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

Few Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
VMC § 14.27.030.060(A)(1)(g)
Standard
Invasive species use 'strongly discouraged'
Reference list
California Invasive Plant Council inventory
Applies to
New construction/rehabilitated landscape plans
Penalty authority
VMC Chapter 1.16 general penalties

Summary

Vacaville's water-efficient landscape ordinance discourages, but does not ban, invasive plant species in new or rehabilitated landscapes. City Code Section 14.27.030.060 flags species listed by the California Invasive Plant Council as unwanted in required landscape design plans.

The use of invasive plant species, such as those listed by the California Invasive Plant Council, is strongly discouraged.

Full Breakdown

' This sits inside a broader plant-selection standard requiring species to be matched to the site's climate, geology, and topography, using tools like the Sunset Western Climate Zone System, and weighing horticultural traits such as invasive surface roots that can damage sidewalks or foundations. 020 as plants not historically found in California that spread outside cultivated areas and damage environmental or economic resources, noting that Solano County's agricultural commissioner may separately regulate some of these as noxious weeds under state law. 27 applies only to landscape documentation packages submitted for new construction or rehabilitated landscapes over the code's size thresholds, the discouragement language is reviewed by the Director of Community Development at the plan-check stage rather than enforced against existing yards.

There is no citywide ban on planting or possessing invasive ornamental species outside this landscape-permit review, and the code does not list specific prohibited species by name, instead pointing applicants to the California Invasive Plant Council's inventory.

Violations & Fines

Violations of Chapter 14.27 are handled under Section 14.27.030.030, which ties noncompliance to the general penalty provisions of Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 1.16 and any other remedy available at law. Because subsection (g) uses discouragement rather than mandatory language, a plan reviewer cannot reject a landscape documentation package solely for including a California Invasive Plant Council-listed species; enforcement risk instead runs through the mandatory elements of the same landscape plan, such as water budget and plant-selection documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Vacaville ban invasive plants in home landscaping?
No. City Code Section 14.27.030.060 says using species listed by the California Invasive Plant Council 'is strongly discouraged' in landscape design plans, but this is guidance reviewed during permit plan-check, not a citywide prohibition on planting or owning such species.
Which landscapes does this rule apply to?
It applies to landscape documentation packages submitted for new construction or rehabilitated landscapes that meet Chapter 14.27's size thresholds and are reviewed by the Director of Community Development, not to existing yards outside that permitting process.
Who decides what counts as an invasive species?
Vacaville's code points applicants to lists maintained by the California Invasive Plant Council and notes that Solano County's agricultural agency may separately regulate certain species as noxious weeds under state law.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Vacaville

All Vacaville rules

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Prohibited Species in Nearby Cities

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