What is covered in Austin
Facility First manages commercial landscaping in Austin for operators with one location or a full portfolio. Common requests include:
- Scheduled mowing, edging, trimming and bed weeding
- Litter pickup and grounds patrol at entrances, parking areas and dumpster enclosures
- Irrigation controller programming to the Austin Water watering schedule, plus repairs to heads, valves and drip lines
- Mulching, seasonal color and plant replacement
- Shrub pruning to keep signs, lighting, cameras and sight lines clear
- Tree inspections and routing of tree work to a qualified tree service provider
- Storm cleanup of limbs and debris
- Weed and turf pest treatments by providers licensed for that work
Licensing and permits in Austin
In Austin, pesticide work, irrigation work and work on regulated trees each carry their own license or permit rules. Facility First checks each provider’s licenses and City registration against the scope before work is assigned.
| Requirement | Agency | Level | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structural pest control business license with the lawn and ornamental category for pests of ornamental plants, trees and lawns, and the weed control category for weeds around buildings and parking areas | Texas Department of Agriculture, Structural Pest Control Service | State | TDA: Structural Pest Control Licensing |
| Irrigation system inspection every two years at commercial, multifamily and City properties of one acre or larger, performed by an Austin Water Authorized Irrigation Inspector | Austin Water | City | Austin Water: Commercial Facility Irrigation Assessments |
| Plumbing irrigation permit (stand-alone permit, no plan review) and contractor registration with the City before permits are pulled | City of Austin Development Services, Building and Trade Contractor Services | City | City of Austin: Types of Permits |
| Tree permit to remove a regulated tree, prune 25 percent or more of its canopy, or disturb its critical root zone on commercial property | City of Austin Development Services, City Arborist | City | City of Austin: Trees on Commercial and Multifamily Property |
| Large Property variance for commercial sites that cannot be fully watered on the assigned schedule | Austin Water | City | Austin Water: Find Your Watering Day |
Codes and local rules
Watering schedule. Austin Water sets watering days for commercial properties. As of September 2, 2025, Austin has been under Conservation Stage restrictions. Under them, automatic and manual irrigation systems at commercial properties water one day a week, with even addresses on Tuesday and odd addresses on Friday, and drip irrigation may run on Tuesday and Friday. Watering is allowed from midnight to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to midnight. Wasting water is prohibited. Austin Water’s Drought Contingency Plan tightens these limits in drought stages, so controller settings are checked whenever the stage changes.
Irrigation inspections. Commercial, multifamily and City properties of one acre or larger must have their irrigation system inspected every two years by an Austin Water Authorized Irrigation Inspector. Large retail centers and office campuses usually meet the threshold, so the inspection date is tracked in each location’s program.
Trees. On commercial and multifamily property, any tree 8 inches or greater in diameter is regulated. The City Arborist program treats trees of any species at 19 inches or more as protected, and listed species at 24 inches or more, including all oaks and pecans, as heritage trees. Removing or impacting a heritage tree beyond what code allows needs a variance, and variances for heritage trees of 30 inches or more go through a public process. Diameter is measured 4.5 feet above the ground. The tree ordinance applies inside the City’s full and limited purpose jurisdictions, not in the extraterritorial jurisdiction. Pruning that removes 25 percent or more of a regulated tree’s canopy needs a permit, which shapes how much a crew can take off a large oak over a parking lot.
Plants. Austin Water publishes an approved plant list. Replacement plantings at commercial sites are chosen from it where the site plan allows.
Preventive maintenance schedule for landscaping and grounds maintenance
Planned grounds work keeps entrances safe and presentable, catches irrigation leaks before they waste water or damage paving, and keeps tree hazards from turning into storm claims. A visit record at each location also shows the landlord and the City that the site is kept to its plan.
| Task | Recommended frequency | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Mow turf, removing no more than one-third of the grass blade at each cut | Weekly during active growth | One-third rule: University of Maryland Extension. Weekly interval: Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Litter pickup and grounds patrol, including parking areas and entrances | Every visit | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Confirm irrigation controllers match the assigned watering day and hours | Monthly, and whenever Austin Water changes the stage | Austin Water drought response guidance; monthly interval is Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Inspect and repair irrigation parts, and check for pooling, puddling and runoff | Monthly during the irrigation season | Practice: U.S. EPA WaterSense. Monthly interval: Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Irrigation system inspection by an Austin Water Authorized Irrigation Inspector | Every two years at sites of one acre or larger | Austin Water Commercial Facility Irrigation Assessment |
| Full audit of the irrigation system at smaller sites | Every three years | U.S. EPA WaterSense |
| Apply mulch around trees and planting beds (approximately three inches) | Annually | U.S. EPA WaterSense |
| Prune shrubs and keep signs, lighting, cameras and sight lines clear | At least twice a year | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Inspect trees for dead limbs and storm damage, and route hazards to a tree service provider | Annually, and after major storms | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
The authority having jurisdiction, the manufacturer and the property’s insurer can require more frequent service, and each location’s schedule is set in its program and recorded on every visit.
Seasonal and local conditions
Long hot summers stress turf and shrubs while the watering schedule limits how often systems can run, so controller run times, drip zones and mulch depth matter more in Austin than in cities with fewer limits. Irrigation is checked for overspray onto paving and for runoff, since water running into gutters is the kind of waste the City prohibits.
Where Facility First works in Austin
Facility First manages grounds maintenance at retail centers such as The Domain and Barton Creek Square, mixed-use blocks in the Second Street District, storefronts and restaurant patios along South Congress Avenue, and office and hotel grounds in the Downtown Austin Central Business District. Centers outside Austin city limits, such as the Hill Country Galleria, follow their own city’s watering and tree rules. Industries served include retail, restaurants, offices, banks, hotels and distribution sites, from small pad sites to large surface lots.
How landscaping requests are handled
- Request. Submitted through the platform or by phone, with photos of the area where available.
- Triage. Facility First confirms scope and priority, and whether a tree permit, irrigation permit or licensed pesticide applicator is needed.
- Dispatch. A vetted landscape provider in Austin receives the work order; tree and pesticide work goes only to providers qualified and licensed for it.
- Photo close-out. The provider records the work with before and after photos and notes on irrigation settings.
- Verification and invoice. The work is checked against the request and invoiced in one format.
Routine visits and repairs within the client’s approval limits proceed directly; tree removals, irrigation rebuilds and replantings are quoted first.
Security by McCray in Austin
Where storm damage or a downed tree leaves fencing, gates or a storefront open, McCray can post an officer until the work is complete. Security services in Austin
Frequently asked questions
What day can a commercial property in Austin water its landscape?
Under Conservation Stage restrictions, automatic and manual irrigation at commercial properties runs one day a week, Tuesday for even addresses and Friday for odd addresses, from midnight to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to midnight. Drip irrigation may run on Tuesday and Friday.
Is a permit needed to remove or prune a tree at a commercial site in Austin?
A City tree permit is needed to remove a regulated tree, which on commercial property means 8 inches or more in diameter, to prune 25 percent or more of its canopy, or to disturb its critical root zone. Removing or impacting a heritage tree, which includes any oak of 24 inches or more, beyond what code allows needs a variance.
How often should commercial landscaping be serviced in Austin?
The Facility First default is a weekly visit during active growth, monthly irrigation checks, mulch once a year, shrub pruning at least twice a year and an annual tree inspection.
Who can apply weed and turf treatments at a commercial property in Texas?
Weed and lawn pest treatments around buildings are licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Structural Pest Control Service under its weed control and lawn and ornamental categories. Facility First assigns that work only to licensed providers.
Do commercial properties in Austin need irrigation inspections?
Yes, at sites of one acre or larger. Austin Water requires commercial, multifamily and City properties of that size to have the irrigation system inspected every two years by an Austin Water Authorized Irrigation Inspector.
Sources
- Austin Water: Find Your Watering Day
- Austin Water: Drought Response
- City of Austin: Trees on Commercial and Multifamily Property
- City of Austin: City Arborist
- City of Austin: Types of Permits
- Austin Water: Commercial Facility Irrigation Assessments
- Texas Department of Agriculture: Structural Pest Control Licensing (categories)
- U.S. EPA WaterSense: Operations and Maintenance Water Waste Checklist for Commercial and Institutional Facilities
- University of Maryland Extension: Mowing or Grasscycling, Lawns
All sources opened and checked November 13, 2026. Recheck the watering stage and schedule before publishing, since Austin Water changes them with lake levels; the Drought Response page states Conservation Stage applies while also saying Austin is not currently in drought conditions. The unconfirmed state irrigator license row was replaced with the confirmed Austin Water irrigation inspection requirement. A state license for irrigation contractors could not be confirmed on an official page (the TCEQ pages did not load) and is not claimed.