Mount Vernon, NY Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies in
- MX-1 Commercial Corridor District only
- Mandate
- All plantings drought tolerant, hardy, native
- Encouraged
- Xeriscaping and recycled greywater irrigation
- Coordinated with
- Stormwater rain gardens, infiltration basins
- Reviewed by
- Planning Board and Architectural Review Board
Summary
Every plant installed on a project site in Mount Vernon's MX-1 Commercial Corridor District must be drought tolerant, hardy, and native to the area based on USDA plant hardiness zone, under City Code Section 267-19.A(8)(e)(6). Xeriscaping and recycled greywater irrigation are separately encouraged to cut water use and reduce flooding.
The use of native plants is preferred. Xeriscaping is encouraged to promote water conservation, reduce maintenance requirements, and decrease flooding... ... Use of drought-tolerant and native plantings. All plants to planted, installed and/or located within this MX-1 Zoning District shall be drought tolerant, hardy, native and appropriate for this area based on USDA plant hardiness zone.
Full Breakdown
A(8)(e), open with softer aspirational language before tightening into a hard mandate. ' That means a landscape plan cannot rely on ornamental or non-native species anywhere on an MX-1 site, not just in a token planting area. The same subsection requires landscaping to be coordinated with stormwater management, including consideration of rain gardens and planted infiltration basins, and separately requires buffer screening along any lot line abutting a residence district. These landscaping standards apply to new structures and to facade renovations covering 35% or more of a building's facade, and they are checked by the Planning Board during site plan review and by the Architectural Review Board during certificate-of-appropriateness review for the same project.
Violations & Fines
A landscape plan that specifies non-native or non-drought-tolerant species violates Section 267-19.A(8)(e)(6), one of the design standards a covered MX-1 project 'shall abide by.' The Planning Board can condition or deny site plan approval, and the Architectural Review Board can withhold a certificate of appropriateness, until the planting list is revised to meet the native and drought-tolerant requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant any species I want in an MX-1 landscape plan?
Is greywater irrigation required for MX-1 landscaping?
Does the native-plant rule apply to a single-family home?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Vernon
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