Landscaping Rules in Bernalillo County, NM (2026)
6 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Bernalillo County requires property owners to keep the airspace over adjoining streets and sidewalks clear of tree branches and other vegetation up to a height of eight feet, with the county able to bill and lien owners who ignore a trim notice.
Bernalillo County Tree Clearance Over Streets
Some RestrictionsBernalillo County Code § 66-225(b)
All areas directly over streets, sidewalks to a height of eight feet shall be maintained free of vegetation or other obstructions by the owners, occupants or agents in charge of the adjoining property.
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
On county-managed open space, removing, damaging, or destroying any tree or other vegetation is banned outright under the Open Space Management Ordinance unless the county authorizes it through a lease, concession, or permit.
Bernalillo County Open Space Tree Protection
Some RestrictionsBernalillo County Code § 58-57(b)(24)
No person shall collect, remove, disturb, deface, graffiti, damage or destroy any natural resource, including, but not limited to, all live and dead vegetation and all parts thereof; landscaping materials; soil, rocks or any other earthen material; minerals or other articles or artifacts of geological interest or value in any open space.
Weed Ordinances
Bernalillo County bars owners from letting weeds accumulate or grow out on any unincorporated lot under two acres, plus adjacent alleys and sidewalks; larger tracts avoid the outright ban only with a cleared 20-foot firebreak along the property line.
Bernalillo County Weed Growth Rules
Some RestrictionsBernalillo County Code § 30-305(a)(1)
It shall be unlawful for any owner to allow the accumulation and/or outgrowth of weeds on any lot, parcel, tract or piece of land less than two acres in area under the owner's control or possession, or upon any alley or sidewalk adjacent to such lot, parcel, tract or piece of land.
Water Restrictions
Unincorporated Bernalillo County limits spray irrigation to between 7 p.m. and 11 a.m. from April 1 through October 31, though the rule only binds properties not served by the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority.
Bernalillo County Outdoor Watering Hours
Some RestrictionsBernalillo County Code § 30-247
The restrictions in this section apply to all properties within unincorporated Bernalillo County not provided water service by the ABCWUA. (1) All spray irrigation during the period beginning on April 1 and ending on October 31 of each year must occur between 7:00 p.m. and 11:00 a.m. This restriction shall not apply to drip irrigation and low precipitation bubblers, hand watering, or watering o...
Rainwater Harvesting
Bernalillo County lets new commercial and large multifamily developments satisfy water-conservation requirements by installing a rainwater harvesting cistern sized to hold half of peak-month irrigation demand, under the county's Water Conservation Requirements article.
Bernalillo County Rainwater Harvesting Cistern Rules
Light RestrictionsBernalillo County Code § 30-249(2)b.1.(vi)
(vi)Rainwater shall be collected and stored in a cistern for use as the primary water source for landscape irrigation. Storage capacity shall be a minimum of 50 percent of the peak month landscape demand for the property.
Native Plants
Bernalillo County caps high-water-use turf at 10% of landscape area for new development in the unincorporated county, pushing most planting toward low-water, medium-water, and precipitation-supported native species from the ABCWUA-approved plant lists.
Bernalillo County Low-Water Native Plant Rule
Some RestrictionsBernalillo County Code § 30-249(4)(a)
On all properties other than public parks, golf courses and athletic fields, high-water-use turf or plants shall be limited to ten percent the landscape area or less, except: ...For single-family and small multifamily development, the use of high-water-use turf and plants shall not exceed 1,500 square feet of the landscape area;
Landscaping Rules by City in Bernalillo County
1 cities in Bernalillo County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Bernalillo County ordinances
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