8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 4 cities in Collin County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Collin County has no countywide grass height ordinance for unincorporated residential properties beyond the general public nuisance standard in Health & Safety Code 342.004. Cities within the county (Plano, McKinney, Frisco, Allen) typically enforce 12-inch maximum grass height. HOAs fill enforcement gaps in most subdivisions.
Collin County follows TX A&M Forest Service oak wilt guidance: do NOT prune oak trees between February 1 and June 30 to prevent spread of Bretziella fagacearum. Wound dressing required immediately on any oak cuts year-round. No countywide tree protection ordinance; cities set their own rules.
Collin County has no tree preservation ordinance for unincorporated areas. Property owners may remove trees from their land without county permits. Cities within the county (Plano, McKinney, Frisco, Allen, Prosper) enforce tree preservation ordinances requiring permits and replacement inches for protected species.
Collin County enforces public nuisance weed abatement under HSC 342.004 only within 5000 ft of incorporated city limits and only when weeds exceed 48 inches. Beyond that, HOAs and deed restrictions govern. Cities within the county enforce much stricter weed/grass ordinances.
Collin County is served primarily by North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) which enforces year-round twice-per-week watering limits across member cities and unincorporated areas receiving NTMWD water. No watering 10am-6pm April-October. Stage 1 drought restrictions are the baseline; Stage 2-4 tighten further.
Rainwater harvesting is strongly protected by Texas law. TX Property Code 202.007 preempts HOA bans on rain barrels and rainwater collection systems. Tax Code 151.355 exempts rainwater harvesting equipment from state sales tax. Collin County imposes no countywide restrictions.
Texas strongly encourages native/drought-tolerant landscaping. TX Property Code 202.007 prohibits HOAs from banning drought-resistant landscaping or water-conserving turf. Collin County has no mandates but NTMWD and member cities offer rebates for native plant conversions and smart irrigation.
Tex. Property Code Sec. 202.007 (Certain Restrictive Covenants Prohibited - Rainwater, Drought-Resistant Landscaping)
Sec. 202.007. CERTAIN RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS PROHIBITED. (a) A property owners' association may not include or enforce a provision in a dedicatory instrument that prohibits or restricts a property owner from:(1) implementing measures promoting solid-waste composting of vegetation, including grass clippings, leaves, or brush, or leaving grass clippings uncollected on grass;(2) installing rai...
Artificial turf is legal across Collin County with no countywide restrictions. TX Property Code 202.007 limits HOA bans on water-conserving landscaping but HOAs may impose reasonable standards on material quality and installation. Cities within the county allow turf in backyards universally; some restrict front-yard turf.
Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 202.007
Sec. 202.007. CERTAIN RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS PROHIBITED. (a) A property owners' association may not include or enforce a provision in a dedicatory instrument that prohibits or restricts a property owner from:(1) implementing measures promoting solid-waste composting of vegetation, including grass clippings, leaves, or brush, or leaving grass clippings uncollected on grass;(2) installing rai...
4 cities in Collin County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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