Vacaville, CA Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (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?
Which landscapes does this rule apply to?
Who decides what counts as an invasive species?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Vacaville
California rules heatmap·Compare Vacaville to another location·View the California invasive plant rules overview
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Prohibited Species in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Solano County handle prohibited species.