West Valley City, UT Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Max lawn, front/side yard
- 35% of landscaped area
- Lawn in parkstrips
- prohibited
- Small-lot exemption
- under 250 sq ft landscaped
- Governing law
- WVC Municipal Code § 7-16-104
Summary
West Valley City bans lawn from parkstrips and caps turf at 35% of front and side yards, pushing new landscaping toward drought-tolerant and native plantings.
(1) Lawn shall be prohibited in Parkstrips and in areas less than eight feet in width. (2) No more than 35 percent of the Front and Side Yard landscaped area shall be lawn. Residential lots with less than 250 square feet in landscaped area shall be exempt from this standard.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-30, passed June 23, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 7-16-104 requires that lawn be prohibited in Parkstrips and in any landscaped strip under eight feet wide, and caps turf at no more than 35 percent of the front and side yard landscaped area for all new residential development (lots under 250 square feet of landscaped area are exempt). The companion design standards in § 7-16-103(3) direct that plants be well-suited to the site's microclimate and, at the interface with natural open space, that Extra-Drought Tolerant Plants be selected to blend with native vegetation. Together these sections make water-conserving, native-leaning landscaping the default for the majority of a new yard rather than turf grass.
Violations & Fines
A landscaping plan for new residential development that exceeds the 35% lawn cap or places lawn in a parkstrip does not meet § 7-16-104 and will not clear plan approval under the Chapter 7-16 review process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I landscape a new yard entirely in native/xeriscape plants instead of lawn?
Does West Valley City require native plants specifically?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in West Valley City
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Native Plants in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle native plants.