Chico does not ban artificial turf and the City permits it as part of drought-tolerant landscapes. State law (AB 1572, Cal. Water Code §10608.14, eff. 2027) prohibits potable water for irrigating purely ornamental turf at CII properties, and AB 1164 (Civil Code §1940.10) protects homeowners from HOA bans on synthetic grass. Local landscape standards under CMC §19.68.070 still cap living turf at under 10% of landscape area.
Chico's water-efficient landscape standards in CMC §19.68.070 cap living turf at less than 10% of total landscape area and require it to have separate irrigation controls. Artificial turf is treated as a water-conservation substitute and is allowed. Statewide, AB 1572 (2023), codified in Cal. Water Code §10608.14, phases in a prohibition on using potable water to irrigate purely ornamental (non-functional) turf on commercial, industrial, and institutional properties, with the residential limit phased in through 2031. Civil Code §1940.10 / Civil Code §4735(c) (the artificial-turf statute, formerly AB 1164) prohibits HOAs from banning low-water-use plants or synthetic turf as a replacement for living grass. Property owners installing artificial turf still must follow drainage, setback, and front-yard design rules in CMC Title 19, and any product used near children or pets should meet recognized lead-content / safety standards.
Installations that violate setback or drainage rules in CMC Title 19 can be cited under CMC Ch. 1.14. HOAs that violate Civil Code §4735(c) face civil action by homeowners.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Chico, CA
CMC §9.56.010 prohibits minors under 18 from loitering in public places between 10:00 PM (11:00 PM during Daylight Savings Time) and 5:00 AM unless accompani...
Chico, CA
CMC Chapter 9.54 (Aggressive and Deceptive Solicitation) bars solicitation at bus stops, in public transit vehicles, on public streets to occupied cars, with...
Chico, CA
Chico Municipal Code Chapter 19.23 regulates Mobile Food Vendors with a dedicated permit process covering applications, operating standards, and enforcement....
Chico, CA
City of Chico parks — including the 3,670-acre Bidwell Park — restrict drone operations under CMC Title 12R; advance written permission is required. CARD-man...
Chico, CA
Commercial drone work in Chico requires an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate; the city does not issue separate commercial UAS permits. Operations on city...
Chico, CA
Chico has no standalone municipal drone ordinance for recreational hobbyists; FAA Part 107 and FAA recreational rules (49 USC §44809) govern airspace citywid...
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