Kent, WA Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Barred species
- WSDA Class A, B, C noxious weeds (Ch. 16-750 WAC)
- Applies to
- Wetland, stream, habitat, geologic hazard mitigation plantings
- Removal plan required
- Before planting begins (KCC 11.06.550(C)(12))
- Buffer reduction cap
- Type F buffer restoration allows 10% or less noxious weeds
- Enforcing department
- Kent Public Works Department critical area review
- Penalty
- $500 per violation, $100 minimum if mitigated
Summary
Kent's critical areas code bars any Washington State Department of Agriculture-listed noxious weed from replanting done to compensate for wetland, stream, or habitat impacts. KCC 11.06.550(C)(1) requires every mitigation planting plan reviewed by the city to skip WSDA Class A, B, and C species, and applicants must submit an invasive-plant removal plan before installing any new vegetation.
Use plants native to the Puget lowlands. Use of species outside the Puget lowlands may be permitted when such species are native to the Pacific Northwest ecoregion and have demonstrated resilience to projected climate-related stressors. Plants listed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture as noxious weeds (Chapter 16-750 WAC) shall not be used.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4542, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
030). 550(C). ' Standard 12 goes further, requiring the mitigation plan to include an invasive-plant removal program naming target species, removal methods, and a timeline, before any new planting occurs. 391 as nonnative vegetation the state Noxious Weed Control Board has classified as Class A, B, or C. Herbicide use to control those weeds is restricted too: standard 11 allows herbicides only if they are approved for aquatic ecosystems by the Washington Department of Ecology and applied by a licensed applicator. 760(D)(3) allows landslide-hazard buffer vegetation 'infested by noxious and invasive weeds' to be replaced with native species only under a department-approved enhancement plan. The Kent public works department reviews and approves every mitigation and monitoring plan before a building or construction permit can issue.
Violations & Fines
Mitigation plans that specify a WSDA-listed noxious weed, or that omit the required invasive-plant removal program, are rejected by the department during critical area review and cannot support permit issuance. Once work has started, code enforcement proceeds under Chapter 1.04 KCC: the hearing examiner may impose a $500 monetary penalty per violation (reducible to no less than $100 if mitigation is requested), with each day a noncompliant planting persists counted as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant blackberries or Scotch broom in a Kent wetland buffer restoration?
Does Kent require a plan to remove existing invasive plants before replanting?
What noxious weed threshold applies if I want to shrink a stream buffer in Kent?
Who enforces Kent's noxious weed planting ban and what's the penalty?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kent
Compare Kent to another location·View the Washington invasive plant rules overview
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Prohibited Species in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle prohibited species.