9 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.
Verified from official government sources
Lehigh County does not zone, so grass-height rules come from your municipality. In Allentown, the county seat, grass or weeds may not exceed 10 inches on any lot, tree well, or planter strip.
Allentown Codified Ordinances §649-2
No person owning, holding or in possession of any real estate shall allow or maintain on any lot or tract of land within the boundary of the City any growth of weeds to a height of over 10 inches.
Allentown requires property owners abutting the right-of-way to keep street trees trimmed clear of the sidewalk and roadway. Pruning public shade trees needs a permit first. Private-yard tree trimming is not city-regulated.
Allentown Codified Ordinances §597-5B
At a minimum, such trees shall be trimmed to maintain a minimum height of 10 feet above the right-of-way and 16 feet above the street, highway or avenue.
Lehigh County sets no tree-removal permit. Allentown requires a permit only for public right-of-way trees. But any land clearing disturbing 5,000 square feet or more triggers a written erosion plan reviewed by the Lehigh County Conservation District.
25 Pa. Code §102.4(b)(2)(i)
A written E&S Plan is required if... the earth disturbance activity will result in a total earth disturbance of 5,000 square feet (464.5 square meters) or more.
Weed and overgrowth rules are municipal, not county. Allentown's Chapter 649 prohibits any growth of weeds over 10 inches, gives owners five days after notice to cut, and fines violators up to $1,000.
Allentown Codified Ordinances §649-5
Any person violating the provisions of this chapter shall, upon each and every conviction, be fined not more than $1,000.
Pennsylvania has no statewide homeowner lawn-watering ban. Lehigh County residents face mandatory restrictions only when the Governor declares a Drought Emergency. Drought Watch and Warning declarations ask for voluntary cuts, not enforced limits.
Pennsylvania has no law restricting rainwater collection, and Lehigh County imposes none. Homeowners may install rain barrels and cisterns for non-potable uses like irrigation. DEP actively encourages it. Check municipal and HOA rules for placement.
No Lehigh County rule limits native plantings, and Pennsylvania encourages them. The catch is Allentown's 10-inch weed limit: a deliberate, maintained native or meadow garden is fine, but neglected overgrowth can still be cited as weeds.
Lehigh County sets no rule on artificial turf. Whether synthetic grass is allowed, and any limits on impervious coverage or front-yard use, depends on your municipality's zoning and stormwater code. Allentown has no specific turf ban.
Home composting is permitted in Lehigh County; Pennsylvania's Act 101 encourages diverting yard waste. There is no county composting permit. Keep piles maintained so they don't become a nuisance, and never dump yard or food waste on others' land.
2 cities in Lehigh County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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