Albuquerque does not cap residential lawn height, but its water-conservation landscaping rules sharply limit turf. Under the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) General Landscaping Standards, Sec. 5-6(C), no more than 10 percent of required landscape areas may be cool-season grass species.
Albuquerque has no general maximum-lawn-height rule for ordinary turf grass; overgrowth concerns are handled through the nuisance weed ordinance (Sec. 9-8-4) rather than a turf-height limit. Instead, the city's principal grass/turf regulation is a water-conservation restriction in the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) General Landscaping Standards at Sec. 5-6(C): no more than 10 percent of required landscape areas on a developed site may be planted in cool-season (high-water-use) grass species such as Kentucky bluegrass or fescue, steering new landscapes toward xeriscape and warm-season or native plantings. All landscaping must also comply with the Pollen Control Ordinance (Article 9-12) and the Water Conservation Landscaping and Water Waste provisions (Parts 6-1-1 and 6-6-2 of ROA 1994). These turf limits apply to required landscape areas under site plan review; individual single-family homeowners are not generally required to remove existing lawn but are subject to the watering-restriction and weed rules.
Noncompliant landscape plans are corrected through the IDO development-review and code-enforcement process administered by the Planning Department; required landscaping must be installed and maintained as approved or the site plan/certificate of occupancy can be withheld.
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Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque Code Section 8-5-2-3 declares a vehicle abandoned if it sits unattended on a public street for 36 hours, on private property without owner consen...
Albuquerque, NM
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Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque has no city ordinance regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. IDO Section 14-16-5-9 noise standards could theoretically apply to over...
Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque has no municipal ordinance regulating residential holiday lights. Display timing, brightness, and animation are governed by HOA/condo covenants a...
Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque requires building permits for outdoor kitchens with gas lines, electrical wiring, plumbing, or structural roofs. Trade permits route through the ...
Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque has no specific smoker ordinance, but New Mexico Air Quality Bureau under 20.11.21 NMAC restricts visible emissions and open burning. Albuquerque...
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