Yuba City follows the State of California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO, 23 CCR §§490–495) for new and rehabilitated landscapes, which prioritizes climate-appropriate and native plants. There is no local mandate requiring a minimum percentage of native species.
California Government Code §65595 requires every local agency that did not adopt its own water-efficient landscape ordinance to default to the state MWELO (Cal. Code Regs. tit. 23 §§490–495). MWELO applies to: new development landscapes ≥500 sq ft requiring a building or landscape permit; rehabilitated landscapes ≥2,500 sq ft; and HOA common areas. MWELO requires a Maximum Applied Water Allowance based on ETo, prohibits high-water-use plants in non-functional areas, and incentivizes California native and Mediterranean-climate plants through the WUCOLS plant factor system. Yuba City's Landscape Article (Yuba City Code Title 8, Chapter 5, Article 60) implements landscaping standards for development projects, but neither Yuba City nor Sutter County imposes a separate native-plant percentage requirement on private homeowners. California Civil Code §4735 also bars HOAs from prohibiting drought-tolerant or low-water-use plants during declared droughts and from fining homeowners for not watering during a state-declared drought emergency.
MWELO compliance is verified at building-permit issuance and via the Certificate of Completion. Non-compliant landscape plans are not approved by Yuba City Development Services. There is no infraction fine for a homeowner replacing a lawn with native plants — that is affirmatively protected by Civil Code §4735.
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See how Yuba City's native plants rules stack up against other locations.
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