Santa Rosa, CA Landscaping Rules: Artificial Turf (2026)

Unincorporated Sonoma County currently permits artificial (synthetic) turf - there is no countywide ban or moratorium in place as of December 2025. However, Zero Waste Sonoma and the County have flagged significant concerns about artificial turf, including potential pollution from microplastics and chemicals of concern, possible human-health implications, elevated surface temperatures and urban-heat-island effects, and end-of-life disposal challenges given the lack of recycling infrastructure. In response, the Board of Supervisors directed staff to develop a model ordinance that would allow Sonoma County jurisdictions to consider options for placing a moratorium on artificial-turf installations for public, private, or commercial spaces - a process expected to take roughly 12 months for research, drafting, and stakeholder engagement before any ordinance is considered, with updates tied to state Department of Toxic Substances Control findings. Practically, homeowners can install artificial turf today, but if the work is part of a project subject to the County's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (Code Chapter 7D3), the overall landscape must still comply with that ordinance's standards. Note that artificial turf typically does not count as living landscaping and generally does not qualify for water-district turf-removal rebates, which require replacement with living, drought-tolerant plants.