Effective January 1, 2026, LMC Section 15.05.040 requires drought-tolerant vegetation or native ground cover to be the primary ground cover in landscaped areas, replacing the prior requirement that irrigated turf grass be primary. Decorative (non-functional) turf is now banned in tree lawns, medians, parking-lot strips and transportation corridors.
Longmont overhauled its landscape regulations under LMC Title 15 (Land Development Code), Chapter 15.05 (Design Standards), Section 15.05.040. As of January 1, 2026: (1) Drought-tolerant or native vegetation must be the primary ground cover in landscaped areas. (2) 'Non-functional turf' — including artificial turf — is prohibited in grass strips between sidewalks and curbs, in medians, and in areas within parking lots or transportation corridors. (3) At least 75% of replacement areas must consist of living plant materials. (4) New and redeveloped sites must apply CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) principles with clear sightlines. The City offers four ColoradoScape design templates (Sampler ~10,000 gal/summer saved; Balanced Beauty ~20,000 gal; Xero to Hero 30,000-40,000 gal; Sidewalk Serenity for tree lawns) and free Slow the Flow irrigation audits via Resource Central.
New development and redevelopment that do not comply with LMC 15.05.040 will not pass landscape plan review and cannot receive a certificate of occupancy. Existing properties are not required to retroactively convert, but any new installation must meet the updated standard.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Longmont, CO
Longmont has no bamboo-specific ordinance. Bamboo is not listed on the Colorado Noxious Weed list and does not appear in Longmont's Integrated Weed Managemen...
Longmont, CO
Per LMC § 15.04.050(D)(4), Longmont food trucks may operate only in non-residential zoning districts (ice cream vendors are allowed in residential zones), mu...
Longmont, CO
Operating a food truck or pushcart in Longmont requires an annual Mobile Retail Food Vending Permit from the Building Services Division, plus a Longmont busi...
Longmont, CO
Federal law (FAA Part 107 and 49 U.S.C. § 44809 for recreational flyers) governs U.S. airspace and Longmont cannot regulate altitude or flight paths. The Cit...
Longmont, CO
Under LMC 6.44.090 (cited by Longmont Code Enforcement), no garage sale in Longmont may run for more than 3 consecutive days, and no more than 12 total days ...
Longmont, CO
Under LMC § 9.04.130, Longmont requires the owner, agent, or tenant of any lot to clear snow, sleet, ice, or other obstruction from the public sidewalk abutt...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Boulder County.
See how other cities in Boulder County handle native plants.
See how Longmont's native plants rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.