Landscaping Rules in Yellowstone County, MT (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Yellowstone County, Montana.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Yellowstone County has no permit requirement for cutting down a tree on ordinary private land. Its only tree protection duty applies narrowly to developers who choose to claim landscape bonus points for preserved trees, and even then the real teeth is a nine-month deadline to start building or replant the cleared ground.
Tree Protection Rules in Yellowstone County
Light RestrictionsYellowstone County Zoning Code, § 27-1207.A, .G
A. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS If the developer and designer intend to acquire landscape or bonus points for retained trees and landscaping, then tree protection during construction shall conform to the requirements of this section and the requirements relevant to construction in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) publication A300 standards. ... The fencing shall be rigidly supported and...
Water Restrictions
Yellowstone County doesn't run an odd/even watering calendar; instead its zoning code regulates how an automatic irrigation system installed under an approved landscape plan must be built and operated, right down to timers, freeze sensors, and low-flow heads in tight planting beds.
Irrigation System Rules in Yellowstone County
Some RestrictionsYellowstone County Zoning Code, § 27-1208.F(1)-(3)
1. General Standards Where a property owner or tenant opts to install an in-ground permanent irrigation system, the following standards apply: (a) The landscape plan shall identify the area of approximate installation of an automatic irrigation system, its maintenance, and intended uses. The landscape plan must note and delineate all irrigated and sod areas. (b) Irrigation systems must be insta...
Native Plants
New development in unincorporated Yellowstone County must select landscape plan materials for adaptability to the native environment under Section 27-1208.B, using the County's Plant List of naturalized species, and can earn 15 to 25 percent bonus landscape points for naturalized plantings.
Native Plant Landscaping Rules in Yellowstone County
Some RestrictionsYellowstone County Zoning Code § 27-1208.B.1-2
B. PLANT SELECTION 1. Tree and plant materials shall be selected for: energy efficiency and water efficiency; adaptability and relationship to the native environment; color, form and pattern; ability to provide shade; soil retention; and resistance to fire. The overall landscape plan shall be integrated with all elements of the project, such as buildings, parking lots, and streets, and to achi...
Landscaping Rules by City in Yellowstone County
1 cities in Yellowstone County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Yellowstone County ordinances
See every category we cover for Yellowstone County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Yellowstone County Ordinance Hub →