8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Verified from official government sources
Anne Arundel County enforces a maximum grass height of 12 inches under its weed and grass ordinance. Property owners are notified and must cut within 10 days. County will mow and bill the owner for non-compliance.
Anne Arundel County's Forest Conservation Act requires tree permits for lots over 40,000 sq ft. Chesapeake Bay Critical Area buffer trees are protected. Specimen trees (30+ inches DBH) receive heightened review during development projects.
Routine tree removal on standard residential lots in Anne Arundel County does not require a permit. Chesapeake Bay Critical Area trees and those on lots over 40,000 sq ft undergoing development require permits and replacement planting.
Anne Arundel County enforces weed abatement. MD Agriculture Art. §9-401 covers noxious weeds. County health departments handle residential complaints.
Anne Arundel County activates outdoor irrigation restrictions during drought advisories. Odd/even watering schedules and daytime irrigation bans may apply. Chesapeake Bay Critical Area requires Bay-friendly native plantings within 1,000 feet of tidal waters.
Maryland permits residential rainwater harvesting without restriction. Anne Arundel County encourages rain barrels for stormwater management; rebate program periodically offered.
Anne Arundel County actively promotes native and Bay-friendly plantings through its Watershed Protection program and Critical Area buffer plantings. Maryland RP §2-118 limits HOA bans on low-impact landscaping. Turf grass replacement is incentivized near the Chesapeake Bay.
Anne Arundel County permits residential artificial turf but counts it as impervious surface in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area, which can trigger mitigation. Drainage plans are required when turf replaces lawn on slopes or near tidal waters.
3 cities in Anne Arundel County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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Anne Arundel County Ordinance Hub →