Salt Lake County encourages native, drought-tolerant landscape under Title 19 Chapter 19.77 (Water Efficient Landscape Design Standards). For new development and certain redevelopments, turf grass shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the area to be landscaped, with a strong preference for water-wise and native plants. Utah Code Sec. 17-50-339 (HB 282, 2022) prohibits HOAs from banning water-wise or native plants in front, side, or rear yards.
Salt Lake County took a regulatory step further than many Western jurisdictions by adopting Chapter 19.77 (Water Efficient Landscape Design Standards) in Title 19 (Zoning). The chapter applies to specified new development and substantial landscape redevelopment in unincorporated Salt Lake County and sets a numeric cap: the area of turfgrass shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the area to be landscaped, and turfgrass shall not be installed in undevelopable areas (steep slopes, narrow strips less than 8 feet wide, areas surrounded by hardscape). The remaining 70%+ of the landscape area is intended to use water-wise and native plant species, organic mulch (3-4 inches deep), gravel mulch, rocks, and boulders to control weeds and conserve moisture. Recommended water-wise and native species for Salt Lake County (cold-arid foothill climate, USDA Zone 6b-7a) include: Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), Utah serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis), Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii), Bigtooth maple (Acer grandidentatum), Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa), penstemons (multiple Penstemon spp.), blue flax (Linum lewisii), Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), and blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis). State-level Utah Code Sec. 17-50-339 (HB 282, 2022) reinforces this by prohibiting HOAs from banning xeriscaping, water-wise landscaping, or drip irrigation. The Utah State University Center for Water-Efficient Landscaping (CWEL) and Localscapes.com (a Utah Division of Water Resources project) provide free plant guides. Salt Lake City Public Utilities operates the Utah Water Conservancy garden at the International Peace Gardens as a working demonstration of water-wise plant palettes for the Salt Lake Valley climate.
Installations that exceed the 30% turfgrass cap in Chapter 19.77, or that fail to meet the chapter's mulch-depth, irrigation-zoning, or water-budget requirements, can be denied building permit final approval until corrected. An HOA that violates Utah Code Sec. 17-50-339 by banning water-wise plants can face injunctive relief and the homeowner's actual damages and attorney fees. There is no per-day civil fine in Chapter 19.77 itself - enforcement runs through the building permit / certificate of occupancy chain.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Salt Lake County, UT
No countywide leaf blower ordinance in Salt Lake County. Must comply with general noise limits (10 PM to 7 AM quiet hours) and construction-hour window. Salt...
Salt Lake County, UT
Amplified sound audible beyond 50 feet from source or across a property line violates SLCo Code 9.04. Outdoor events over 100 attendees require a special eve...
Salt Lake County, UT
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) noise preempted by FAA 14 CFR Part 150. Airport runs a voluntary nighttime noise abatement program. Complaints go ...
Salt Lake County, UT
Unincorporated Salt Lake County allows RV and boat storage on residential properties with screening requirements. Vehicles must be operable and registered. S...
Salt Lake County, UT
Utah Code §41-6a-1406 defines abandoned vehicles as those left unattended for 48+ hours on public highways. Abandoned vehicles on private property in unincor...
Salt Lake County, UT
SLCo zoning requires 30 ft sight triangle at street corners with nothing over 3 ft tall. Driveways need 10 ft clear triangle. Violations can force removal at...
See how Salt Lake County's native plants rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.