Native plant landscaping is allowed in St. Louis. Residents replacing lawn with prairie or pollinator gardens should register the managed planting with the Forestry Division to avoid the 7-inch grass ordinance.
St. Louis supports native landscaping as a sustainable alternative to turf. Native plants such as coneflower, big bluestem, black-eyed susan, butterfly milkweed, and little bluestem are encouraged. However, because native meadow plantings often exceed the 7-inch height limit in Ch. 11.72, owners should document the planting as a managed landscape feature to distinguish it from neglect. Recommended steps: define planting boundaries with an edge (stones, mulch strip, or low fence), maintain paths, remove invasives, and consider registering with the Forestry Division. The Missouri Botanical Garden Grow Native program and the BiodiverseCity St. Louis initiative provide plant lists, design guides, and demonstration gardens. Front yard meadows in high-visibility historic districts may draw extra scrutiny; a tidier design reduces complaints.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
St. Louis, MO
St. Louis has no city ordinance restricting residential lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays on private property. Property maintenance code under ...
St. Louis, MO
St. Louis has no city ordinance specifically regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. Inflatables are permitted on private property subject to rig...
St. Louis, MO
St. Louis has no city ordinance setting installation dates, removal deadlines, or brightness limits for residential holiday lights. Lights may stay up year-r...
St. Louis, MO
Built-in outdoor kitchens in St. Louis require permits through the Building Division: a building permit for the structure, a gas-line permit for natural-gas ...
St. Louis, MO
St. Louis has no city-specific ordinance regulating residential backyard smokers, pellet grills, or wood-fired ovens at single-family properties. Operation i...
St. Louis, MO
St. Louis adopts the 2018 International Fire Code under SLRC Title 25. IFC §308.1.4 prohibits open-flame cooking devices (charcoal, wood) and propane tanks l...
See how St. Louis'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 If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.