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Hartford, CT Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Standard
Native/naturalized to CT, wherever possible
Section
Zoning Regs § 6.2.3.E(3)
Applies to
Required landscaping under zoning permits
Adopted
2022 edition

Summary

Hartford's zoning code directs that landscaping materials be native or naturalized to Connecticut wherever possible on regulated sites.

Plant materials shall:(1)Be appropriate for the conditions of the location, including sun and wind exposure, air quality, salt exposure, soil type, expected moisture content of soil, and slope.(2)Not be an invasive or a potentially invasive species as identified by the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group, the Connecticut Invasive Plants Council, as authorized in Connecticut Statute 22a-381b, or the State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.(3)Be, wherever possible, native or naturalized to Connecticut.

Full Breakdown

Under the 2022 Zoning Regulations, required landscape plantings must meet condition-and-selection standards set by the Planning and Zoning Commission. Among them, plant material must be, wherever possible, native or naturalized to Connecticut. This applies to landscaping installed to satisfy the code's buffer, tree-canopy, and site-plan requirements, not to purely private gardening outside those triggers.

Violations & Fines

Landscaping installed under a zoning permit that fails to meet the planting-material standards of Section 6.2.3 can be rejected at certificate-of-completeness review or ordered corrected by the zoning administrator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this apply to any homeowner's garden?
No: it governs landscaping required by a zoning permit (buffers, tree canopy, site plans), not incidental residential gardening outside those triggers.
Is native planting mandatory or preferred?
The code says 'wherever possible,' making it a strong preference tied to site conditions rather than an absolute mandate.

Sources & Official References

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