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Grass is no longer greener: Some Bay Area cities considering landscape ordinances with limits on lawn sizes

Posted by: Maven on January 16, 2010 at 7:42 am

sprinklerFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News:

“Bay Area communities are taking aim at a beloved fixture of suburban domesticity: the lawn.

In an increasingly thirsty landscape, officials are drafting new laws that prohibit homeowners from installing a vast blanket of verdant grass — the sentimental site for pet and childhood play. Existing grass is safe, but the new rules to conserve water would restrict lawn size for new homes and new lawn-and-garden projects to as little as one-quarter of a home’s overall landscaping. More turf is allowed only if homeowners do the math to prove they are conserving in other areas.

For a 2,000-square-foot yard, that’s 500 square feet of grass — about the size of a two-car garage. While roomy enough for a tidy picnic, it’s hardly good for tossing a football, chasing a dog or playing a rousing game of croquet.

Lawn-lovers resist the uprooting, saying that freshly clipped grass feels good, smells good and looks good — adding to curb appeal and property values.

But cities and counties say they don’t have a choice — they need to reduce water consumption. Half of all of the water local residents use gets poured into the ground, they say. … “

Read more from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.

Cupertino is one such city to enact a landscaping ordinance:

“Cupertino residents planning landscaping projects may need to get city approval as part of new state water conservation regulations.

In upcoming weeks, the city plans to draft its own local ordinance that will require some landscaping projects to go through a design review process at city hall. The local law is intended to streamline what city officials have called a complicated state process for calculating water usage that went into effect on Jan. 1.

Under the new regulations, new construction triggers a landscape review. In Cupertino, this means any residential construction project with 5,000 square feet of yard space that requires a building permit will also need a landscaping permit.

Those requiring a permit will have to calculate the total water use of their landscape project as part of the permit application process.

Applicants could also have to bring soil management reports, landscape, irrigation and grading design plans to city hall when applying for a permit. … “

Read more of this story from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.

Photo of sprinkler by flickr photographer starmist1 (Creative Commons).

January 16, 2010 · Filed Under Drought, Weather & Snowpack

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