California Civil Code Section 4735 forbids HOAs from banning drought-tolerant or native-plant front yards and Government Code Section 53087.7 protects personal vegetable gardens. Riverside's landscape standards in RMC Title 19 allow drought-tolerant and edible front-yard landscapes as long as they're maintained and meet setback/visibility standards.
Riverside strongly encourages drought-tolerant landscaping through its participation in Western Municipal Water District rebate programs and the statewide Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) under California Code of Regulations Title 23 Section 490 et seq. California Civil Code Section 4735 prohibits HOAs from enforcing CC&Rs that ban low-water-use plants, artificial turf, or drought-tolerant landscapes during declared drought conditions. California Government Code Section 53087.7 (added by AB 1072 in 2023) explicitly protects residents' right to grow a personal vegetable garden in front, back, and side yards, overriding local ordinances to the contrary. Riverside's Zoning Code (RMC Title 19) regulates front-yard landscapes only for maintenance, visibility at driveways and intersections, and to prohibit bare dirt/weeds. Edible gardens are permitted. Fruit trees, raised beds, and pollinator plantings are all allowed as long as they don't block sight triangles and are kept weed-free. Any new residential front-yard landscape exceeding 500 square feet of live planting must also comply with MWELO requirements (smart controllers, high-efficiency irrigation, ≤25% turf).
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Riverside code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
Riverside, CA
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