Washington County, UT Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Ban scope
- invasive species "identified by the county"
- Applies to
- all new/rehab development, any zone
- Approved plant source
- WCWCD list at wcwcd.org
- Plan check
- Planting Plan reviewed pre-permit
- Grouping rule
- plants grouped by water need
- Effective / amended
- 4-19-2022; amd. 3-19-2024
Summary
Washington County bars planting any invasive plant species the county identifies, as part of the Plant Selection standard that governs all new and rehabilitated landscaping in the unincorporated county. Compliant plants must instead be well suited to the local microclimate, native or locally adaptable, and grouped by water need.
Plant Selection: Plants shall be well-suited to the microclimate and soil conditions at the project site. Native, locally adaptable and environmentally sustainable plants are acceptable. See the Washington County Water Conservancy District's recommended plant list on wcwcd.org. Plants with similar water needs shall be grouped together as much as possible into hydrozones for efficient irrigation. Invasive plant species as identified by the county shall not be planted.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-17: Code current through: Ord. 2026-1329-O, passed 8-18-2026).
Full Breakdown
A states flatly that "invasive plant species as identified by the county shall not be planted," inside the Plant Selection standard that opens the county's Landscape and Irrigation Design Standards chapter. org for compliant choices. Plants with similar water needs must be grouped into hydrozones for efficient irrigation, a requirement that works together with the invasive-species ban to steer new landscaping toward drought-adapted, low-maintenance species rather than water-hungry or spreading nonnative plants. The standard applies to all new construction, new development, or rehabilitation of development in any zone under Chapter 27, covering everything from a single-family front yard to a commercial parking lot's landscape islands.
a requires a Landscape Documentation Package, including a Planting Plan identifying every plant by common and botanical name, submitted to and approved by the county before a building permit issues, which gives code staff the opportunity to catch a prohibited species before it goes in the ground. The county's Building Inspection Department, or another appointed entity, can also inspect the site during construction and again before an occupancy permit is issued to confirm the installed planting matches the approved plan. The chapter was adopted by Ordinance 2022-1206-O on April 19, 2022, and amended by Ordinance 2023-1246-O and Ordinance 2024-1252-O, current as of March 19, 2024.
Violations & Fines
Because Chapter 27 does not carry its own fine, planting a county-identified invasive species in violation of section 10-27-5.A is enforced through the plan-review and inspection process in section 10-27-4.B.2.b, which lets the county require corrective measures, and, if unresolved, falls under the general penalty clause, section 1-4-1: a class B misdemeanor fine up to the maximum under Utah Code section 76-3-301, up to six months' imprisonment, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the county publish its list of banned invasive species?
Does the invasive-species ban apply to my existing yard?
How does the county catch a prohibited plant before it's installed?
Can an inspector make me remove an invasive plant after installation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
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