Fullerton, CA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- FMC Chapter 15.50, WELO
- WELO trigger, new landscape
- 500 sq ft or more
- WELO trigger, rehab
- 2,500 sq ft or more
- Non-active turf cap
- 25% of landscaped area
- Turf slope limit
- Barred on slopes over 25%
- Median planting rule
- High water use plants prohibited
- Default penalty
- $100-$500 infraction, FMC 1.08.010
Summary
Fullerton's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance lets homeowners plant any species, including natives and drought-tolerant varieties, as long as the design's estimated water use stays under its calculated water budget. Ordinary turf is capped at 25% of the landscaped area in qualifying projects, and high-water-use plants are barred from street medians.
Any plant may be selected for the landscape, providing the EAWU in the landscape area does not exceed the MAWA. ... High water use plants, characterized by a plant factor of 0.7 to 1.0, are prohibited in street medians. Turf shall not be treated as a fill in material, but rather as a planned element of the landscape. The use of turf grass is only recommended in active use areas where it provides a playing surface. Groundcovers and drought tolerant grasses that require less water are recommended in non-active areas. Turf for non-active use shall be limited to 25% of the landscaped area or as otherwise restricted by the MAWA. Turf shall not be permitted in landscaped areas with a slope percentage greater than 25%. Where turf is utilized, it shall be separated from other landscape areas by a border, mow strip or other material as approved by the Director of Community and Economic Development.
Full Breakdown
045(A)(1)(c) governs what residents and developers may plant once a project triggers the city's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO). 50, Appendix A. 035. Acceptable methods to hit that budget include protecting non-invasive water-conserving species, selecting plants for local climate suitability and disease resistance, and drawing from local or regional landscape program plant lists; in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, selections must come from the city's fire hazard plant list. 0, are prohibited outright in street medians. Turf receives its own numeric ceiling: it is only recommended in active use areas where it provides a playing surface, groundcovers and drought tolerant grasses are recommended elsewhere, and turf for non-active use is capped at 25 percent of the landscaped area, or a tighter limit if the water budget requires it.
Turf cannot be installed on slopes steeper than 25 percent and must be separated from other landscaping by a border or mow strip approved by the Director of Community and Economic Development. 050(H)(4)(a), encourages landscaping that falls below the WELO thresholds to draw on resources identifying plants native to California or otherwise regionally appropriate for the area.
Violations & Fines
Fullerton's Community and Economic Development Department reviews landscape and irrigation plans before a permit issues; a plan exceeding the water budget, oversizing turf past 25 percent, or planting high-water species in a median will not be certified. Chapter 15.50 sets no standalone penalty, so an installation built without certified plans falls under the citywide default in FMC Section 1.08.010: an infraction fine up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a repeat within a year, and $500 for each further violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant a fully native, no-lawn front yard in Fullerton?
How much of my yard can still be lawn?
Who reviews my landscape plan before I install native plants?
What happens if I install turf beyond the 25% limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fullerton
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