NYC supports native-plant landscaping. There are no turfgrass mandates in The Bronx, and the NYC Native Species Planting Guide is the standard reference for Parks and private projects.
NYC has no ordinance mandating turfgrass or any particular landscape aesthetic. The NYC Parks Native Species Planting Guide (published by NYC Parks Natural Resources Group) is the standard technical reference for native-plant selection across the five boroughs and is cited in DEP Green Infrastructure design standards and the NYC Zoning Resolution §26-41 tree-planting requirements. The Bronx's strong ecological assets — the Bronx River watershed, Pelham Bay salt marshes, the Botanical Garden's native forest — benefit from pollinator-friendly planting. State law (6 NYCRR Part 575) prohibits invasive species (see weed-ordinances) so any private landscape upgrade must avoid DEC-listed species. The NYC Green Infrastructure Program supplies rain-garden guidance favoring natives like switchgrass, swamp milkweed, and inkberry. HOAs and co-op boards may impose private aesthetic rules but cannot override DEC invasive rules. Tree plantings under NYC Admin Code §18-129 require NYC Parks approval on street trees.
No direct penalty for choosing or refusing native plants. Planting DEC-listed invasives: civil penalty up to $250 per violation under 6 NYCRR Part 575. Removing street trees without Parks permit: up to $15,000 restitution under NYC Admin Code §18-129. Co-op or HOA landscape-rule breaches handled as private covenant disputes.
Bronx County, NY
Open burning is prohibited in Bronx County under both NYC Fire Code FC 307 and 6 NYCRR Part 215. Burning leaves, brush, trash, or yard waste is illegal year-...
Bronx County, NY
Bronx County is not in a designated wildfire hazard zone. No WUI maps, Cal Fire-equivalent designations, or Chapter 7A-style construction rules apply in NYC.
Bronx County, NY
Bronx County follows NYC Fire Code (Title 29). Open flames and recreational fires are prohibited on terraces, balconies, roofs, and within 10 feet of combust...
Bronx County, NY
Backyard recreational fires are only allowed at 1-2 family homes with private yards, using approved portable fire pits under 3 feet wide. Apartment buildings...
Bronx County, NY
NYC Administrative Code 27-2045 requires working smoke alarms in every dwelling unit. Since 2019 all replacement alarms must be sealed 10-year battery or har...
Bronx County, NY
The Bronx is a dense urban borough with no wildland-urban interface, so there is no defensible space ordinance. Property owners must still maintain lots free...
See how Bronx County's native plants rules stack up against other locations.
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