Landscaping Rules in Monterey County, CA (2026)
7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Monterey County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Routine pruning of ordinary private trees in unincorporated Monterey County needs no permit, but the County's protected-tree rules limit cutting of oaks and other protected species. Under the inland ordinance you may not remove or cut more than one-third of the green foliage of a protected tree without a tree-removal permit.
Monterey County Tree Trimming
Few RestrictionsMonterey County Code § 21.64.260 (Preservation of oak and other protected trees)
Landmark oak trees are those trees which are twenty-four (24) inches or more in diameter when measured two feet above the ground, or trees which are visually significant, historically significant, or exemplary of their species. No landmark oak tree shall be removed in any area except as may be approved by the Director of Planning.
Weed Ordinances
Unincorporated Monterey County sets no cosmetic limit on a watered, maintained lawn. The control on tall, dry grass is fire-driven: County fuel-management guidance directs cutting dead and dry grass to a maximum of 4 inches and clearing flammable vegetation, layered on top of California's PRC 4291 defensible-space law.
Monterey County Grass Height & Dry Vegetation
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Public Resources Code § 4291
Maintain defensible space of 100 feet from each side and from the front and rear of the structure, but not beyond the property line. ... 'Fuel' means any combustible material, including petroleum-based products, cultivated landscape plants, grasses, and weeds, and wildland vegetation.
Water Restrictions
There is no single countywide watering schedule. Outdoor water rules come from each water provider plus statewide law: California permanently bans wasteful practices like runoff, hosing pavement, and non-recirculating fountains. On the Monterey Peninsula, the Water Management District (MPWMD) adds strict water-efficiency rules.
Monterey County Outdoor Water Use Restrictions
Some RestrictionsMPWMD Rule 142.C.11 (Residential Water Efficiency Standards for New Structures - Landscaping)
All New Construction (including new buildings with landscape or other new landscape, such as a park, playground, or Greenbelt without an associated building) shall install and maintain landscapes that comply with Rule 142.1.
Rainwater Harvesting
For new accessory dwelling units proposed in the North County Land Use Plan Area of Monterey County's Coastal Zone, the county lets builders satisfy part of the mandatory groundwater-protection water conservation package by installing a rainwater catchment system built to Chapter 18.05 plumbing code standards, as an alternative to a greywater system.
Monterey County ADU Rainwater Catchment Option
Light RestrictionsMonterey County Code § 20.64.030(D)(4)
For the Protection of Groundwater Resources in the North County Land Use Plan Area, when an ADU or JADU is proposed, water efficiency and conservation standards must be implemented... Additional water conservation measures may include one or more of the following, as applicable:i.Installation of a rainwater catchment system in compliance with Chapter 18.05 of this Code; orii.Installation of a g...
Native Plants
New construction inside the Cal-Am Water Service Area of unincorporated Monterey County must use low water use or native plant material in its exterior landscaping, plus low precipitation heads, bubblers, drip irrigation and timing devices, under Monterey County Code § 18.44.040(B). The Director of Building Inspection must approve a landscape plan before any building permit issues.
Monterey County Native Plant Landscaping Rule
Some RestrictionsMonterey County Code § 18.44.030(L), § 18.44.040(B)
L."Native plant material" means any plant native to the State of California. ... B.All new construction, except new senior citizen or second dwelling units, shall include as part of the exterior landscape development, low water use or native plant material and low precipitation sprinkler heads, bubblers, drip irrigation system and timing devices. Before any permit may be issued for such new con...
Artificial Turf
Monterey County's landscape ordinance regulates real turf grass, not artificial turf: Chapter 16.63 caps mowed-grass turf at 20% of the landscape area (or 1,500 square feet) on residential projects, but its own definition excludes synthetic lawn from that cap. The rule applies only in the unincorporated county, in coastal and non-coastal zoning districts alike, for projects triggering a grading permit, building permit, or design approval.
Monterey County Artificial Turf in Yards
Few RestrictionsMonterey County Code § 16.63.020(KKK)
"Turf" means a ground cover surface of mowed grass and does not include artificial turf surfaces. For example, Annual bluegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, Perennial ryegrass, Red fescue, and Tall fescue are cool-season grasses and Bermuda grass, Kikuyu grass, Seashore Paspalum, St. Augustine grass, Zoysia grass, and Buffalo grass are warm-season grasses.
Composting
Monterey County Code § 10.45.030(F) defines 'community composting' as on-site composting of green, agricultural, food and vegetative food material capped at 100 cubic yards and 750 square feet of feedstock and finished compost at any one time. Under § 10.45.040(A), unincorporated-county households can use on-site or community composting instead of subscribing to the County's organic waste collection service.
Monterey County Backyard Composting Limits
Light RestrictionsMonterey County Code § 10.45.030(F)
F."Community composting" means any activity that composts green material, agricultural material, food material, and vegetative food material, alone or in combination, and the total amount of feedstock and Compost on-site at any one time does not exceed one hundred (100) cubic yards and seven hundred fifty (750) square feet, as specified in 14 CCR Section 17855(a)(4); or as otherwise defined by ...
Landscaping Rules by City in Monterey County
1 cities in Monterey County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Monterey County ordinances
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