Yolo County, CA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Sec. 108(a), Plant selection and grouping, part of Chapter 8-3's Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance (Ord. 1445, effective August 14, 2014), lets a project choose any plant so long as the landscape's Estimated Total Water Use stays within its Maximum Applied Water Allowance and the other subsection (a) rules are met. Subsection (a)(2) states that, with the exception of Special Landscape Areas, a minimum of 25% of the landscape area shall be comprised of native plants. Plants with similar water needs must also be grouped into distinct hydrozones under (a)(3), high water use plants cannot be mixed with low water use plants, and (a)(5) bans invasive species listed in the California Invasive Plant Inventory.

Native plantings interact with the ordinance's turf cap: turf cannot exceed 25% of the front yard landscape area of developer-installed single-family landscaping under (b)(2), or 30% of non-residential landscaped area under (b)(3), which pushes covered projects toward native and low-water plantings to fill the remaining area. Special Landscape Areas, meaning edible gardens, recycled-water-irrigated areas, stormwater basins, and active-play turf like parks and sports fields, are carved out of the 25% native-plant count because they serve a different functional purpose. A qualifying landscape documentation package must show the native-plant percentage before the county issues approval under Sec. 105 and a Certificate of Completion under Sec. 106.