Landscaping Rules in Virginia Beach, VA (2026)
4 verified landscaping rules for Virginia Beach, Virginia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Cutting, trimming or spraying trees or shrubs on, under or over a city street requires a permit, and vegetation blocking sightlines at intersections or driveways must be cleared within 14 days of notice.
Tree Trimming Over Streets in Virginia Beach
Some RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code § 33-59
Any bush, shrub, tree, vegetation, fence, wall, berm, landscape screening or the like, which obscures, hinders or creates visibility obstruction for vehicles entering a street from another street or from a driveway shall be trimmed, relocated, adjusted or removed, whichever action is deemed appropriate or necessary for traffic safety by the traffic engineer's office. For failure to remove, trim...
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
New residential development in Virginia Beach must plant trees or provide canopy cover scaled to lot size, protect existing trees during construction, and pass inspection before occupancy under City Code Appendix E.
Virginia Beach Tree Planting & Preservation Rules
Some RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code, App. E (Tree Planting, Preservation and Replacement), § 1.4.A.1
All residential lots shall have trees planted, or canopy cover provided, based upon the following minimum requirements by lot size:a.1—4,999 square feet:(1)One small tree per attached townhouse interior lot.(2)Two (2) small, or medium, trees for attached townhouse end lots.(3)Two (2) small or medium trees for all other lots.b.5,000—7,499 square feet: 300 square-foot canopy cover.c.7,500—9,999 s...
Weed Ordinances
Virginia Beach bars grass, weeds, or brush over 10 inches tall on any property, including the strip out to the curb. Code enforcement gives owners a notice with seven days to cut it before citing them.
Grass and Weed Height Limit in Virginia Beach
Some RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code § 23-50(b)
...upon determination by the director of housing and neighborhood preservation, the code enforcement administrator, or any inspector of the department of housing and neighborhood preservation... that there exists on any land or premises within the city... any grass, weeds, brush or similar vegetation in excess of ten (10) inches in height, notice shall be served on the owner of such land or pre...
Water Restrictions
Virginia Beach has no standing odd/even watering schedule. But once city council declares a water-supply emergency, the city manager or public utilities director can limit lawn and shrub watering to a hand-held container of three gallons or less.
Virginia Beach Emergency Watering Restrictions
Significant RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code § 37-21(b)(1)
Should the city council, declare there to be an emergency existing in the city arising, either wholly or substantially, out of a shortage of the public water supply, the city manager or the director of public utilities is hereby authorized to order the restriction or prohibition of any or all of the following uses of the water supply: (1) Watering of shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, plants or ot...