Residential Landscaping

Tree Lawns are the landscaped areas separating the road from the sidewalk in front of your home. Commerce City standards require that these areas be maintained by the property owner.

• Street Trees: Where tree lawns exist, canopy shade trees shall be planted at 30- to 40-foot intervals, in the center of the tree lawn area.
• Approved Street Trees: Commerce City’s Community Development Department has identified specific deciduous tree species suited for tree lawn landscaping. These species have been chosen for their drought-tolerant or low-to-moderate water usage and rooting characteristics.
  • Deciduous Shade Trees, Drought Tolerant

    Tree species included in this list are identified as drought tolerant, but may require low to moderate watering frequency for growth and establishment

    • Columnar Norway Maple
    • Prairie Pride Hackberry 
      
    • Shademaster Honeylocust
    • Skyline Honey Locust
    • Kentucky Coffee Tree
    • Swamp White Oak 
      
      
    • English Oak

  Deciduous Shade Trees, Additional

  Tree species included in this list are suitable for street trees but are not identified as drought tolerant. These species will require a moderate watering frequency for growth and establishment. 

  • Bur Oak
  • Red Oak 
    
    
    
    
    
  • Glenleven Linden
  • Greenspire Linden
  • Turkish Filbert 
    
    
    
  • Red Maple

  
  

  • Ornamental Trees

  Ornamental Trees shall be planted as a substitution of the canopy shade trees where overhead lines or permanent fixtures limit normal growth and maturity.

  • Tatarian Maple
  • Spring Snow Crabapple
  • Golden Rain Tree
    
    
    
  • Chanticleer Pear
  • Japanese Tree Lilac
    
    
    
  • Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn 

  New Local Regulations: SB24-005: Prohibit Landscaping Practices for Water Conservation Planting design in the tree lawn or public Right of Way shall not include turf. These planting areas should include xeric or non-turf planting materials.
   

  
  
  
  Appropriate irrigation shall be provided to any living plant matter included in the tree lawn.
• Please see Section 21-7550 in the Commerce City Land Development Code for additional information on Tree Lawn Landscaping

HB25-1113, Limit Turf in New Residential Developments

• State law prohibits the installation, planting, or placing of any nonfunctional turf, nonfunctional artificial turf, or invasive plant species in new residential developments

SB23-178 Water-wise Landscaping in Homeowners’ Association Communities

• State Law does not allow Homeowners’ Association to prohibit the use of xeriscape, non-vegetative turf grass, or drought-tolerant vegetative landscapes.  The act states that an HOA's guidelines or rules must: 
  • Not prohibit the use of non-vegetative turf grass in the backyard;  
  • Not unreasonably require the use of hardscape on more than 20% of the landscaping area; 
  • Allow an option that consists of at least 80% drought-tolerant plantings; and 
  • Not prohibit vegetable gardens in the front, back or side yard 

Residential Yard of the Month Program: This program works to promote community pride and recognition for neighbors going above and beyond to provide beautiful and healthy landscapes in Commerce City. This program runs yearly during the summer and provides residents the opportunity to nominate their neighbors or themselves to be recognized by the city for their dedication to beautifying and caring for their neighborhood.

For more information or to submit a nomination, visit MyC3 - Residential Yard of the Month Program.

Garden in a Box: Commerce City’s E3 division has partnered with Resource Central to provide residents with low-cost and water saving garden boxes. These boxes provide a pre-designed garden fit for Colorado’s unique climate. Garden in a box and vouchers are offered seasonally through the E3 division. More information on these gardens can be found at Resourcecentral.org/gardens. Vouchers will be made available during the early Spring program (February and March) and again for their Fall program (July and August). More information on vouchers will be made available by the E3 Division. 

Maintaining clean, well-kept front yards and tree lawns is vital to keeping Commerce City neighborhoods safe, healthy, and beautiful for all our residents to enjoy. Do your part by making sure you are following our important city codes!

• Maintenance Standards for Yard and Tree Lawn
  • Weeds and grass: Owners or occupants shall maintain weeds and grass to a height of no more than 8 inches on their property
  • Encroachment of vegetation on public spaces: Owners or occupants shall cut, trim, prune (as necessary) any trees or other vegetation that is extending into sidewalks and the public right of way. Tree branch grow should be maintained to 10 feet or higher above sidewalks and 15-feet or higher above travel lanes of street or alleys. Branches, trees, and other vegetation shall be maintained to not obscure street names, traffic signs, traffic control devices, or sight triangles.
• Full code section can be found here!
• Concerns about code compliance in your community? Submit a concern through Commerce City’s See, Click, Fix platform! 

Improving soil for residential landscaping in Commerce City involves enhancing its capacity to absorb, retain, and effectively utilize water resources. There are several ways to ensure healthy plant growth and a thriving landscape. Here are some effective methods and considerations including adding organic matter, improving soil structure, and implementing water-efficient irrigation techniques.

Here are some effective methods and considerations:

• Add Organic Matter: Incorporating organic matter like compost can improve soil structure and drainage. It's recommended to use organic matter in a depth of 6-8 inches for best results. 
• Adjust pH Levels: Colorado's high pH can be challenging to correct. Using acid-forming fertilizers like aluminum sulfate or sulfur may help, but their effectiveness is not always proven. 
• Deep Soil ripping: This technique, using a subsoiling plow, can break up compacted soil layers and improve water infiltration, especially in heavy soils
• Soil Testing: Conducting a soil test can provide insights into nutrient levels and pH balance, guiding your choice of fertilizers and soil amendments.

1. Planning and Design: Understanding your site is fundamental to developing a successful xeriscaping project. Factors such as sun exposure, water and drainage, and soil quality can impact what and where you can place plantings and hardscape materials. Addressing these concerns prior to planting in the design and planning stage can lead to increase longevity and decreased frustration with your xeriscaping project in the future.
   
   
2. Soil Improvement: Xeriscapes have unique soil needs to match their unique climates. Making amends to xeric soil requires a ‘less is more approach’. Dry, well-draining soil is best to accommodate most xeric plants. Have wetter, denser soil? Find plants that work with that! Xeric isn’t about planting all one way but finding plants that will work in the landscape you have!
   
   
3. Irrigating Effectively: When looking to create a healthy, drought-tolerant landscape it is important to understand the role of efficient irrigation. Watering deeply and infrequently can encourage plants to develop deep roots. Over time, many xeric plants can survive on natural precipitation alone! Plan your irrigation run time and frequency with the goal of longer infrequent waterings between 9 pm and 9 am!
   
   
4. Drought Tolerance: Finding drought tolerant plants is the name of the game with xeriscaping. When looking to find plantings, find plants that are native not just to Colorado, but native to your landscape. Sun exposure, soil conditions, and drainage conditions all play into what plants will thrive in your yard. Looking for a good place to start? Visit Resource Central’s Waterwise Gardens page where you can purchase a Garden in A Box, a professionally selected and designed garden kit to help promote low-water gardening!
   
   
5. Limiting Turf Grass: Thirsty turf grass is using more than its fair share of water in your front yard! By reducing or eliminating the amount of space this non-functional turf uses in your landscape, you’ll be able to cut down on your water use and create a more diverse and exciting lawn. Consider xeric grass or drought-tolerant perennials in their place!
   
   
6. Utilizing Mulch: Mulch provides your landscape with an important line of defense against water evaporation, weed growth and extreme heat. Gravel mulch is a great addition to xeric landscaping, as it allows for water to infiltrate the soil and keep the soil moist by preventing evaporation.
   
   
7. Maintenance: As with all gardens, xeric gardens require maintenance. This will include weeding, pruning, and maintaining proper irrigation over time. As your garden matures, it will require less intervention and will eventually survive on natural precipitation. Overall, continue to provide it with care and it will thrive!

Feeling inspired? Take a look below at visual examples of xeriscapes in the Denver Metro!

Coming Soon: Xeriscape Plant Guide

Rainwater Collection, also called Rainwater "Harvesting" is the process of capturing, storing and directing rainwater runoff and putting it to use for irrigating outdoor lawns, plants or gardens.  

Commerce City does not require a permit for residential rainwater collection. Individual households are allowed a maximum of two rain barrels with a combined storage of 110 gallons or less.

• Tips for Homeowners: A household can adequately irrigate approximately 180 square feet (a bit smaller than a 15 foot by 15-foot area) of vegetable garden or lawn area with the captured water 
• Tips for Developers: Rainwater collection under HB09-1129 allows developers to participate in pilot projects that harvest rainwater and put it to beneficial, though non-essential, use in the subdivision. These projects may only operate according to an engineered plan, submitted to the state engineer for approval and eventually, to the water court. Individual landowners are not eligible for these pilot projects.

Rain Barrels: Typically, rooftop rainwater collection systems are simple, consisting of gutters, downspouts, and storage containers. Inexpensive rainwater storage systems commonly make use of an above ground container such as a barrel or plastic tank with a lid to reduce evaporation and bar access for mosquitos to breed. More sophisticated systems have “first flush” diverters that are recommended to exclude capture of the initial rain that might carry impurities from the roof. Reminder! Untreated rainwater collected from roofs is not safe to drink.

Benefits of Rainwater Harvesting : Reduced Water Bills; Reduced Landscape Maintenance Costs; Reduced Stormwater Runoff; Improved Soil Quality; Boost Garden Harvest; Conserves Water Resources; Provides a Backup Water Supply 

Outdoor irrigation, or the controlled application of water to landscapes, gardens, and crops, offers multiple benefits that are crucial for plant health, water conservation, and overall environmental well-being.  

• When: Colorado water-wise HOA landscaping law SB23-178, passed in 2023, requires homeowners to water during cooler times of the day — lawn watering is NOT allowed between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• How: To conserve water in your front, side, and rear yard irrigation, consider optimizing your watering zones by adjusting sprinkler heads to minimize runoff, utilizing water-smart landscaping, paying attention to weather patterns, and upgrading to a smart irrigation system. Below are the best watering practices:
  • Ultimately, hand watering is the best method, especially when using water from your rain barrels. The EPA estimates that a leak as small as 1/32" can waste over 6,300 gallons of water per month 
  • Second-best method, Drip irrigation, is a highly effective method for water conservation, delivering water directly to plant roots, minimizing waste through evaporation and runoff, and promoting healthier plant growth. It offers significant advantages over traditional watering methods like sprinklers because drip irrigation delivers water slowly and directly to the root zone of plants through a network of tubes, emitters, and drippers. Emitters regulate the flow rate. Timers can also schedule watering for cooler parts of the day when evaporation is less likely to occur. Although the initial investment to install a drip irrigation system may be costly, properly installed systems can save up to 80% more water than conventional irrigation 
• How Long: The average suburban house uses at least 30% of its water for irrigation, even though more than 50% of landscape water is lost due to evaporation or over-watering.
  • If water begins to pool, turn off your sprinkler to prevent overwatering and runoff. Watering plants, including turfgrass, too much or too frequently can drown plants or result in shallow roots. Overwatering can lead to a host of other problems including weed growth, disease, fungus, and stormwater runoff that pollutes local waterways with fertilizers and pesticides. Remember, most of your plants will need less water than your turfgrass. 
  • Tip for Homeowners: To check, take 10-15 minutes and place a few empty tuna cans around your lawn while you're watering and measure how long it takes your sprinkler to fill them with a half inch of water. Then, try watering that amount of time twice a week, gauge how your landscape responds, and adjust based on weather conditions.