Sonoma County, CA Water Use Rules: Turf Replacement Rebates (2026)
Key Facts
- No turf on slopes over
- 10%
- No turf in strips
- 8 ft wide or less
- Banned in
- medians, islands, planter strips
- Applies to
- new & rehabilitated landscapes
- Reviewed by
- Permit and Resource Mgmt Dept
Summary
Unincorporated Sonoma County bans replanting turf on slopes over 10%, strips 8 feet wide or less, and any median or traffic island under the county's water-efficient landscape law.
Turf shall not be planted in the following conditions: a. Slopes exceeding ten percent (10%). b. Planting areas eight feet (8') wide or less. c. Street medians, traffic islands, planter strips, or bulbouts of any size.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
When a covered landscape is rehabilitated (re-landscaped) or newly installed and requires a building, grading, or design-review permit, Sonoma County Code § 7D3-7(A)(4) bars planting turf on slopes exceeding 10%, in planting areas 8 feet wide or less, or in street medians, traffic islands, planter strips, or bulbouts of any size. The rule applies through the Permit and Resource Management Department's landscape plan check, not to the incorporated City of Sonoma or other cities inside the county, which administer their own landscape codes.
Violations & Fines
Landscape plan check applications that propose turf in a restricted location are not approved; the county code ties enforcement of Chapter 7D3 to the general civil-penalty provisions in Sections 1-7 through 1-7.5.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I replant a lawn on a slope in unincorporated Sonoma County?
Does this rule apply inside the City of Sonoma?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma County
California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma County to another location·View the California water use rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.