San Bernardino County, CA Landscaping Rules: Artificial Turf (2026)

10 (Landscaping Standards) does not prohibit artificial or synthetic turf, and its overall thrust favors reducing water-intensive landscaping. The Code directs that natural 'turf areas shall be used in response to functional needs of the project, not solely for aesthetic purposes,' that turf comply with the project's water budget (MAWA), that warm-season turf be encouraged where natural turf is installed, and that turf not be placed on slopes greater than 25 percent. By minimizing natural turf and the irrigation it requires, the Code's framework supports synthetic turf as a low-water substitute.

The Chapter's design standards also list alternative permeable hardscape materials, such as decomposed granite, pea gravel, and mulch, for functional activity areas. Where a landscape project is large enough to require a landscape documentation package (homeowner-installed residential landscapes of 5,000 square feet or more, or developer-installed and commercial landscapes of 2,500 square feet or more), the project must still meet the Code's water-efficient design, stormwater, and runoff requirements, so artificial turf should be installed over a permeable base that allows infiltration rather than creating runoff.

Smaller residential installations generally fall below the documentation thresholds. The County does not impose color, pile-height, or product-specific standards on synthetic turf in the Development Code, but homeowners should confirm any setback or drainage requirements and check whether a local HOA imposes its own rules.