Landscaping Rules in Orem, UT (2026)
7 verified landscaping rules for Orem, Utah, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Orem City Code Section 11-1-3 declares dead, decayed, diseased, or hazardous trees, weeds, hedges, and overgrown or uncultivated vegetation a public nuisance when they are in a hazardous condition, obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or are likely to harbor pests, requiring property owners to trim or remove them.
Orem Trees: Hazardous/Obstructing Trees Are a Nuisance (11-1-3)
Some RestrictionsOrem City Code, Chapter 11 (Health and Sanitation), Section 11-1-3 (Nuisance - Definition), item 16
Dead, decayed, diseased, or hazardous trees, weeds, hedges, and overgrown or uncultivated vegetation which is in a hazardous condition, is an obstruction to pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or which is likely to harbor rats, vermin or other pests.
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Orem's landscaping maintenance rule, City Code 22-14-13, requires every required landscaped area to be kept neat and orderly, and specifically obligates owners to remove trees that pose a safety hazard or that are dead, decayed, or diseased, along with weeds and debris that endanger the public or neighboring property.
Orem Requires Removal of Hazard, Dead Trees
Some RestrictionsOrem City Code § 22-14-13 (Landscaping)
All required landscaped areas shall be maintained in a neat, clean, and orderly condition and in accordance with good landscape maintenance practices. This includes proper pruning, lawn mowing, weeding, removing of litter, fertilizing, replacing of dead plants and the regular watering of all living material within landscaped areas. Required landscape maintenance also includes the removal of tre...
Weed Ordinances
Orem City Code Section 11-1-3 declares noxious weeds on vacant lots or other property, along sidewalks or the outer edge of a public street, or weeds that constitute a fire hazard a public nuisance; the property owner must abate them by discing, plowing, or mowing weeds within four inches of the ground and removing the cut weeds.
Orem Weeds/Grass: Mow Within 4 Inches; No Fire-Hazard Growth
Some RestrictionsOrem City Code, Chapter 11 (Health and Sanitation), Section 11-1-3 (Nuisance - Definition), item 10
Noxious weeds located on vacant lots or other property, along public sidewalks or the outer edge of any public street, or weeds in any other location which constitute a fire hazard. Compliance is accomplished by discing, plowing, or mowing weeds within 4 inches of the ground and by removing the cut weeds.
Water Restrictions
Orem has no fixed year-round watering-day or watering-hour ordinance for residents; mandatory odd-even watering days (by street address) are imposed only when the City Manager declares a Severe Stage water shortage under the City's Water Shortage Management Plan, while everyday outdoor irrigation is governed by efficiency expectations and Utah's water-wise landscaping statute.
Orem Watering Rules: Staged Cuts, No Year-Round Day Limit
Some RestrictionsCity of Orem 2022 Water Conservation Plan, Water Shortage Management Plan (Severe and Critical Stages)
Severe Stage: Mandate a reduction of water usage. Request odd-even watering days, based upon street address. Critical Stage: Mandate a reduction of water usage with enforcement. The Orem City Manager, or his appointed designee, will implement this Water Shortage Management Plan. The above phases are not intended to limit or restrict the ability of the City to meet the demands of the customer. R...
Rainwater Harvesting
New development and redevelopment in Orem must use site designs that infiltrate, evapotranspire, or harvest and reuse rainwater to keep runoff on-site. The Public Works Storm Water Utility enforces the standard under Orem City Code 23-4-8(7).
Orem Site Design Must Harvest and Reuse Rainwater
Some RestrictionsOrem City Code 23-4-8(7)(B)(3)(a)
The requirements outlined in subsections 1 and 2 above, must be accomplished by the use of a site design that contains a combination of practices including structural and non-structural controls that are designed, constructed, and maintained to infiltrate, evapotranspire, and/or harvest and reuse rainwater.
Native Plants
Orem's landscaping code encourages, but does not mandate, xeriscaping: City Code 22-14-13 promotes native, low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants combined with mulch or decorative gravel to meet landscaping requirements, pointing owners to a non-exhaustive species list in Appendix VV, and rewards heavy tree planting with a lower coverage floor.
Orem Encourages Native, Drought-Tolerant Landscaping
Few RestrictionsOrem City Code § 22-14-13 (Landscaping)
The use of native, low maintenance, drought-tolerant plants in combination with non-living materials that help retain moisture such as mulch and decorative gravel (xeriscape) is encouraged to meet the landscaping requirements described above. A non-exhaustive list of native, drought-tolerant species can be found in Appendix “VV”. ... The minimum required living landscape coverage requirement sh...
Artificial Turf
Orem lets property owners substitute artificial or synthetic turf for living plants in required landscaped areas under City Code 22-14-13, but only turf meeting eight specific technical standards covering fiber type, blade length, UV protection, infill, and drainage. The turf may not be installed in the landscaped buffer strip between a public street and a required sidewalk.
Orem Allows Artificial Turf Under 8 Conditions
Some RestrictionsOrem City Code § 22-14-13 (Landscaping)
All areas required to be landscaped that are not covered with living plants as described above shall may be covered and maintained with: ... artificial or synthetic turf that: (1) is a soft polyethylene green synthetic fiber, (2) has a minimum length of 1-1/2 inches (3) resembles real grass, (4) is ultra-violet light (UV) protected, treated, and tufted on a porous backing, (5) has a surface tha...
Looking for Utah County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Orem city rules.
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