Tracy, CA Landscaping Rules: Artificial Turf (2026)
Key Facts
- Turf cap
- 30% of front landscape area
- Other synthetic plants
- Prohibited outright
- Applies to
- Multi-unit & mixed-use projects only
- Reviewing agency
- Community Development Department
- Governing section
- TMC § 10.10.070(e)(8)
- Enforcement tool
- Stop orders under § 10.08.4900
Summary
Tracy caps artificial turf at 30 percent of the front landscape area for new multiple-unit and mixed-use housing projects under Municipal Code Section 10.10.070(e)(8). All other artificial or synthetic plant materials are flatly prohibited on these sites. The rule sits inside the city's objective design standards for apartment, condo and mixed-use development reviewed by Community Development, not a citywide cap on single-family front yards.
Plant selection. Artificial or synthetic plants, except for turf, are prohibited. Artificial turf or a natural lawn substitute shall be limited to a maximum of thirty (30%) percent of the front landscape area.(9)Solar access. Landscaping shall not obstruct solar access to adjacent solar collectors for water heating, space heating or cooling, or electricity generation.(10)Privacy. Landscape screening shall obscure direct sight lines into dwelling units and open space areas from communal areas such as parking areas, common mailboxes, and pedestrian walkways. Landscape screening may be used in combination with walls, fencing, and/or trellises to screen views.i.Location. Landscape screening shall fit within associated planting areas and canopy sizes must not overlap with building foundations or eaves.ii.Plant selection. Landscape screening shall use trees, shrubs, and/or vines located and sized to buffer views. Deciduous species, perennials, and grasses or grass-like plants are not permitted for privacy screening.iii.Minimum sizes. Landscape screening and vegetation shall use the following minimum container sizes at the time of planting:a.Trees: twenty-four (24) inch box.b.Shrubs: five (5) gallon size.c.Vines: one gallon at ten (10) feet. (Ord. No. 1369, § 2, 12-16-2025)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 69).
Full Breakdown
050(b)) applies to multiple-unit residential and mixed-use development projects in every zoning district, including projects covered by the state Housing Accountability Act and SB 423. Under subsection (e), landscaping on these sites must comply with the City's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO) and the Municipal Water Management Plan, and every landscape plan submitted to Community Development must include a WELO checklist, irrigation technology details, and the total square footage to be landscaped. 070(e)(7)), and artificial or synthetic plants of any kind other than turf are prohibited outright.
The turf carve-out itself is capped: artificial turf or any other natural-lawn substitute cannot exceed 30 percent of the front landscape area of the project. The article does not extend this specific percentage cap to standalone single-family residential lots outside a multi-unit or mixed-use project; those parcels still fall under the City's general WELO and irrigation requirements but not this particular design-standard limit. Compliance is checked at the plan-check and building permit stage: Community Development reviews the submitted landscape plan for the WELO checklist and the turf percentage before issuing approval, and the standard is a condition of the development entitlement rather than a separate stand-alone permit.
Violations & Fines
Because the turf cap is enforced through plan check rather than a citation schedule, noncompliant landscape plans are simply rejected until revised. Once built, exceeding the cap is a Title 10 zoning violation: under Section 10.08.4900 the Community Development Director and authorized staff may issue citations or stop orders halting further construction or use of the property until the violation is corrected, and a stop order stays in effect until the landscaping is brought into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tracy limit artificial turf in a regular single-family front yard?
Can a project use only artificial turf and skip real landscaping?
What happens if a completed project exceeds the 30 percent turf cap?
Does landscaping in a Tracy multi-family project need a separate permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tracy
How Tracy compares: Most Artificial Turf-Friendly Cities·California rules heatmap·Compare Tracy to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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