Whittier, CA Landscaping Rules: Artificial Turf (2026)
Key Facts
- Turf allowed on
- Vacant lots under §8.08.026
- Approval required
- Director of Parks, Rec. & Community Services
- Review process
- Section 13.42.120, Water Conservation in Landscaping
- Maintenance standard
- Good condition at all times
- Scope
- Vacant lots, not general occupied yards
Summary
Whittier's vacant-lot maintenance code, Section 8.08.026, lets owners install durable, high-quality synthetic turf instead of drought-tolerant planting on qualifying vacant lots. The turf still needs the parks director's prior review and approval under Section 13.42.120, and it must be kept in good condition at all times. The allowance applies to vacant lots, not routine occupied-yard landscaping.
The property owner shall landscape the entire lot using drought tolerate or xeriscape material that requires little to no water after the first three years of growth. Durable, high quality, synthetic turf may also be used as an alternative. The landscape material selected shall be reviewed and approved to the satisfaction of the director of parks, recreation and community services prior to installation, per Section 13.42.120 of the Whittier Municipal Code. The ground cover shall be maintained in good condition at all times.
Full Breakdown
Section 8.08.026 sets landscaping standards for every vacant lot in the city, meaning property that is undeveloped or has sat abandoned, vacant or unleased for more than 30 days. For unimproved lots under half an acre, the owner must landscape the entire lot with drought-tolerant or xeriscape ground cover, but the same subsection expressly allows durable, high quality, synthetic turf as an alternative. The identical allowance repeats for larger lots (half an acre or more) in the required five-foot perimeter planter along public rights-of-way.
Either way, the material choice is not automatic: the landscape material must be reviewed and approved to the satisfaction of the director of parks, recreation and community services before installation, following the plan-review process referenced in Section 13.42.120, the city's Water Conservation in Landscaping chapter. Once installed, the ground cover, turf included, must be maintained in good condition at all times, and any dead, damaged or malfunctioning irrigation must be fixed within 72 hours of discovery or notification. This synthetic-turf allowance is written into the vacant-lot chapter specifically; the general code text supplied does not extend the same wording to routine landscaping on occupied residential yards.
Violations & Fines
Installing turf without the parks director's prior approval, or letting it fall into disrepair, exposes the property to the same enforcement as any other vacant-lot violation: the condition is folded into the Section 8.08.026 maintenance duties, and a failure is declared a public nuisance under Section 8.08.030(E), subject to a hearing officer's abatement order and, ultimately, city abatement at the owner's expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put artificial turf on a vacant lot in Whittier?
Does Whittier's synthetic turf rule apply to my regular front yard?
Who approves artificial turf material on a Whittier vacant lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whittier
How Whittier compares: Most Artificial Turf-Friendly Cities·California rules heatmap·Compare Whittier to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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