Raleigh, NC Landscaping Rules: Artificial Turf (2026)

Sec. 1's built-upon area definitions list specific surface types and the percentage of built-upon area each counts as for stormwater compliance. Ordinary hardscape, asphalt, concrete, crusher-run, masonry, roofing, counts as 100% built-upon area. Artificial turf gets a specific exception: it must be manufactured to allow water to drain through the backing of the turf, installed per manufacturer's specifications, and installed over a pervious surface to qualify as 0% built-upon area, the same treatment given to Number 57 stone laid over geotextile fabric, slatted decks, and unpaved pedestrian trails.

That 0% rating matters because Sec. 2 caps impervious surface coverage by zoning district, 20% in R-1 up to 65% in R-10, for lots that would otherwise be exempt from active stormwater control measures; turf that meets the drainage standard doesn't count against that cap, while turf installed over compacted subgrade or without a draining backing does. An applicant can choose to count a specific surface at a higher percentage than the code default when submitting a development application, but once elected that higher percentage cannot later be changed for the same surface. 2, Stormwater Management, which the Engineering Services Department administers alongside the Raleigh Stormwater Design Manual adopted by reference in Sec. 1.