Native Plants: Carson vs El Monte
How do native plants rules compare between Carson, CA and El Monte, CA?
Carson and El Monte have similar restriction levels.
Carson, CA
Los Angeles County
Carson has no ordinance mandating native plant species, but the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO, CCR Title 23 §§490–495) effectively favors low water-use (often California-native or Mediterranean) species for new and rehabilitated landscapes ≥500 sq ft by capping the Maximum Applied Water Allowance via plant factors from the WUCOLS database.
View full Carson rules →El Monte, CA
Los Angeles County
El Monte's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (Title 17, Chapter 17.74 — adopted 2016 to comply with the state Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, 23 CCR §490) actively encourages the use of California-native and drought-tolerant plants. There is no restriction on planting natives in residential yards.
View full El Monte rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Carson | El Monte |
|---|---|---|
| State standard | MWELO — CCR Title 23 §§490–495 (≥500 sq ft) | - |
| Plant factor source | WUCOLS IV database | - |
| Turf restriction | AB 1572 (Gov Code §53087.7) — non-functional turf irrigation ban (CII, 2027) | - |
| HOA protection | Civil Code §4735 — HOAs cannot ban drought-tolerant landscaping | Cal. Civil Code §4735 (HOAs cannot ban low-water plants) |
| Code chapter | - | EMMC Title 17, Chapter 17.74 (MWELO compliance) |
| State framework | - | 23 CCR §490 (Model WELO) |
| ETAF (residential) | - | 0.55 max |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Carson FAQ
Does Carson require native plants?
No — there is no native plant mandate. However, MWELO's water budget effectively favors low water-use species, many of which are California natives.
Can my HOA make me remove drought-tolerant plants?
No — California Civil Code §4735 prohibits HOAs from banning or requiring removal of drought-tolerant or low-water-use landscaping.
El Monte FAQ
Can I rip out my front lawn and plant a native garden?
Yes. El Monte's WELO actively encourages drought-tolerant and native landscapes, and SoCal WaterSmart turf-replacement rebates are available through the Metropolitan Water District.
Does my HOA have to allow native plants?
Yes. California Civil Code §4735 prohibits HOAs from enforcing landscape rules that ban low-water-use plants or require irrigated turf during a declared drought emergency.
Compare other topics
See how Carson and El Monte compare on other ordinance categories.
Want to add a third city?
Use our full comparison tool to compare up to three cities.
Open Comparison Tool