Hayward, CA Water Use Rules: Turf Replacement Rebates (2026)
Key Facts
- Slope ban
- turf banned over 25% slope to hardscape
- Multifamily/non-residential turf
- banned unless recreational area
- Single-family turf
- allowed if water budget met
- Street medians
- high water-use plants banned
- Compliance check
- field inspection before occupancy
Summary
Hayward's landscape ordinance bans turf outright in several settings rather than merely limiting it. Sec. 10-12.07(a)(2)(D) and (E) prohibit turf on slopes steeper than 25% draining onto hardscape, and in multifamily or non-residential landscapes unless the turf is a recreational area; single-family lawns stay legal as long as the project meets its water budget.
(D)Turf is not allowed on slopes greater than twenty five percent (25%) where the toe of the slope is adjacent to an impermeable hardscape and where twenty five percent (25%) means one (1) foot of vertical elevation change for every four (4) feet of horizontal length (vertical elevation change divided by horizontal length multiply by 100 = slope percent).(E)Turf is not allowed in multifamily and non-residential areas unless it is a recreational area. Turf is allowed in single family residential areas as long as the water budget is met.(F)High water use plants, characterized by a plant factor of 0.7 to 1.0, are prohibited in street medians.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 28 Update 1 | Charter: Supplement 1).
Full Breakdown
Turf restrictions live inside the same Sec. 07(a)(2) "Plant Material" standards as the invasive-species ban, and apply to new landscape projects of 500 square feet or more and rehabilitated projects of 2,500 square feet or more that need a building or landscape permit, plan check or design review under Sec. 03. Subsection (D) bars turf "on slopes greater than twenty five percent (25%) where the toe of the slope is adjacent to an impermeable hardscape," defining that grade as one foot of vertical rise for every four feet of horizontal run.
" Single-family residential yards are exempted from that ban, but turf still counts toward the project's Maximum Applied Water Allowance, so it is allowed there "as long as the water budget is met" under the Estimated Total Water Use calculation in Sec. 07(a)(2)(A). 0, the high-water-use category that includes most turf grasses, from street medians altogether. Landscape architects certify plant selections and slope conditions on the landscape design plan submitted with the water-efficient landscape worksheet, and the City Landscape Architect verifies the installed slope and turf area during the field inspection tied to the Certificate of Completion under Sec. 09 before occupancy is granted.
Violations & Fines
A landscape design plan showing turf on a slope over 25% draining to hardscape, or non-recreational turf at a multifamily or commercial site, fails plan check under Sec. 10-12.07 and cannot get a building or landscape permit. If turf is installed anyway, the City Landscape Architect's field inspection before Certificate of Completion under Sec. 10-12.09 will flag it on the correction list, and the project cannot close out or receive a Certificate of Occupancy until the turf is removed or reconfigured to comply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still have a lawn at my single-family home in Hayward?
What slope counts as too steep for turf in Hayward?
Are apartment complexes ever allowed to have turf in Hayward?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hayward
California rules heatmap·Compare Hayward to another location·View the California water use rules overview
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