Daly City, CA Landscaping Rules: Artificial Turf (2026)
Key Facts
- City ban on artificial turf
- None
- Living drought-tolerant plants
- Protected by Gov. Code sec. 53087.7
- Synthetic turf protection
- Removed by SB 676, effective Jan. 1, 2024
- Small projects
- MWELO Appendix D prescriptive option (2,500 sq ft or less)
Summary
No Daly City ordinance prohibits artificial turf on residential property. California Government Code section 53087.7 bars cities from prohibiting drought-tolerant landscaping using living plants, but since a 2024 amendment that protection no longer extends to synthetic grass or artificial turf.
(a) A city, including a charter city, county, or city and county, shall not enact any ordinance or regulation, or enforce any existing ordinance or regulation, that prohibits the installation of drought-tolerant landscaping using living plant material on residential property. (b) For the purposes of this section, "drought-tolerant landscaping" shall not include the installation of synthetic grass or artificial turf.
Full Breakdown
Daly City's landscaping regulations in Municipal Code Chapter 17.41 (Water Conservation in Landscaping) regulate irrigation efficiency and water budgets for new and rehabilitated landscape projects but contain no prohibition on artificial turf; projects of 2,500 square feet or less may instead comply with the prescriptive measures of the state Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance Appendix D. At the state level, Government Code section 53087.7 prohibits every city, including charter cities, from enacting or enforcing any ordinance that bans drought-tolerant landscaping using living plant material on residential property. As amended by SB 676 (Stats. 2023, Ch. 498), effective January 1, 2024, the statute expressly excludes synthetic grass and artificial turf from that protection, meaning cities may now regulate or restrict artificial turf if they choose. Daly City has not adopted such a restriction; homeowners replacing lawns with artificial turf remain subject to any applicable design review and stormwater drainage requirements.
Violations & Fines
No Daly City-specific penalty applies to installing artificial turf on residential property. Landscape projects subject to Chapter 17.41 that fail its water-efficiency requirements receive a 90-day notice of correction and may face administrative enforcement under Municipal Code section 8.16.100 et seq.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I replace my lawn with artificial turf in Daly City?
Can Daly City stop me from planting a drought-tolerant garden?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Daly City
How Daly City compares: Most Artificial Turf-Friendly Cities·California rules heatmap·Compare Daly City to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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