Landscaping Rules in Whatcom County, WA (2026)

Whatcom County Code § 20.51.430

No person, directly or indirectly, shall remove any significant tree(s) on any property within the Lake Whatcom watershed without first obtaining the appropriate permit as provided in this section, unless the activity is exempted below... Tree Removal Allowances. With the appropriate permit, any property owner may remove up to 20 percent but not to exceed 14,000 square feet, and as measured cum...

RCW 17.10.140(1)

Every owner must perform or cause to be performed those acts as may be necessary to: (a) Eradicate all class A noxious weeds; (b) Control and prevent the spread of all class B noxious weeds designated for control in that region within and from the owner's property; and (c) Control and prevent the spread of all class B and class C noxious weeds listed on the county weed list as locally mandated ...

RCW 90.03.010

Subject to existing rights all waters within the state belong to the public, and any right thereto, or to the use thereof, shall be hereafter acquired only by appropriation for a beneficial use and in the manner provided and not otherwise; and, as between appropriations, the first in time shall be the first in right.

WCC § 16.30.080(B)(5)

5. The parcel contains a new or remodeled commercial building that utilizes a permissive rainwater harvesting system that is properly sized to utilize the available roof surface of the building; or a. For qualifying permissive rainwater harvesting systems as provided for under RCW 36.89.080 and eligible under subsection (B)(4) of this section the formula is expressed mathematically as follows: ...

RCW 90.71.410(1)

The partnership shall assist the city of Bellingham and Whatcom county to implement a demonstration program regarding phosphorus loading into Lake Whatcom.