9 rules for unincorporated Inyo County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Inyo County has no decorative lawn-height limit. Overgrown grass and weeds are regulated only when they become a nuisance under Title 22 of the County Code, and as a fire hazard through state defensible-space law (PRC 4291) in fire-prone areas.
Inyo County does not have a private tree-pruning permit ordinance. Owners may trim their own trees. Trimming becomes regulated only for defensible space under state fire law and where it affects a public right-of-way or creates a nuisance under Title 22.
Unincorporated Inyo County has no general tree-removal permit ordinance (no oak or heritage-tree protection law). Owners may remove trees on their own land. Trees on LADWP-owned Owens Valley land, or removal that triggers grading or environmental review, are exceptions.
Inyo County treats overgrown weeds and dead vegetation as abatable nuisances under Title 22 of the County Code, and fire-hazard vegetation is regulated through state defensible-space law (PRC 4291). The County's process emphasizes voluntary compliance before forced abatement.
Day-to-day outdoor watering rules in Inyo County come from California state law, not a county ordinance. Statewide rules ban wasteful uses (hosing pavement, runoff, watering within 48 hours of rain) and AB 1572 phases out potable irrigation of non-functional turf on commercial/institutional sites.
Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged. Under California's Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (AB 1750), landowners may install rain barrels and rooftop capture systems without a state water-right permit or local permit; Inyo County does not prohibit residential rainwater collection.
Inyo County's adopted Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) requires new and rehabilitated landscapes to favor low-water plants, bans invasive species, and promotes climate-appropriate planting. There is no county rule forbidding native or drought-tolerant landscaping.
Inyo County has no ordinance banning or restricting artificial turf on private property. Synthetic turf is a recognized way to meet state water-efficiency goals; only general zoning, drainage, and setback rules apply to its installation.
Backyard composting is allowed. California's SB 1383 (effective 2022) requires residents to separate organic waste — food scraps and yard trimmings — from trash and either use collection service or compost/self-haul. Implementation in unincorporated Inyo County is handled through the County's waste program.
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