Dublin, CA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Dublin's Municipal Code favors native and drought-tolerant landscaping rather than restricting it. In the Landscaping and Fencing Regulations, DMC 8.72.040 states that landscape design and construction shall emphasize drought-tolerant and/or native species whenever possible, and DMC 8.72.070 requires all landscaping to conform to the City's Water-Efficient Landscaping Regulations (Chapter 8.88), which implement the State Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO). Those regulations apply to new construction landscape projects of 500 square feet or more, and rehabilitated projects of 2,500 square feet or more, that require a Site Development Review or Building Permit (DMC 8.88.020); smaller projects may use simpler prescriptive measures. For homeowners in a homeowners association, California Civil Code Section 4735 reinforces the right to native and low-water landscaping: an association may not enforce any rule that prohibits, or has the effect of prohibiting, the use of low water-using plants as a group or as a replacement for existing turf. HOAs may still set reasonable design and quality standards, but not ones that effectively make low-water landscaping impossible. DSRSD's Tri-Valley Water Wise resources offer a regional low-water plant library suited to Dublin's climate.