Southfield, MI Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Southfield City Code § 9.50B lets homeowners replace turf grass with a managed natural lawn of species native to the Great Lakes region, but only through a permitted natural lawn management plan. The city's stated finding is that these lawns improve stormwater retention, water quality and habitat for birds and butterflies, provided they don't become a nuisance. A turf-grass lawn simply left unattended to return to a natural state does not qualify as an exempt "natural lawn" under the ordinance, and noxious weeds listed under section 9.41 are excluded outright.

To plant one, the owner files a written natural lawn management plan with the Southfield planning department describing the plant species, the intended plant succession and the maintenance techniques, along with a non-refundable $75 filing fee set by city council resolution. The planning department mails notice to every property owner within 300 feet of the site, and neighbors get at least 15 days to file written objections before the department rules on the application. An approved permit runs for two years and must be renewed to continue.

Two hard limits apply regardless of the plan: no natural lawn may grow within five feet of an abutting owner's line unless that neighbor waives the buffer in writing, and the waiver can later be revoked, forcing removal of the five-foot strip within 20 days (or by May 15 if notice arrives over winter). The fire chief can also order an unapproved-height lawn cut within three days if weather conditions make it a fire hazard, and burning is never an acceptable removal method. The planning director may revoke a permit for noncompliance, and a denial or revocation can be appealed to the city administrator within 15 calendar days; that decision is final.