Oxnard, CA Water Use Rules: Turf Replacement Rebates (2026)

Oxnard Code of Ordinances Article XIII (Sec. ), adopted by Ordinance No. 2822, sets mandatory turf limits for any new or altered landscaping tied to a planning or building permit. Under Sec. 22-243(B), commercial and industrial projects must be designed with zero turf and 100% water-wise plants, except where a turf variety is specified for a required bio-swale or bio-filter. Single-family, multi-family and institutional projects may use turf on no more than 40% of the landscaped area; the remainder must be water-wise plants rated moderate, low or very low water use under the WUCOLS classifications referenced in Sec.

22-242(J). For a single-family home with a fenced private rear yard, the 40% calculation counts only the front yard and any side yard outside the fenced private area, leaving the rear yard itself out of the math. Turf is flatly barred from street medians and parking-lot finger planters, and from any slope of 20% (a 5:1 grade) or steeper, anywhere in the landscape area, per Sec. 22-243(B)(5) and (6). Parkway strips next to on-street parking get a carve-out: turf is the preferred parkway groundcover there, and up to two non-permanent hardscape pads, each 4 feet wide or less, may be installed for pedestrian landings, kept at least 5 feet from the street tree and 3 feet from meter boxes, cable boxes, transformers or street lights.

Sec. 22-241(B) exempts fenced private rear yards, and any single-family project with 5,000 square feet or less of total landscape area (2,500 square feet or less for developer-built homes), from the article entirely. Applicants who want to exceed the caps must request a written exception from the development services director under Sec. 22-244(B), showing the design achieves equivalent or greater water conservation.