Sedona, AZ Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

The Sedona Land Development Code treats rainwater harvesting tanks as a permitted encroachment into an otherwise-required setback, not a use that needs its own variance. D(4)(b) groups rainwater harvesting tanks with ground-mounted solar and geothermal equipment in its table of exceptions to setback requirements: all three may project into the side or rear setback area of any zoning district, provided the equipment stays at least five feet from any property line and does not exceed eight feet in height when it sits inside the setback area.

That five-foot buffer and eight-foot height cap are the two numbers that actually control an installation; go past either and the tank falls outside the exception and needs the Director's approval or full setback compliance like any other structure. 010 states that 'nothing in these regulations shall be construed to discourage the use of gray water, water harvesting, or other water conservation measures in accordance with state law, county regulations, and state-approved regulations,' though it requires that appropriate building and plumbing permits be obtained whenever a system has a connection to a potable water system or the public wastewater collection system, and the city may require a professional inspection at the owner's expense. D(4)(b) are met and any plumbing connection is permitted.