Utica, NY Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

No Utica ordinance requires native or pollinator plantings, nor does one prohibit them. The zoning code's planting standards (Section 2-29-208) require that all planted areas be maintained in a relatively weed-free condition, clear of undergrowth and free from refuse and debris: the standard a native or naturalized garden must meet to stay compliant. The Trees and Shrubs article directs the City Arborist to maintain lists of acceptable species for planting in public places, but that governs street trees, not private native gardens. Residents may plant native meadows and pollinator beds; the practical limit is that unmanaged growth over 10 inches on developed areas can be treated as weeds under the adopted state property-maintenance code.