Yard & Garden
Everything a code officer can say about the green parts of your property, from grass height and tree removal to watering days.
Yard law pulls in two directions at once. Overgrowth is punished: grass and weeds above a stated height become a nuisance the city may mow and bill, the single most enforced rule in residential codes. Trees are protected: past a trunk-diameter threshold, removal takes a permit and often replacement plantings, and the street tree out front usually belongs to the city no matter who waters it.
Water sits between the two, restricted by schedule in drought country and barely mentioned elsewhere. August rules can differ from April rules in the same town, because drought stages move by declaration rather than by ordinance.
Landscaping Rules
Grass height limits, tree trimming and removal, weed ordinances, water restrictions, and rainwater harvesting.
Holiday Decorations
Holiday lights, inflatables, lawn ornaments, and how long you can leave them up.
Outdoor Lighting
Dark sky ordinances, light trespass rules, and security lighting regulations.
Tree Protection
Tree removal permits, heritage tree protections, and tree replacement requirements.
Invasive Plant Rules
Bamboo restrictions, invasive species bans, front yard garden rules, and vegetation management ordinances.