Showing ordinances that apply to South Kensington, MD
South Kensington is an unincorporated community (population 8,829) in Montgomery County, Maryland. Because South Kensington is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal code. Instead, Montgomery County ordinances apply directly to properties here. The native plants rules below are the ones that govern your area.
Montgomery County promotes native Chesapeake Bay watershed plants through the RainScapes program and conservation landscaping rebates. No ordinance requires native plants, but the county offers financial incentives and technical assistance for native plantings. Maryland HOA law protects homeowners who install native plant gardens.
Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) actively promotes native plant landscaping through multiple programs. The RainScapes Rebates Program provides up to $2,500 for conservation landscaping using native Chesapeake Bay watershed species. The county maintains a recommended native plant list emphasizing species that support pollinators and reduce stormwater runoff. Maryland HB 322 (signed 2021) prohibits HOAs from banning native plant gardens that are part of a managed landscape plan. The county Forest Conservation Law (Ch 22A) requires native species for tree replacement plantings. The DEP provides free technical design assistance for homeowners converting turf to native gardens. Native meadow plantings that might otherwise trigger grass-height violations are protected if registered through RainScapes. The Montgomery County Master Gardener program offers free native plant consultations. Invasive species removal is encouraged, particularly for English ivy, porcelain berry, and mile-a-minute vine. The county Native Plant Sale occurs annually with discounted specimens.
No penalties for planting natives. HOA interference with native gardens: violates MD HB 322 if part of a managed plan. Unregistered meadow gardens may trigger Ch 58 grass-height violations.
See how South Kensington's native plants rules stack up against other locations.
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