Gwinnett County, GA Water Use Rules: Turf Replacement Rebates (2026)

Chapter 630 of the Gwinnett County UDO governs landscaping standards for development in the unincorporated county, and Section 630-100 sets the county's water-efficient design policy. 2, covering proper plant location and grouping by water need (A), turf selection limited to drought-tolerant grasses suited to the region's variable rainfall (B), watering schedules of every 7 to 10 days once plants are established (C), soil loosening to promote deep roots (D), mulching (E), native or regionally suitable plant selection (F), and maintenance practices like raised mowing heights and skipping fertilizer during dry spells (G).

None of this is mandatory: the operative verb throughout is 'encourage' and 'recommended,' so a site plan that skips xeriscaping is not, by itself, a code violation. What is mandatory sits one section over. Section 630-110 states flatly that only live plant material may be used to fulfill the requirements of the UDO, meaning artificial turf or synthetic groundcover cannot be substituted to satisfy any landscaping, buffer, or tree-replacement obligation elsewhere in Chapter 630. Once landscaping is installed, Section 630-120 makes the property owner, occupant, tenant, or HOA jointly responsible for its perpetual maintenance, and lets the Department of Planning and Development order replacement of any diseased, dying, dead, or damaged required plant material.