Washington County, UT Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Grass in park strips
- prohibited, any zone
- Required instead
- water-conserving plants and/or mulch
- Park strip defined
- back-of-curb to sidewalk area
- Tree irrigation
- separate hydrozone from turf/shrubs
- Plan approval
- required before building permit
- Effective / amended
- 4-19-2022; amd. 3-19-2024
Summary
Washington County bans grass in park strips, the narrow landscaped band between the back of curb and the sidewalk, on every new or rehabilitated development in the unincorporated county. Those strips must instead be planted with water-conserving plants and mulch under the county's Landscape and Irrigation Design Standards.
Park strips and other landscaped areas less than eight (8) feet wide shall be landscaped with water-conserving plants and/or mulch that do not include grass. All Planting Beds must have mulch on the soil surface with exceptions for areas being restored to appear as a native desert.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-17: Code current through: Ord. 2026-1329-O, passed 8-18-2026).
Full Breakdown
2 requires that "park strips and other landscaped areas less than eight (8) feet wide" be planted with water-conserving plants and mulch, not grass. org. Planting beds in a park strip must carry mulch over the soil surface, with an exception for beds being restored to a native desert appearance. B, governs the trees that go into these strips: broad-canopy species where shade or screening is wanted, low-growing trees under utility wires, narrow or columnar trees in tight spaces, and trees irrigated on a separate hydrozone from turf and shrubs so they can still be watered during drought restrictions when other plant material is cut off.
a before any building permit issues, and the county's Building Inspection Department (or another appointed entity) can inspect the park strip during and after installation. This design standard was adopted by Ordinance 2022-1206-O on April 19, 2022, and last amended by Ordinance 2024-1252-O, effective March 19, 2024.
Violations & Fines
The county reserves the right, under section 10-27-4.B.2.b(5), to inspect landscaping before, during, or after installation and to order corrective measures if a park strip is planted with grass or otherwise fails to meet the design standards. Because Chapter 27 sets no separate fine, an uncorrected violation is enforceable as a code violation under the county's general penalty clause, section 1-4-1, up to a class B misdemeanor fine and six months in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a lawn in my park strip instead of plants?
What counts as a park strip under the code?
Are there tree requirements for a park strip planting plan?
Who has to approve my park strip planting plan?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
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