Landscaping Rules in Union County, NC (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Union County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Development in unincorporated Union County that removes trees outside the buildable area must replace them under UDO Section 55.030: every tree of 12 inches or more in diameter has to be inventoried on the site plan, and removed trees must be mitigated with replacement trees totaling at least 125% of the DBH removed. The permit-issuing authority can waive the requirement for diseased, dying or invasive species.
Union County, NC Tree Removal Mitigation Rule
Some RestrictionsUnion County Unified Development Ordinance § 55.030
The location, size and species of all trees with a diameter breast height (DBH) of 12 inches or greater must be inventoried and shown on proposed development plans... The removal of trees with a DBH of 12 inches or greater must be mitigated by providing one or more replacement trees with a total combined DBH equal to at least 125% of the total DBH of trees that are removed. The permit-issuing a...
Water Restrictions
Unincorporated Union County water customers face year-round mandatory irrigation limits under Union County Code of Ordinances § 34-47: spray irrigation is capped at three days a week even with no shortage declared, tightening to two, one, or zero days a week as the county manager declares Stage 1 through Stage 4 water shortages under the county's Catawba-Wateree drought protocol.
Union County Water Shortage Irrigation Limits
Significant RestrictionsUnion County Code of Ordinances § 34-47(a)
(a)Year-round water conservation (Stage 0 water shortage). This division establishes the implementation of mandatory and voluntary year-round water use restrictions and conservation measures. These water use restrictions and water conservation measures are in effect under normal conditions and will serve as Stage 0 water shortage restrictions (Stage 0 water shortage is the minimum water shortag...
Rainwater Harvesting
In unincorporated Union County, the Unified Development Ordinance treats rainwater harvesting equipment, such as a cistern or rain barrel system, as a permitted setback obstruction under Table 100-1: the equipment can project up to 4 feet into a required yard setback without triggering a variance or additional zoning review.
Union County Rainwater Harvesting Setback Rule
Light RestrictionsUnion County Unified Development Ordinance § 100.050, Table 100-1
Setbacks must be unobstructed and unoccupied from the ground to the sky except as indi- cated in Table 100-1: Table 100-1: Permitted Setback Obstructions (amended 8-6-2018) ... Rainwater harvesting equipment that projects no more than 4 feet into the setback
All Union County ordinances
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