Drought Declared Over / La Quinta to Address Landscape Requirements

• In January of 2022, State Water Resources Control Board adopted an emergency regulation to supplement voluntary water conservation.

• La Quinta temporarily reduced landscape maintenance to requiring landscape to be cut, edged, and maintained. 

•  Watering was not required, however residents could not create a fire hazard.

• As of June 5, 2024, the State Water Board’s statewide water conservation emergency regulations have expired.

• Desert cities restored their landscape maintenance enforcement.

• City of La Quinta restored full landscape maintenance enforcement as of October 2024.

• Please restore your yards with landscaping consisting of lawn, or desert landscape (which includes decomposed granite, in combination with some colored gravel, spotted plants and a supporting irrigation system).

• In 2023, AB 1572 established new state water policies for the coming years and declaring the use of potable water to irrigate nonfunctional turf wasteful. 

• Starting January 1, 2028, all commercial zoned landscaping is prohibited from having non-functional ornamental grass.

Landscape Codes:

La Quinta Municipal Code 9.50.090 (A) 8, 9, 10, & 11

La Quinta Municipal Code 9.60.030 (F) (1)

La Quinta Municipal Code 9.60.230 (E) (3)

Please See Example Below:

BEFORE                                                                                                 AFTER