Natural Areas and Native Vegetation

Many citizens are interested in creating Natural Areas as part of their home landscaping to reduce maintenance, attract wildlife, and create garden diversity.  However, going the natural area route within the city does not mean simply allowing an area to go unmanaged.  The City of Houston Ordinance 32-10 defines a “natural area” as an area of native vegetation within planned and managed landscape.

The ordinance gives the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, under the authority of the Director of the Department, the authority to create Rules and Regulations for Natural Areas. Permitting authority for Natural Areas is also given to the department by city ordinance.

In addition, the ordinance stipulates what is considered native vegetation and the parameters for use of such plants in the creation, preservation, or restoration of natural plant communities.

Recently, a 12-member committee reviewed the ordinance and recommended that some revisions be made. A year-long input period ended in November 2009 and the revisions were reviewed by the Quality of Life Committee in December 2009. Since the Ordinance allows the Director to make amendments to it, these changes were made via Policy 1730.1:

1. Requires a one-time permit until a violation occurs in a “natural area” (previously, a permit was required to be updated annually).
2. An expanded bullet list to include more in-depth explanations and examples of natural areas
3. Requires no buffer zone to adjoining property (previously 15 feet)
4. Requires vegetation height to be maintained at 24 inches or less (previously 9 inches or less)
5. Requires vegetation to be 5 feet from a public roadway and 2 and one half feet from a public sidewalk (previously 10 feet from a public roadway and 5 feet from a public sidewalk)
6. No landscaping design required (previously required)
7. Includes a weblink to the City of Houston’s list of invasive species
8. Violations will be enforced by Neighborhood Protection (Section 10-451)  

Application Process

Property owners who would like to apply for a Natural Area Permit as outlined by the guidelines of City of Houston Ordinance 32-10 must submit an application to:

To assist you in your application, please print a copy of the Natural Area Rules and Regulations and a Natural Area Application.

Natural Area Ordinance