La Mesa, CA Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)

LMMC Chapter 14.29 defines an 'invasive species' at § 14.29.020(n) as a species of plant not historically found in California that spreads outside cultivated areas and may damage environmental or economic resources. The planting plan required in every landscape documentation package must list all vegetation being added to a landscaped area by common and botanical name, and under § 14.29.070(b)(2), 'No invasive plant species shall be added to a landscaped area.' The same restriction extends to transitional areas next to natural or undisturbed land under § 14.29.070(b)(9), where no invasive species may be introduced or tolerated.

The prohibition is not limited to installation: § 14.29.180(a)(3) requires every property owner subject to a landscape approval, other than a single-family residence with less than 5,000 square feet of landscaped area, to prepare a maintenance schedule that provides for the eradication of invasive species, alongside replacement of dead, dying and diseased vegetation and repair of the irrigation system. The rule applies wherever Chapter 14.29 applies under § 14.29.030: industrial, commercial, institutional and multi-family projects of 2,500 square feet or more of landscaping, developer-installed residential landscaping over that size, and new single-family homes with 5,000 square feet or more of homeowner-provided landscaping. The community development director administers and enforces the chapter under § 14.29.040.