West Covina, CA Landscaping Rules: Artificial Turf (2026)

West Covina residents living in a homeowners association or condominium governed by a common interest development are protected by California Civil Code Section 4735, part of the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act. The statute makes void and unenforceable any provision in governing documents, architectural guidelines, or landscaping policies that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting three specific practices: replacing turf with low water-using plants, installing artificial turf or any other synthetic surface that resembles grass, and complying with a local water-efficient landscape ordinance adopted under Government Code Section 65595 or a water-use regulation adopted under Water Code Section 353 or 375.

An HOA board that denies an architectural application solely because the plan includes synthetic turf is issuing an unenforceable decision under state law, though Section 4735(b) still lets an association apply landscaping rules that are consistent with the statute, such as reasonable standards on turf color or drainage. The law adds direct protection during drought: once the Governor or a local government has declared a state or local emergency due to drought, an association cannot fine or assess an owner for reducing or eliminating watering of vegetation or lawns.

That protection does not extend to an owner who receives recycled water from a retail supplier and simply fails to use it for irrigation. Owners who install water-efficient landscaping in response to a drought emergency are also not required to tear it out once the emergency ends. West Covina's own Development Code separately allows synthetic turf citywide as a water-conservation landscaping option under Section 26-85(j), so a homeowner facing HOA resistance has both a state statutory right and a City-permitted use working in their favor.