In Long Beach, you can put artificial turf in your front yard. You can't put it in the parkway, the strip of ground between the sidewalk and the street. A lot of homeowners don't know the difference, and the city has noticed.
Our shop in Los Alamitos is about 10 minutes away, and we lay turf all over the city. Here's what the rules say, where they come from, and what to do with a tired parkway.
What the city code says about parkways
Parkway planting falls under the Long Beach Municipal Code, chapter 21.42, the landscaping standards. Section 21.42.050 lists the only nonliving materials allowed in a parkway: decomposed granite, mulches, and pavers set on sand. Even those can't cover half or more of the parkway.
Artificial turf isn't on that list. A city memo to the Mayor, dated May 4, 2026, says turf parkways don't meet the code. When permit plans show turf in a parkway, the city does not approve them, and its own parkway design guide doesn't list turf either.
The same memo says many residents "are likely unaware that it is permissible to install artificial turf in their front yard but not the parkway." That one line is the whole rule. Front yard, yes. Parkway, no.
The city is still deciding how hard to enforce it. In December 2025 the City Council asked staff to study parkways and report back. The May 2026 memo was that report. It leans on teaching people the rule first, and nothing in it changes the front yard rule.
If the council passes something new, the rule could change, so check before you build.
Why this matters before you buy
Turf that breaks the code is a risk you pay for twice. You pay to put it in, and if the city ever asks, you pay to take it out. The memo calls turf parkways that are already in place non-compliant, and the city hasn't said yet what it will do about them.
Already have turf in the parkway? Ask the city what applies to your strip before you spend money on it. Any plan that shows turf there won't be approved, so plan the parkway as planting the next time you touch it.
So when you plan a Long Beach yard, draw the line at the sidewalk. Turf can go in the front yard. Leave the parkway for something the city allows, and ask the city if there is a limit on how much of the yard can be turf.
The city's water rebates follow their own rule. The lawn programs run by Long Beach Utilities only take homes that still have a living lawn to replace, since they're paid for by water savings. Homes that already have turf can't join.
Swapping a front lawn for plants? Ask Long Beach Utilities about its Lawn to Garden program. Like the others, it only takes homes with a living lawn.
Our page on Southern California turf rebates covers the regional program too, and our guide to city turf rules since 2024 shows how other cities handle turf.
What to do with the parkway instead
The city's May 2026 memo describes a free Native Plant Parkway Program from Long Beach Utilities, for homes with a living lawn in the parkway. Ask Long Beach Utilities whether it's running and what it includes.
If you'd rather not plant all of it, the code allows decomposed granite, mulch, or pavers set on sand, as long as they cover less than half the parkway. The rest should be planted.
That split works well with a turf front yard. The green carries right up to the sidewalk, then a planted strip takes over to the curb. The yard looks finished and the parkway meets the code.
Think about how people use the strip, too. Guests step out of parked cars onto it, and the recycling bins sit there every week. Stepping stones set in mulch give feet and bins a firm spot without breaking the rule.
Two quick answers:
- Can I turf my front yard? Yes. The city memo says turf is allowed in the front yard.
- Does my HOA have a say? If you have one, it can ask you to get approval, but under state law it can't ban turf outright. See HOAs and turf.
Planning a yard in Belmont Shore, Bixby Knolls or anywhere else in the city? See our Long Beach page, or ask for a written quote that keeps the parkway out of it.
Last checked October 22, 2026, against the City of Long Beach memo "Green Parkways Initiative Analysis" (May 4, 2026) and LBMC section 21.42.050. City rules can change, so confirm with the city before work starts.
