Placer County, CA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Placer County is supportive of native and drought-tolerant landscaping; there is no ordinance banning or discouraging California native plants, and homeowners are free to convert lawns to native or low-water gardens. The county's regulatory touchpoint is efficiency for new and rehabilitated landscapes. Through its Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO) and the Landscape Design Guidelines updated in 2017, the county implements California's MWELO, which favors climate-adapted, water-efficient plantings, sets a landscape water budget, and limits the area and water use of high-water-demand turf. These requirements kick in for new landscapes of 500 square feet or more and rehabilitated landscapes greater than 2,500 square feet; smaller homeowner plantings are not subject to the documentation requirements. Native plants such as those identified for the Placer County climate help projects meet their water budget because they typically need far less irrigation once established. Native landscaping also supports defensible space goals when designed with appropriate spacing and low-fuel species near structures. Remember that mature native oaks remain protected under the Tree Preservation Ordinance (County Code 19.50), so planting natives is encouraged but removing existing protected native trees still needs a permit.