Allegheny County, PA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Section
- § 780-512.B(2)
- Status
- Encouraged, not mandatory
- Applies to
- New subdivisions/land developments
- Administered by
- County Dept. of Economic Development
Summary
Allegheny County's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance encourages developers to plant hardy indigenous species when landscaping new subdivisions and land developments, though it stops short of requiring native planting.
The planting of hardy indigenous species is encouraged.
C. Landscaping defined. Landscaping shall be understood to include the provision of street trees, buffer yards, replacement woodlands, and other new planted areas. Landscaping shall also be understood as the provision of undisturbed ground, where such is fully integrated into the design and layout of the subdivision or land development and preserves existing natural features of the site.
D. Street trees. All new residential and nonresidential developments shall provide street trees, in addition to any replacement trees required by § 780-506, in accordance with the following standards:
(1) Street trees shall be provided along the entire length of the street right-of-way on both sides of the street if the street lies within the development.
(2) Street trees in residential subdivisions shall be located within five feet of the right-of-way and in nonresidential developments between the right-of-way and the building line. An easement shall be granted to the municipality for the purpose of maintaining the trees, and a restrictive covenant shall be placed in the deed for the property prohibiting removal of the trees by the property owner.
(3) Street trees shall be located so as not to interfere with the maintenance of utilities, required sight distances and visibility of street and traffic signs.
(4)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4857026; v12 updated 2024-06-04; through 06-04-2024).
Full Breakdown
Under § 780-512.B(2) of the county's 2012 Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, the County Department of Economic Development's landscaping standards for new subdivisions pair a ban on invasive species with an encouragement to plant hardy indigenous plants. The rule applies where the county administers subdivision review: in municipalities that have not adopted their own subdivision ordinance, or that have adopted the county's by reference; the City of Pittsburgh is exempt from the whole chapter.
Violations & Fines
No penalty applies. The native-species language is a stated encouragement, not a mandatory planting requirement the Department can reject a plan over.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Allegheny County require native plants in landscaping?
Does this apply inside Pittsburgh?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Allegheny County
Compare Allegheny County to another location·View the Pennsylvania landscaping rules overview
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