Allentown, PA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 660-74, Ground vegetation
- Applies to
- All zones except N1-N5
- Meadow content rule
- Grasses, groundcovers, wildflowers native to area
- Establishment deadline
- 90 days of planting
- Related buffer rule
- Native plants encouraged in data center buffers
Summary
Allentown's zoning code lets property owners plant a native meadow instead of a mowed lawn to satisfy the ground-vegetation requirement. Section 660-74.C allows "alternative lawn or meadow plantings" anywhere a lawn is required, provided a meadow lawn is made up of grasses, naturally spreading groundcovers, and wildflowers native to the area, rather than ornamental or invasive species.
§ 660-74. Ground vegetation. A. Applicability. All unpaved areas of any lot in any zone other than an N1 through N5 Zone must be covered by either planting bed per § 660-74B or lawn per § 660-74C. ... C. Lawn. Seeded, plugged, or sodded grasses, clover, or other alternative lawn or meadow plantings may be planted throughout landscaped areas. (1) Lawn must be established within 90 days of planting or the area must be reseeded, replugged, or resodded. (2) Meadow lawns must consist of grasses, naturally spreading groundcovers, and/or wildflowers native to the area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4995055; v49 updated 2026-06-26; through 06-26-2026).
Full Breakdown
A; playgrounds, special recreation spaces, and similar purpose-built areas are exempt. C spells out what counts as a lawn, and it is broader than mowed turf: seeded, plugged, or sodded grasses, clover, or "other alternative lawn or meadow plantings" all qualify, so a property owner in a commercial, mixed-use, or industrial zone can choose a low-mow native meadow instead of conventional grass. C(2), a meadow lawn must consist of grasses, naturally spreading groundcovers, and/or wildflowers that are native to the area, meaning a meadow planted with non-native or invasive seed mixes would not satisfy the requirement.
C(1). H(2)(c) states that native plants are encouraged to the maximum extent possible in that buffer's planting rows, and the Allentown Shade Tree Commission may comment on the specific plantings chosen. Because § 660-74 only governs zones outside N1 through N5, the meadow-lawn option is primarily available to owners of commercial, mixed-use, and industrial-zoned parcels rather than single-family residential lots in the core neighborhood zones.
Violations & Fines
Ground vegetation that fails to meet the § 660-74 requirements, such as bare, unplanted areas or a meadow seeded with non-native species outside the 90-day establishment window, is a zoning code violation the Zoning Officer can enforce with a notice of violation and, if uncorrected, a citation. Property owners who let a required lawn or planting bed die or go unmaintained can be ordered to reseed, replant, or otherwise restore compliant ground cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant a native meadow instead of a lawn in Allentown?
Does Allentown require native plants in every landscaped area?
How long do I have to establish a new lawn or meadow in Allentown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Allentown
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