Placer County, CA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- Native/water-conserving plants favored, not mandated
- Compliance test
- Estimated water use within max allowance
- Residential prescriptive path
- 75% climate-adapted plant area minimum
- Nonresidential prescriptive path
- 100% climate-adapted plant area minimum
- Street medians
- High water use plants prohibited
Summary
Placer County's water-efficient landscape ordinance directs applicants to select water-conserving plants and specifically favors local native species. Any plant is allowed as long as the landscape's estimated water use stays within the project's maximum applied water allowance.
Any plant may be selected for the landscape providing the Estimated Total Water Use in the landscape area does not exceed the Maximum Applied Water Allowance. Methods to achieve water efficiency shall include one or more of the following: (a) Protection and preservation of native species and natural vegetation; (b) Selection of water-conserving plant, tree and turf species, especially local native plants;
Full Breakdown
020(2)(b)(ii) governs plant material selection for landscape projects that must submit a full Water Efficient Landscape Worksheet rather than use the small-project prescriptive path. ' Applicants may also draw from plant lists in the community plan, area plan, the county's Landscape Design Guidelines, or a local landscape program, and must weigh a species' local climate suitability, disease and pest resistance, and its listing in local fuel modification plan guidelines given the county's wildfire exposure. 0 are barred from street medians entirely. 010(1)(g)(iii)(1). Landscape design in fire-prone areas must also address fire safety, avoiding fire-prone plant materials and highly flammable mulches, consistent with the defensible-space zone required around structures under Public Resources Code Section 4291.
Violations & Fines
A landscape plan that fails to demonstrate the Estimated Total Water Use stays within the Maximum Applied Water Allowance, or a prescriptive-path plan that misses the 75%/100% climate-adapted plant thresholds, cannot be approved as part of plan check, design review or permit issuance under Sections 15.75.010 and 15.75.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Placer County require native plants in my landscaping?
What share of my plants must be low-water species under the simplified compliance option?
Can I plant high water use species in a street median in Placer County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Placer County
California rules heatmap·Compare Placer County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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