Indio, CA Landscaping Rules: Artificial Turf (2026)

The City of Indio expressly allows artificial turf under its general site-development standards in zoning Chapter 3.02 of the Unified Development Code (effective October 2022). Synthetic turf may be used as a substitute for natural turf for water conservation, or in high-activity or high-foot-traffic areas such as sports fields. The code sets quality and design standards: synthetic turf must consist of lifelike individual blades of grass that emulate real grass in look and color and have a minimum pile height of one and one-half inches. Trees should be kept a minimum of 10 feet away from synthetic turf areas, which protects tree roots and turf alike. Synthetic turf counts toward the required minimum landscape coverage but does not count as live plant material, so a project still needs real trees, shrubs, and ground cover to meet live-planting requirements. Maintenance standards apply: the turf must be kept free of moss, mold, algae, and fungi; chemical agents and contaminated water must not be applied; a turf groomer should be used to keep the infill distributed and the fibers raised, with brushing about every couple of weeks, raking monthly, and cleaning/sanitizing annually. The code prohibits using indoor or outdoor plastic or nylon carpeting as a replacement for synthetic or natural turf. These are City of Indio standards; California law (Civil Code 4735) separately bars HOAs from prohibiting artificial turf, but Indio's design rules still govern installation.