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Sacramento, CA Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
City Code § 15.92.100(A)(1)(g)
Rule type
Advisory, 'strongly discouraged,' not banned
Referenced list
California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC)
Definition source
City Code § 15.92.040
Applies to
New landscapes ≥500 sq ft, rehabs ≥2,500 sq ft
Outside listing authority
County agricultural agencies as noxious species

Summary

Sacramento's landscape design rules don't ban invasive plants outright. City Code § 15.92.100(A)(1)(g) 'strongly discourages' using species listed by the California Invasive Plant Council in the landscape design plans required for covered new and rehabilitated projects, while leaving actual noxious-weed regulation to county agricultural agencies under state law.

f. A landscape design plan for projects in fire-prone areas shall address fire safety and prevention. ... g. The use of invasive plant species, such as those listed by the California Invasive Plant Council, is strongly discouraged.

View official code

Full Breakdown

100(A)(1)(a)-(i). 040, defines 'invasive plant species' as 'species of plants not historically found in California that spread outside cultivated areas and can damage environmental or economic resources,' and notes that '[i]nvasive species may be regulated by county agricultural agencies as noxious species,' with lists maintained by the California Invasive Plant Inventory and the USDA invasive and noxious weeds database, meaning Sacramento's own code defers the actual regulatory list-making to those outside bodies rather than adopting a binding prohibited-species list itself. 020(A). Smaller residential plantings below that threshold fall outside the landscape design plan review entirely and are not screened for invasive species at all.

Violations & Fines

Because § 15.92.100(A)(1)(g) is written as a discouragement rather than a mandatory ban, there is no direct citation or fine tied to planting a listed invasive species by itself. Enforcement runs through the same landscape documentation package review the director performs under § 15.92.060, so a design that ignores the discouragement can be flagged during that plan review, but the code stops short of making invasive-species use a stand-alone infraction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Sacramento ban invasive plant species?
No. City Code § 15.92.100(A)(1)(g) only 'strongly discourages' using species listed by the California Invasive Plant Council in a project's landscape design plan; it doesn't create an outright prohibition or a citable offense for planting them.
What counts as an invasive plant species under Sacramento's code?
Section 15.92.040 defines it as species not historically found in California that spread outside cultivated areas and can damage environmental or economic resources, noting county agricultural agencies may separately regulate them as noxious species.
Which projects have to address invasive species in their landscape plan?
Only projects that trigger chapter 15.92 review: new landscapes of 500 square feet or more and rehabilitated landscapes of 2,500 square feet or more requiring a building, landscape, or design-review permit, per § 15.92.020(A).
Can I get cited for planting an invasive species at my Sacramento home?
Not directly under this provision: it's advisory. Small residential plantings under the chapter 15.92 size thresholds aren't reviewed for invasive species at all, and even covered projects only face design-plan review, not a stand-alone infraction.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Sacramento

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All Sacramento rules

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