Tucson, AZ Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

7 governs preservation of native Sonoran Desert vegetation citywide, singling out the Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) as slow-growing and difficult to transplant. 3 applies the standards to all new development in the City of Tucson, to expansions of existing development of 25% or more of land area, floor area, lot coverage, or vehicular use area (smaller expansions are limited to the expansion footprint), and layers on top of -- rather than replacing -- the separate Hillside Development Zone, Environmental Resource Zone, WASH ordinance (Tucson Code Section 29), and Scenic Corridor Zone standards.

D). 0 for every covered project, using one of four methodologies -- Plant Inventory, Plant Appraisal, or Set Aside -- and mandates that if buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare, an Arizona-listed noxious weed) is present, it must be mapped and included with an eradication and monitoring plan. No grubbing, grading, construction, or salvaging may occur before the Plan is submitted and approved; Protected Native Plants listed in the Technical Standards Manual may not be destroyed, damaged, salvaged, transplanted, or removed except under an approved Plan, and a salvage-only permit becomes available only after rezoning/annexation ordinance adoption, plat/plan approval, or full-fee site plan submittal, whichever applies. D).