Lakewood, WA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Guideline section
- LMC 18A.70.180 (recommended, not mandatory)
- Mandatory companion rule
- LMC 18A.70.140(B)(7)
- Preferred plant order
- Native, then Pacific NW-common species
- Mulch depth guidance
- 2-3 inches depending on coverage
- Severity
- Guideline; no standalone penalty
Summary
Lakewood's landscaping code encourages, but does not itself mandate, native and drought-tolerant plants. LMC 18A.70.180 sets out water-conservation guidelines favoring plants native to the Pacific Northwest, while a companion section, LMC 18A.70.140(B)(7), separately requires their use in every required landscape design plan.
The intent of a plant material guideline is to encourage use of plants native to the Pacific Northwest and introduced plants common to the Pacific Northwest, in that order, in order to maximize use of rainwater, to reduce general maintenance needs and to encourage the development of landscape designs reflective of our natural surroundings. ... ... 3. Plant Types. Applicants are encouraged to utilize drought tolerant plant material native to Western Washington and introduced noninvasive plants common to the area that are well suited to the wet/dry climate of Puget Sound.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 852, passed June 15, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Lakewood does not mandate a specific native-plant palette for private landscaping, but its code repeatedly steers development toward one. ' The section also recommends specific water-conserving practices: deep-tilling landscape soil to at least 12 inches, incorporating 4 to 6 inches of organic matter into newly landscaped beds, and applying 2 to 3 inches of mulch depending on plant coverage. 180 itself. 140(B)(7), Drought Tolerant Plants, which requires that 'the use of native and drought tolerant, low water use plants shall be incorporated into landscape design plans' for any project that must submit a landscape plan under the chapter. '
Violations & Fines
LMC 18A.70.180's water-conservation and plant-type guidance is advisory and carries no separate penalty. The companion mandate at LMC 18A.70.140(B)(7), requiring native and drought-tolerant plants to be incorporated into any required landscape design plan, is enforceable as a Class 2 civil infraction under LMC 18A.20.105(B), capped at $500.00 per LMC 1.48.010, with each day of noncompliance a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I required to plant native species in Lakewood?
What water-conservation practices does Lakewood's code suggest?
Does Lakewood require a diversity of native plant species?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
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Native Plants in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle native plants.