There is no county rule requiring native landscaping, but the Big Island is ground-zero for invasive-species control. Planting or spreading state-listed noxious/invasive pests (coquí frog, miconia, little fire ant, albizia) is regulated by the state, not the county.
Hawai'i County does not mandate native or drought-tolerant plants. The real legal weight is on invasive species: the Hawai'i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) plant-quarantine rules and the Hawai'i Invasive Species Council govern noxious weeds and pests. The Big Island already hosts an estimated 60,000 acres of invasive coquí frog, plus miconia and little fire ant hotspots. State law makes it a serious offense to intentionally transport, harbor, or import certain pests to spread them. Residents are encouraged (via HDOA and the Big Island Invasive Species Committee) to remove invasives like coquí and miconia from their land, but native landscaping itself is voluntary.
Intentionally transporting/harboring a prohibited invasive pest to propagate or release it can be a state Class C felony with fines from $50,000 up to $200,000 and prison (HDOA/state law).
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Hawaii County, HI
Hawai'i County has no separate hoarding ordinance; the matter is handled under state cruelty law. Depriving pet animals of necessary sustenance is cruelty in...
Hawaii County, HI
Ordinance No. 25-63 (Bill 51, 2025) makes it illegal to feed feral animals, including cats, chickens, pigs and goats, on County of Hawai'i property, to prote...
Hawaii County, HI
County of Hawai'i parks are governed by HCC Chapter 15. There is no single island-wide curfew hour; instead the Parks Director sets each park's hours of oper...
Hawaii County, HI
Hawai'i County's dark-sky ordinance (HCC Ch. 14) controls light trespass by requiring outdoor fixtures to be shielded and, for many lights, turned off from 1...
Hawaii County, HI
Hawai'i County has a real dark-sky ordinance (HCC Chapter 14) protecting the Mauna Kea observatories. It requires shielded outdoor fixtures, restricts lamp t...
Hawaii County, HI
Garage-sale signs qualify as temporary signs under Hawai'i County's Sign Code (HCC Ch. 3). They are allowed in all districts without a permit but must relate...
See how Hawaii County's native plants rules stack up against other locations.
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