Landscaping Rules in Santa Rosa, CA (2026)
7 verified landscaping rules for Santa Rosa, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Santa Rosa puts street-tree upkeep on the abutting property owner, not the City. City Code Section 13-32.010 requires owners to keep trees, shrubs and hedges along their street frontage trimmed to a minimum eight-foot clearance over sidewalks and 13 feet over the roadway, and makes them liable if a branch or root hurts someone.
Santa Rosa Street Tree Trimming and Clearance Duty
Some RestrictionsSanta Rosa City Code § 13-32.010(A), (D)
(A) The owner of a lot fronting on or adjacent to any portion of a street shall maintain any trees, shrubs, hedges or other landscaping along said street or within the street right-of-way adjacent to his or her property in such nondangerous condition that the trees, shrubs, hedges or other landscaping will not interfere with the public convenience or safety in the use of the streets and sidewal...
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Santa Rosa requires a City permit before anyone alters, removes, or relocates any heritage, protected, or street tree, with exemptions for ordinary trees on already-developed single-family lots, hazard trees, utility-line clearance, and a short exempt-species list. Unpermitted removal of a covered tree is a misdemeanor under Section 17-24.100.
Santa Rosa Tree Removal Permit Required
Significant RestrictionsSanta Rosa City Code § 17-24.030
No person shall alter, remove or relocate, or permit or cause the alteration, removal or relocation, of any tree, including any heritage, protected, or street tree, situated in the City, without a permit as provided in this chapter. ... The alteration, removal or relocation of a tree, except a protected or heritage tree, situated on "developed property in a R-1, R-1-6, R-1-7.5, R-1-9, PRD, and ...
Weed Ordinances
Santa Rosa's property maintenance code caps weed growth on any lot at six inches. Section 18-20.302.4.1 amends the International Property Maintenance Code to require that premises and exterior property stay free of weed growth over six inches, ban noxious weeds outright, and require overgrown, dead, or hazardous vegetation to be cleared within 24 hours of being flagged.
Santa Rosa 6-Inch Weed Height Limit
Some RestrictionsSanta Rosa City Code § 18-20.302.4 / 302.4.1
302.4. Weeds. Weed and rubbish abatement shall be as set forth in Santa Rosa City Code Title 9, Health and Safety, Chapter 9-08. Weeds and Rubbish. In addition, premises and exterior property must meet the requirements of Section 302.4.1. 302.4.1 Weeds. Premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from weed growth in excess of six inches (6"). Noxious weeds shall be prohibited. Weeds...
Water Restrictions
Letting a sprinkler or hose run off your Santa Rosa property and onto pavement is illegal, not just wasteful. City Code Section 14-21.030 bans any outdoor use of potable or recycled water that produces runoff, and Section 14-21.050 backs the ban with fines that climb from a warning to $500 per repeat offense.
Santa Rosa Bans Irrigation Runoff as Water Waste
Some RestrictionsSanta Rosa City Code §§ 14-21.020, 14-21.030, 14-21.050
Water waste means: (A) Potable or recycled water use in outdoor areas resulting in runoff; or (B) The escape of water through breaks or leaks or due to an equipment malfunction within a customer's plumbing or private distribution system for any substantial period of time within which such break, leak, or equipment malfunction should have been discovered and corrected. ... A customer shall not a...
Rainwater Harvesting
New or remodeled landscaping in Santa Rosa that needs a building, grading, or design-review permit must document any stormwater system on the landscape plan. Section 14-30.040(A)(13) specifically requires showing the location, installation details, and size of rainwater harvesting or catchment technologies, and directs applicants to the City or the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board for approval.
Santa Rosa Landscape Plans Must Detail Rainwater Catchment
Light RestrictionsSanta Rosa City Code § 14-30.040(A)(13)
Identify location, installation details, and size of any storm water best management practices, including rainwater harvesting or catchment technologies that will provide storm water retention, infiltration, and/or treatment. Project applicants shall refer to the City or North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board for information and approval requirements;
Native Plants
Santa Rosa's landscaping chapter exempts areas planted with intentionally unirrigated native plants from the automatic irrigation system mandate that otherwise applies to every landscaped area in the city. The zoning code also directs plant selection toward species adapted to local climate and soil, and specifically encourages protecting and preserving native species and natural areas on developed sites.
Santa Rosa Native Plant Landscaping Exemption
Few RestrictionsSanta Rosa City Code § 20-34.050(D), (F)(1)(b)
D. Irrigation system required. All landscaped areas, except areas to be maintained with intentionally unirrigated native plants, shall be provided an automatic irrigation system in compliance with Section 20-34.060 (Irrigation System Design). ... F. Landscape design. 1. Plant selection and grouping. ... b. Plants shall be selected appropriately based upon their adaptability to the climatic, geo...
Composting
Santa Rosa's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, § 14-30.040(B)(1)(c), makes builders and homeowners work six cubic yards of compost per 1,000 square feet into the top eight inches of soil on any permitted new or rehabilitated landscape.
Compost Required in New Santa Rosa Landscapes
Some RestrictionsSanta Rosa City Code § 14-30.040(B)(1)(c)
(B) For each landscape project subject to this chapter applicants shall submit a landscape design plan in accordance with the following: (1) Amendments, Mulching and Soil Conditioning. (a) Prior to the planting of any materials, compacted soils shall be transformed to a friable condition. (c) Incorporate compost into the soil to a minimum depth of eight inches at a minimum rate of six cubic yar...
Looking for Sonoma County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Santa Rosa city rules.
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