West Covina, CA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Sec. " The same subsection makes the invasive-species ban absolute rather than advisory: "Plant species known to be invasive and listed on the California Invasive Plant Inventory published by the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) are prohibited," with no waiver process listed. Inside a state-mapped Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the standard tightens further: "plantings shall not include fire prone species and the plant palette shall be approved by the West Covina Fire Department" before installation. The native-plant preference sits inside the city's broader water-efficiency framework.

Sec. 7, division 2, Title 23, of the California Code of Regulations," and applies it to any new landscape project of 500 square feet or more and any rehabilitated landscape of 2,500 square feet or more that needs a building permit, plan check, or design review. Smaller new-construction projects under 2,500 square feet can avoid full MWELO review by meeting the ordinance's prescriptive measures instead. Older subdivisions built under the city's hillside grading standards draw their approved plant list from Planning Commission Resolution No. " The Community Development Director reviews and can reject any landscape plan of 5,000 square feet or more unless a licensed landscape architect prepared it.