Landscaping Rules in Palm Springs, CA (2026)
5 verified landscaping rules for Palm Springs, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Palm Springs requires every property, including vacant lots and the parkway strip to the street centerline, to keep its landscaping in a healthy condition. Shrubs and trees must be "trimmed and pruned to retain their health and adequate clearance over pedestrian and vehicular areas," the same maintenance duty that covers unmowed lawns and dead ground cover.
Palm Springs Tree Trimming Street Clearance Rule
Some RestrictionsPalm Springs, CA, Zoning Code Sec. 93.19.00(4) (Property Maintenance Standards)
Landscaping improvements shall be maintained in a healthy condition and complementary to neighboring buildings and properties. Such maintenance shall include, but not be limited to: lawns which are watered and trimmed to a uniform height, flowers and ground covers which are healthy and uniform in their appearance, and shrubs and trees which are trimmed and pruned to retain their health and adeq...
Weed Ordinances
Palm Springs treats overgrown weeds, shrubs, and plants as a public nuisance when they block a public right-of-way, harbor vermin, create a fire hazard, or hurt neighboring property values under Municipal Code Section 11.72.150 and Section 11.72.170. The code sets no numeric height, but requires vegetation on developed lots to stay trimmed and sight-clear.
Weed and Overgrowth Rules in Palm Springs
Some RestrictionsPalm Springs, CA, Municipal Code §§ 11.72.150, 11.72.170(c)
Any trees, shrubbery or plants permitted to grow out into, over or in the public right-of-way where pedestrian or vehicular traffic is impaired, or when vehicle operators cannot clearly observe safety signs and lights, constitutes a safety hazard, and are a public nuisance. ... Property on which overgrown, dead, diseased, or decayed trees, weeds or other vegetation that are likely to harbor rat...
Water Restrictions
Palm Springs bans irrigating lawns and landscaping between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., and caps above-ground spray irrigation at 15 minutes per station. Drip irrigation, hand-held buckets, and quick-release hose nozzles are exempt, but runoff onto sidewalks or streets and watering during rainfall are both separately banned as water waste.
Palm Springs Irrigation Watering Restrictions
Some RestrictionsPalm Springs, CA, Municipal Code § 11.06.050(a)-(c) (Water Conservation Requirements)
Watering hours and duration. No lawn or landscaped area shall be irrigated or watered by any means between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on any day. Above-ground spray irrigation or watering shall not exceed 15 minutes per irrigation station or area. ... Over-watering. No lawn or landscaped area shall be irrigated or watered to the point where excess water ponds, sprays or runs off the l...
Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation is legal and encouraged in Palm Springs, though rainfall is extremely limited (about 4-6 inches annually). Rain barrels under 5,000 gallons need no permit. Larger cisterns and any connection to potable plumbing require permits and backflow protection under the California Plumbing Code.
Palm Springs Rainwater Harvesting Rules
Some RestrictionsCal. AB 1750 (Rainwater Capture Act of 2012); Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7027.5; Cal. Water Code § 10573
This bill would enact the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012, which would provide that use of rainwater collected from rooftops does not require a water right permit from the state board. This bill would additionally authorize a landscape contractor working within the classification of his or her license to enter into a prime contract for the construction of a rainwater capture system, as defined, i...
Native Plants
Palm Springs actively encourages Sonoran Desert natives and climate-appropriate plants under PSMC Chapter 8.70, with approved plant lists emphasizing low-water species like palo verde, ironwood, mesquite, ocotillo, desert willow, and native grasses. California Civil Code §4735 prevents HOAs from prohibiting drought-tolerant landscaping.
Palm Springs Native and Desert-Adapted Plants
Light RestrictionsCal. Civ. Code § 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...
Looking for Riverside County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Palm Springs city rules.
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