Royal Oak, MI Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

City of Royal Oak City Code § 556-4R, amending IPMC Sections 302.4 through 302.4.5 by Ordinance No. 2016-07, sets the general rule that all premises and exterior property must stay free of plant growth over eight inches, but exempts trees, shrubs, cultivated flowers, gardens, and planned natural landscaping. Section 302.4.2 defines "native plants" as species identified on the Michigan State University Native Plants and Ecosystem Services list for southern lower Michigan, a copy of which the City keeps on file. Section 302.4.3 defines "planned natural landscaping" as a planned, intentional, and maintained landscape of native plants, ornamental grasses, ground covers, rain gardens, shrubs, and trees, and it flatly prohibits nonnative and invasive plant species within that landscape; the section also clarifies the allowance is not a license to abandon lawn care generally.

Two maintenance duties attach: Section 302.4.4 requires the planned natural landscaping be cut back at least annually to remove dead or unmanaged growth, and separately requires any property owner to cut or remove dead or unmanaged growth anywhere on the lot, including within a planned natural landscape. Section 302.4.5 adds a design duty: the planted area must be designed so it does not attract rats, tying the landscaping rule directly back into Chapter 587's citywide rodent-control program. A property owner who ignores a Section 302.4 violation notice from Community Development faces prosecution under Section 106.3 of the Property Maintenance Code, and the City may send crews onto the property to bring it into compliance and bill the owner for the cost.