Montgomery County, VA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Exempting section
- Sec 7-91
- Underlying rule exempted from
- Sec 7-86 (15-inch weed cap)
- Approval required
- Yes, an approved plan
- Related exemptions
- Open space, conservation and preservation land
- Also exempt
- Stream buffers, stormwater facilities, park land
Summary
Montgomery County's weed and trash ordinance does not reach land kept under an approved natural-landscaping plan. A property owner can let native plantings, open space or conservation land stay in its natural state without violating the fifteen-inch weed rule.
Sec 7-91 Exemptions The requirements of this article shall not have any force and effect within: ... Areas under an approved plan of natural landscaping; Property designated through an approved zoning or subdivision plat as open space, green space, conservation or preservation area and that is intended to remain in its natural state; Public park lands; or Stormwater management facilities such as detention ponds.
Full Breakdown
' The same section also exempts property designated through an approved zoning or subdivision plat as open space, green space, conservation or preservation area intended to remain in its natural state, along with pastures, active farming operations, forested land, land whose vegetative growth is regulated under state or federal programs, protected stream buffers, public park land, and stormwater facilities such as detention ponds. Because Sec 7-86 otherwise treats weeds over fifteen inches as a public nuisance on any parcel in a residential, business, commercial or industrial zone or platted subdivision, the natural-landscaping exemption is the mechanism that lets a homeowner or developer maintain a pollinator meadow, rain garden or unmowed buffer without triggering a notice, county cleanup or lien under Secs 7-88 through 7-90.
The exemption requires the plan to be 'approved,' which places the burden on the property owner to have the natural-landscaping design reviewed and accepted by the county before relying on it as a defense to a weed-height notice.
Violations & Fines
There is no penalty for maintaining land under an approved natural-landscaping plan; Sec 7-91 removes it from the article entirely, so the notice process in Sec 7-88, the county-abatement authority in Sec 7-89 and the civil penalties in Sec 7-87 do not apply to it. A landowner who lets vegetation grow tall without first obtaining county approval of a natural-landscaping plan, however, has no defense to a weed-height notice and remains subject to the full Sec 7-86 through 7-90 process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a native meadow instead of mowing my yard in Montgomery County, VA?
Do I need county approval before letting part of my lot go natural?
What other land is exempt from the weed ordinance besides natural landscaping?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montgomery County
Compare Montgomery County to another location·View the Virginia landscaping rules overview
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