Santa Cruz County, CA Landscaping Rules: Artificial Turf (2026)

Santa Cruz County's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, Chapter 13.13 SCCC, treats artificial turf as an option, not a routine substitute for planted turf. Under SCCC § 13.13.060(A)(1), the maximum applied water allowance for a covered landscape tops out at 50 percent of reference evapotranspiration, rising to 100 percent inside a "special landscape area." The same subsection directs that consideration shall be given to incorporate artificial turf into special landscape areas where appropriate and feasible, and after a public hearing, meaning artificial turf gets a formal look only where the site already qualifies as a special landscape area and only after the Planning Director or Board convenes a public hearing on the specific project.

Special landscape area is defined narrowly at SCCC § 13.13.020(32): land irrigated with at least 60 percent nonpotable water, or an active-recreation area such as a pool deck, park, playground, sports field or golf course where turf serves as the playing surface; ordinary residential lawn areas do not qualify unless used mainly for organized sports. Outside a special landscape area, "turf" is defined at SCCC § 13.13.020(34) as a ground cover surface of mowed grass that requires regular irrigation, so synthetic turf, which needs no irrigation, falls outside the chapter's 25 percent cap on combined turf, high-water-use plants and water features under SCCC § 13.13.060(B)(1).

The chapter applies to new, expanded or rehabilitated landscapes tied to a building, grading or discretionary permit (SCCC § 13.13.030(A)), but residential landscape work of 500 square feet or less, remodels, and ADU or attached-addition landscaping are exempt (SCCC § 13.13.030(D)(1)).