9 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Galveston County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Galveston County cannot zone or set a grass-height rule for unincorporated land. Cities enforce their own limits: League City cites tall grass or weeds over 12 inches; Galveston requires grass and high weeds cut below a 9-inch maximum.
League City Code § 54-33(B),(C)
If the grass or weeds have grown to exceed 12 inches in height, then it is a violation of city ordinance 54-33 (B) and/or (C).
Galveston County has no county tree-trimming ordinance for private yards. Inside Galveston, owners must trim street trees so branches clear at least 15 feet above the street and keep the right-of-way unobstructed. League City requires protected trees be maintained, not topped.
City of Galveston Good Neighbor right-of-way tree standard
Trim trees in street to no less than 15 feet from bottom branches to street.
Galveston County cannot regulate tree removal on private land. Rules depend on your city. In League City, removing a protected tree needs a Tree Disposition Permit and mitigation, though owners of a legally conforming single-family home are exempt on their own lot.
League City UDC Ch. 125, Art. 7, § 7.1.1
Except as otherwise provided in this article, a Tree Disposition Permit shall be obtained by a Responsible Person prior to authorizing or subjecting a Protected Tree to any Tree Impact Activity or Tree Removal.
In unincorporated Galveston County, weeds are governed by Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 343: uncultivated growth over 36 inches within 300 feet of another residence or business is an abatable public nuisance. Cities like Galveston (9-inch) and League City (12-inch) set stricter limits.
Tex. Health & Safety Code §§ 343.002(11), 343.011(c)(4)
"Weeds" means all rank and uncultivated vegetable growth or matter that has grown to more than 36 inches in height... [and it is a public nuisance] allowing weeds to grow on premises in a neighborhood if the weeds are located within 300 feet of another residence or commercial establishment.
Watering rules come from your city or water district, not the county. Under Galveston's Stage 1 drought plan, irrigation is limited to two designated days a week (by address relative to 103rd Street) and only before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
City of Galveston Drought Contingency Plan (Stage 1)
limit the irrigation of landscaped areas with potable water to Tuesdays and Saturdays for customers East of 103rd Street, and Wednesdays and Sundays for customers West of 103rd Street, and to irrigate landscapes before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m. on designated watering days.
Rainwater harvesting is legal statewide and encouraged in Texas. Galveston County sets no permit for home rain barrels, and Texas Property Code 202.007 bars homeowners associations from prohibiting a rain barrel or rainwater harvesting system, though an HOA may regulate size, color, and location.
Tex. Property Code § 202.007(a)(2)
A property owners' association may not include or enforce a provision in a dedicatory instrument that prohibits or restricts a property owner from... installing rain barrels or a rainwater harvesting system.
Galveston County does not regulate plant choices on private property. Texas Property Code 202.007 protects owners' right to use drought-resistant landscaping or water-conserving natural turf, and an HOA cannot unreasonably deny it as aesthetically incompatible.
Tex. Property Code § 202.007(a)(4)
A property owners' association may not include or enforce a provision in a dedicatory instrument that prohibits or restricts a property owner from... using drought-resistant landscaping or water-conserving natural turf.
Galveston County sets no rule on artificial turf. Whether you can install synthetic grass depends on your city's landscaping code and any HOA covenant. State law protects water-conserving natural turf, but artificial turf is treated separately by each municipality.
Composting is legal and encouraged in Texas. Galveston County sets no composting rule, and Property Code 202.007 stops an HOA from banning backyard composting of vegetation or leaving grass clippings on the lawn, subject to reasonable size and location limits.
Tex. Property Code § 202.007(a)(1)
A property owners' association may not include or enforce a provision in a dedicatory instrument that prohibits or restricts a property owner from... implementing measures promoting solid-waste composting of vegetation, including grass clippings, leaves, or brush, or leaving grass clippings uncollected on grass.
1 cities in Galveston County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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