Landscaping Rules in Seattle, WA (2026)
6 verified landscaping rules for Seattle, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Property owners abutting a public sidewalk in Seattle must prune the street trees and vegetation fronting their lot so branches don't block streetlights, traffic signs, signals, or sightlines at intersections. SMC 15.43.040 sets a hard clearance floor: 8 feet above the sidewalk and 14 feet above the street. SDOT can do the pruning itself and bill the owner if the standard isn't met.
Seattle Requires 8-Foot Sidewalk Clearance For Street Trees
Some RestrictionsSeattle Municipal Code § 15.43.040(A)(2)
Pruning street trees in abutting public places and trees on private property so that the trees do not obstruct street lights, traffic signs or signals, and views of streets or intersections. Street trees must meet the minimum height clearance requirements of 8 feet above the surface of the sidewalk and 14 feet above the surface of the street;
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Seattle requires Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections approval in advance before any regulated tree can be removed as hazardous, per SMC 25.11.040, unless the work qualifies as an emergency action under SMC 25.11.030. A registered tree service provider with an ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification must first rate the tree Extreme or High Risk, and Tier 1 through Tier 3 replacements are mandatory once the Director approves removal.
Seattle Hazardous Tree Removal Requires SDCI Approval
Significant RestrictionsSeattle Municipal Code § 25.11.040
A.For any tree regulated pursuant to this Section 25.11.040, approval from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections is required in advance of hazardous tree removal unless it is an emergency action pursuant to Section 25.11.030.B.Trees subject to the provisions of this Chapter 25.11 may be removed as hazardous, if those trees are rated by a registered tree service provider that ha...
Weed Ordinances
Seattle Municipal Code 10.52.020 declares vegetation constituting a fire, health, or safety hazard a public nuisance on any property, with no set inch limit: the test is whether growth is dry and combustible, harbors rodents or poisonous plants, or blocks sightlines. SMC 10.52.030 puts the abatement duty on the property owner or occupant.
Seattle Vegetation Nuisance and Weed Duties
Some RestrictionsSeattle Municipal Code §§ 10.52.020, 10.52.030
The following conditions are hereby declared nuisances within The City of Seattle: A.Vegetation constituting a fire hazard;B.Vegetation constituting a health hazard;C.Vegetation constituting a safety hazard.... It is the duty of the owner of the property and of any occupant of the property wherein or whereon any such nuisance exists to abate the nuisance by destroying, removing or trimming vege...
Water Restrictions
Seattle has no year-round lawn-watering-day schedule. SMC 21.04.500 lets the Director of Seattle Public Utilities ban outdoor water use, including irrigation of lawns, turf and other outdoor surfaces, only after declaring a water-supply emergency, and only on the times and conditions the Director then sets for each declared event.
Seattle Lawn Watering Rules Apply Only in Declared Emergencies
Light RestrictionsSeattle Municipal Code § 21.04.500
A.The Director of Seattle Public Utilities, upon finding that an emergency situation exists which threatens to seriously disrupt or diminish the municipal water supply, may order and enforce restrictions on water use so as to distribute the available supply on a just and equitable basis to all customers, including residential, industrial, and commercial users, as well as to municipal water dist...
Rainwater Harvesting
Seattle's Stormwater Code lets rainwater harvesting count as an approved on-site BMP for single-family and other projects under SMC 22.805.070, but only if it's sized correctly: Category 2 systems must meet the chapter's on-site performance standard, and Category 4 systems must cut annual runoff volume by at least 25 percent. It's optional, not mandatory.
Seattle Rainwater Harvesting Sizing Standards
Light RestrictionsSeattle Municipal Code § 22.805.070 (Table A)
Table A for 22.805.070 On-site List for Single-family Residential Projects Category BMPs All Discharge Locations 1 Full Dispersion R, S Infiltration Trenches R, S d Drywells R, S d 2 Rain Gardens a R, S Infiltrating Bioretention R, S Rainwater Harvesting—Category 2 Sizing X b Permeable Pavement Facilities R, S Permeable Pavement Surfaces S Sidewalk/Trail Compost-Amended Strip S 3 Sheet Flow Dis...
Native Plants
Seattle's Green Factor landscaping standard, set out in SMC 23.86.019, awards a 0.1 bonus multiplier to any landscaping that consists entirely of drought-tolerant or native plant species, on top of credit already earned for the planted area itself.
Seattle Green Factor Native Plant Bonus
Some RestrictionsSeattle Municipal Code § 23.86.019
Development standards for certain areas require landscaping that meets a minimum Green Factor score. All required landscaping shall meet standards promulgated by the Director to provide for the long-term health, viability, and coverage of plantings. These standards may include, but are not limited to, the type and size of plants, spacing of plants, depth, and quality of soil, use of drought-tol...
Looking for King County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Seattle city rules.
Landscaping Rules in King County →