What is covered in Denver
Commercial landscaping in Denver under a Facility First program covers scheduled grounds care and on-demand work:
- Mowing, edging, trimming and bed maintenance through the growing season
- Litter pickup and grounds patrol at entrances, parking areas and patios
- Mulch, planting and conversion of turf to water-wise beds
- Irrigation start-up, inspection, repair and fall shutdown, with backflow assembly testing
- Shrub pruning to keep signs, lighting, cameras and sight lines clear
- Spring and fall cleanups, storm cleanup and coordination with tree service
- Coordination with snow and ice management so beds, curbs and sprinkler heads are protected in winter
Licensing and permits in Denver
Denver and Colorado regulate several parts of grounds work: tree care, pesticide and herbicide application, and the irrigation connection to the public water supply.
| Requirement | Agency | Level | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tree Service Company license for anyone performing tree care services, including pruning and removal (Denver Revised Municipal Code, Chapter 57, Division IV) | Denver Parks and Recreation, Office of the City Forester | City | Denver: Tree Requirements and Rules |
| Permit before removing, planting or injecting any street tree in the public right-of-way | Office of the City Forester | City | Denver: Tree Requirements and Rules |
| Building Contractor Specialty Class D license for installing an inside tap and backflow preventer for a landscape sprinkler system | Denver Community Planning and Development | City | CPD: 25-DCBC 120A |
| Approved backflow prevention assembly on every irrigation service (a reduced pressure assembly or pressure vacuum breaker; double check assemblies are not allowed on irrigation), tested at installation and annually by a certified tester, with results reported to Denver Water | Denver Water | Utility | Denver Water: Backflow Prevention Program |
| Commercial Applicator license for applying pesticides or herbicides for hire, in categories such as 206 Turf Pest Control, 207 Ornamental Pest Control and 109 Industrial and Right-of-Way Weed Control | Colorado Department of Agriculture | State | CDA: Pesticide License Categories |
Each provider’s licenses, tester certifications and insurance are checked before work is assigned. Locations in neighboring cities follow that city’s rules and their own water provider’s rules.
Codes and local rules
Watering rules and drought. Denver Water declared a Stage 1 drought on March 25, 2026, as noted by the Office of the City Forester. Under that declaration, Denver Water prohibited lawn watering and all spray irrigation beginning October 1, 2026, until further action by the Denver Board of Water Commissioners. Trees, shrubs and other plants may still be watered with a hand-held hose fitted with an automatic shutoff nozzle or with low-volume irrigation such as drip lines. Charges for violations by commercial customers start at the first violation and can lead to suspension of service. Temporary drought pricing on outdoor water use runs through April 30, 2027, or until further board action. These rules change with conditions, so each site’s irrigation schedule is checked against Denver Water’s current rules before every season.
Power washing. Under the same rules, routine or cosmetic power washing of hard surfaces is not permitted after September 30, and power washing is allowed only where needed for immediate health or safety reasons.
Pesticide-Sensitive Registry. Colorado requires licensed applicators to attempt to notify registered pesticide-sensitive persons at least 24 hours before turf or ornamental applications on property abutting or within 250 feet of a registrant’s residence, or at a registrant’s listed workplace.
Sidewalk snow. Denver requires property owners to clear snow and ice from sidewalks, including adjacent ADA ramps and bus stops. Businesses must begin clearing as soon as snow stops falling, and after an inspector’s notice they have four hours before a re-check and possible fine. Grounds and snow providers coordinate so bed edges and irrigation heads near walks are marked before winter.
Preventive maintenance schedule for landscaping and grounds maintenance
Grounds that slip behind schedule show it within weeks: overgrown beds, litter, blocked sight lines and irrigation leaks that waste water. In Denver, planned irrigation checks matter more than usual, because a broken head or a controller left on spray mode during watering restrictions can lead to charges. A planned schedule keeps each site to standard and gives every location a dated record of each visit.
| Task | Recommended frequency | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Mow turf, removing no more than one-third of the grass blade at each cut | Weekly during active growth, and up to twice a week in spring | University of Maryland Extension |
| Sharpen mower blades | At the start of the season and every 4 to 6 weeks after | University of Maryland Extension |
| Litter pickup and grounds patrol | Every visit | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Inspect and repair irrigation parts; check for pooling, puddling and runoff | Regularly; monthly while irrigation is allowed | Practice: U.S. EPA WaterSense. Monthly interval: Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Check irrigation schedules against current Denver Water rules | At each seasonal change and whenever the rules change | Denver Water; Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Test backflow prevention assemblies and report results | At installation, then annually as the system is turned on (Denver Water’s irrigation testing season runs May to September) | Denver Water |
| Full audit of the irrigation system | Every three years | U.S. EPA WaterSense |
| Apply mulch around trees and beds (approximately three inches) | Annually | U.S. EPA WaterSense |
| Spring and fall cleanups, including leaf removal | Twice a year | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Inspect trees for dead limbs and storm damage, routing work to a licensed tree service company | 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
- Short growing season, long dormant season. Denver’s grounds work peaks from spring through early fall. Winter visits focus on litter, cleanups and protecting beds and irrigation from snow equipment.
- Drought. Under the 2026 Stage 1 drought, turf areas may go without spray irrigation while trees and shrubs are watered by hand or drip. Facility First flags turf areas that are candidates for conversion to water-wise beds, and Denver Water offers a Landscape Transformation Assistance Program for commercial projects.
- Trees during drought. The Office of the City Forester advises continuing to water trees during drought to protect the urban forest, so tree watering stays on the schedule when lawn watering stops.
- Snow season. Grounds and snow and ice management providers coordinate so sidewalks are cleared on Denver’s timeline without damaging beds or heads.
Where Facility First works in Denver
Facility First manages grounds care for locations across Denver’s main retail and business areas, including Cherry Creek Shopping Center and Cherry Creek North, Larimer Square, Union Station and LoDo, and, to the south, the Denver Tech Center and Park Meadows. Park Meadows and much of the Tech Center sit outside the City and County of Denver, so the City Forester’s tree license does not apply there, and watering rules depend on each site’s water provider. Sites range from planters and tree pits on downtown streetscapes to freestanding stores and restaurants with parking lot islands and office campuses with irrigated turf. Typical clients are retail and luxury retail, restaurants, banks and corporate offices.
How landscaping requests are handled
- Request. The location submits the request through the platform or by phone, or the work is generated by the site’s visit schedule.
- Triage. Facility First confirms scope, landlord responsibility, current watering rules and whether a street tree or the right-of-way is involved.
- Dispatch. A vetted Denver grounds provider receives the work order; tree work goes to a City-licensed tree service company and chemical applications to a CDA-licensed applicator.
- Photo close-out. The crew records the work with before and after photos, including irrigation repairs and controller settings.
- Verification and invoice. The work is checked against the request and invoiced in one format, with the record stored by location.
Scheduled visits and routine repairs proceed within the approval limits the client sets. Conversions, plantings and tree removals are quoted for approval first.
Security by McCray in Denver
Where storm damage, a fallen limb or a damaged fence leaves a location unsecured, McCray can post an officer until the work is complete. Security services in Denver
Frequently asked questions
Can commercial properties in Denver water lawns right now?
Not with spray irrigation. Under its 2026 Stage 1 drought declaration, Denver Water prohibited lawn watering and all spray irrigation from October 1, 2026, until further action. Trees, shrubs and plants may still be watered by hand-held hose with a shutoff nozzle or by drip.
Does a tree service company need a Denver license?
Yes. Denver’s Vegetation Ordinance (Chapter 57) requires anyone performing tree care services, including pruning and removal, to be licensed as a Tree Service Company, and a permit is needed before work on street trees in the right-of-way.
Do irrigation backflow preventers need testing in Denver?
Yes. Denver Water requires an approved backflow prevention assembly on irrigation services, tested at installation and annually by a certified tester, with results reported to Denver Water.
How often should commercial landscaping in Denver be scheduled?
Mowing is weekly during active growth and can be twice a week in spring. Irrigation is checked monthly while watering is allowed, backflow assemblies are tested annually and cleanups run in spring and fall.
Sources
- City and County of Denver, Office of the City Forester and Tree Requirements and Rules
- Denver Water: Rules for Outdoor Water Use and Landscape Transformation Assistance Program
- Denver Water: Cross-Connection Control and Backflow Prevention Program
- Denver CPD: Building Permit Policy 25-DCBC 120A, Classification of Licenses, Registrations and Certificates
- City and County of Denver, Department of Transportation and Infrastructure: Snow
- Colorado Department of Agriculture: Pesticide License Categories and Pesticide-Sensitive Registry
- University of Maryland Extension: Mowing or Grasscycling, Lawns
- U.S. EPA WaterSense: Operations and Maintenance Water Waste Checklist for Commercial and Institutional Facilities
Checked November 2026; recheck before publishing. Denver Water’s drought rules are time-sensitive and must be rechecked immediately before publishing and each season after.