Landscaping Rules in San Jose, CA (2026)
7 verified landscaping rules for San Jose, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
San Jose requires street trees to keep an 8-foot vertical clearance over sidewalks and 14-foot clearance over the roadway, and bars pruning or removing a street tree without a permit from the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services director.
San Jose Street Tree Clearance & Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Jose Municipal Code § 13.28.400(C)(2)
Provide a minimum eight-foot vertical pedestrian clearance from the top of the sidewalk and a minimum fourteen-foot vertical vehicular clearance from the top of the pavement, to any part of a street tree.
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
San Jose bans removing any live or dead tree 38+ inches in trunk circumference from private property without a tree removal permit or development permit under Chapter 13.32 of the Municipal Code.
San Jose Tree Removal Permit Ordinance
Significant RestrictionsSan Jose Municipal Code § 13.32.030
It shall be unlawful for any person to remove, or cause to be removed, any live tree, as defined in Section 13.32.020, from any private parcel of land in the city unless one of the following conditions exists: A.Removal of the tree is required pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 13.28; orB.A development permit that allows the removal of the tree has been issued and accepted by the permit a...
Weed Ordinances
San Jose's City Council can declare weeds or refuse growing on any street, parkway, sidewalk, or private property a public nuisance, then have the fire chief abate it and bill the property owner for the cost.
San Jose Weed Abatement Public Nuisance Rule
Some RestrictionsSan Jose Municipal Code § 9.12.100
Whenever weeds are growing, or refuse is situated upon any street, Furnishing Zone/Parkstrip, sidewalk or private property, the City Council may, by resolution, declare the weeds or refuse a public nuisance.
Water Restrictions
San Jose bans irrigating outdoor landscaping with potable water between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., and caps landscape-irrigation-system watering at fifteen minutes per station per day, under Municipal Code § 15.10.290: hand watering, drip irrigation and self-closing hoses are exempt.
San Jose Lawn Watering Time-of-Day Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Jose Municipal Code § 15.10.290(A)
No person shall use, permit or allow the use of Potable Water to irrigate any outdoor landscaping at any time between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., unless the person using, permitting or allowing the use of the water is using a bucket, hand-carried container, a hose equipped with an Automatic Positive Self-Closing Valve, or a Drip Irrigation system.B.No person shall use, permit or allo...
Rainwater Harvesting
San Jose allows rain barrels or cisterns as a Building Official-approved alternative when a single-family home can't meet the standard downspout-to-landscaping drainage rule.
San Jose Rainwater Harvesting as Drainage Fix
Light RestrictionsSan Jose Municipal Code § 17.72.530(C)
Where the Building Official makes a determination that it is technically infeasible for a particular single-family dwelling to meet the requirements set forth in Subsection B.2. above, the Building Official may consider equivalent alternatives...Such equivalent alternatives can include:1.Direct roof runoff to a rainwater harvesting system (rain barrels or cisterns) for on-site non-potable use; ...
Native Plants
During a declared 30%+ water shortage, San Jose bans new outdoor landscape installation with overhead irrigation May through October, but drought-tolerant and native plants are exempt from that ban.
Native Plants Exempt From Water Shortage Ban
Few RestrictionsSan Jose Municipal Code § 15.10.360
After adoption by the city council of a resolution declaring a thirty percent or greater water shortage, it shall be unlawful for any person to install new outdoor landscaping, or plantings, during the months of May through October in an area with an overhead irrigation system unless the overhead irrigation system is disconnected, removed or converted to drip irrigation... except for: A. Instal...
Composting
California SB-1383 requires every San Jose resident and business to separate food scraps and yard trimmings from trash. San Jose's Sustainable Materials Management program provides curbside organics carts and enforces participation through franchise haulers and the city.
Mandatory Organics Composting Under SB-1383
Some RestrictionsCalifornia SB1383 (2015-2016 Session)
42652.5. (a) The department, in consultation with the State Air Resources Board, shall adopt regulations to achieve the organic waste reduction goals for 2020 and 2025 established in Section 39730.6 of the Health and Safety Code. The regulations shall comply with all of the following: (1) May require local jurisdictions to impose requirements on generators or other relevant entities within thei...
Looking for Santa Clara County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Jose city rules.
Landscaping Rules in Santa Clara County →