping. The zoning code's landscaping standards say plantings 'should use native species' that favor local soil and low water use, and the weed ordinance expressly protects intentional native and xeriscape plantings from being treated as weeds.
Idaho Falls Native and Drought-Tolerant Plant Rules
Few RestrictionsArtificial Turf
Idaho Falls has no ordinance that specifically permits or bans artificial turf. The zoning landscaping standards (City Code 11-4-4) define required landscaping in terms of living plant materials combined with hardscape, so synthetic turf may not satisfy a required landscaped area on its own, but residential use is not prohibited.
Idaho Falls Artificial Turf Rules
Few RestrictionsComposting
Idaho Falls has no dedicated composting ordinance, and backyard composting is allowed. The main constraint is the Litter and Weed Control chapter (Title 5, Chapter 8): a compost pile must not become a litter, garbage, or nuisance condition that attracts vermin or accumulates rubbish.