In order to conserve water, the City of Downey encourages replacing your existing lawn with drought tolerant landscaping. However, City codes require that the entire front and street side yards (except approved driveways and walkways) be landscaped with  live plant materials. For assistance, the City of Downey has prepared a drought tolerant landscaping guide. There are a variety of drought tolerant ground covers that meet City codes and achieve the goal to reduce water consumption. Some of the typical drought tolerant ground covers can include:

Carmel Creeper (Ceanothus griseus horizontalis)

Seaside Daisy (Erigeron glaucus)

Silver Carpet (Dymondia margaretae)

Trailing Ice Plant (Delosperma)

Of course, there are many other plants you may choose from. Please consult your nursery for additional options. Two things you want to keep in mind when planting a drought tolerant front yard: There should be no visible dirt or bark within 2 months of planting. This is typically achieved by planting ground cover plants close enough to fill in. Drought tolerant plants are not maintenance free. Be sure to keep them properly trimmed and free from weeds. Please remember if you add hardscape (cement, pavers, or similar) or a new sprinkler system you are required to obtain a permit. If you have any questions, please contact the Planning Division at (562) 904-7154. Good luck with your project.

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Acrobat Reader Windows Media Player Word Viewer Excel Viewer PowerPoint Viewer