Chelsea, MA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Native plant landscaping in Suffolk County is encouraged but not mandated. No state law requires homeowners to plant natives or prohibits HOAs from aesthetic rules. MGL c. 132A and 301 CMR 11.00 (MEPA) require consideration of habitat for major projects. The MA Audubon Society, Native Plant Trust, and UMass Extension provide native plant lists for the coastal zone. Boston Climate Resilience Design Guidelines (2020) and BPDA Urban Forest Plan 2030 prioritize native species for public and private landscaping — new developments reviewed under Article 80 receive credit for incorporating natives. Boston Urban Forest Plan targets 35% canopy coverage, favoring native oaks, maples, and tupelos. Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop encourage but do not require natives in local landscape ordinances. MGL c. 128, §10A (MA Pollinator Protection Act and related guidance) supports pollinator-friendly plantings. Invasive species regulations: the MA Prohibited Plant List (333 CMR 2.00) bans sale, distribution, and cultivation of over 140 species including Japanese knotweed, multiflora rose, Asiatic bittersweet, and purple loosestrife. Homeowners are expected to control invasives but generally not fined for passive presence. Lawn alternatives are not specifically protected from HOA restrictions in MA — unlike some states, MA has no 'xeriscape rights' law — but condo rules must be reasonable under MGL c. 183A. Rainscaping and meadow plantings qualify for rebates in the Boston Water and Sewer Commission rain garden program.