Landscaping Rules in Kent, WA (2026)
6 verified landscaping rules for Kent, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
No one may plant, remove, trim, prune, or cut any tree between a Kent street's property line and the curb without a written permit from the parks and recreation director, and willfully injuring a street tree is separately banned.
Kent Permit to Trim or Prune Street Trees
Significant RestrictionsKent City Code § 6.10.060(B)
B. No person shall, without a written permit from the director, plant, remove, trim, prune or cut any tree between the property line and the curb. Upon permission being granted to any person, the work shall be done under the supervision of the director.
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Kent requires retention of significant trees on undeveloped property before development: KCC 15.08.240(B) mandates that all trees six inches in diameter or greater be kept in place unless a city-approved tree retention plan or the director's alternative provision allows otherwise. Illegally removed or damaged retained trees must be replaced two-for-one under KCC 15.08.240(I).
Kent Tree Removal & Retention Permit
Significant RestrictionsKCC 15.08.240
15.08.240 Preservation of trees. B. General restrictions for all districts. Except as provided for in this section, on undeveloped property in the city, all trees of a six-inch diameter or greater shall be retained on the property where they are growing. ... I. Replacement of removed or damaged trees. Trees removed illegally from undeveloped land or trees designated for retention which are d...
Weed Ordinances
Kent caps grass and weeds at six inches on every property except land zoned agricultural: KCC 8.07.050(B)(4) requires owners and occupants to remove grass and weeds once they reach that height, along with dead or hazard-creating vegetation. The rule applies citywide, on vacant and improved lots alike, and enforcement runs through the director of public works.
Kent Weed and Grass Height Limit
Some RestrictionsKCC 8.07.050(B)(4)
8.07.030 Nuisances designated. The following conditions are hereby declared nuisances within the city of Kent: 1. Vegetation constituting a fire hazard; 2. Vegetation constituting a health hazard; 3. Vegetation constituting a safety hazard. ... 8.07.050 Duties of owners and occupants. ...B. In addition to the duties the owner or occupant may have to abate nuisances, subject to subsection (...
Water Restrictions
Kent has no standing lawn-watering schedule. Instead, KCC 7.13.030 lets the city council pass an emergency ordinance limiting irrigation and other water uses during a drought, and KCC 7.13.050 spells out what that ordinance can restrict, including landscape irrigation, once it is in force.
Kent Emergency Water Use Restrictions
Light RestrictionsKent City Code § 7.13.050
A. Subject to subsection (B) of this section, any ordinance passed pursuant to this chapter may limit or prohibit the following uses of water: 1. Irrigating or watering of landscaping, grass, plants, vegetables, vines, trees, shrubbery, gardens, ground cover, or any other similar vegetation; and/or... B. Customers whose historic monthly average water use for the period from May 15th through Aug...
Rainwater Harvesting
Kent gives commercial building owners a stormwater utility bill credit for installing a rainwater harvesting system. KCC 7.05.150(B) sets a minimum 10 percent rate reduction, with larger credits possible depending on how much rainwater is captured.
Kent Rainwater Harvesting Rate Credit
Light RestrictionsKent City Code (KCC) § 7.05.150(B)
The owner or renter of a new or remodeled commercial building is utilizing a permissive rainwater harvesting system, as defined in KCC 7.05.020. In such cases, and in accordance with RCW 35.67.020 and 35.92.020, the owner or renter shall receive a credit equal to a minimum 10 percent rate reduction. The director will consider rate reductions in excess of 10 percent depending upon the amount of ...
Native Plants
Landscape plans submitted for development in Kent must include a diversity of native, native-adapted and drought-tolerant, low-water-use plant species, and must promote native wildlife habitat where feasible. KCC 15.07.040(C)(5) makes this a design requirement reviewed by planning services alongside irrigation and soil rules in the same chapter.
Kent Native Plant Landscaping Requirement
Some RestrictionsKCC 15.07.040(C)(5)
5. Landscape plans shall include a diversity of native, native adapteds, and drought tolerant, low water use plant species, and shall promote native wildlife habitat where feasible.
Looking for King County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Kent city rules.
Landscaping Rules in King County →