Clearwater council approves ordinance allowing regulated residential artificial turf

Clearwater City Council on March 17 approved on first reading an amendment to the Community Development Code to allow artificial turf installations under a new set of design, installation and maintenance standards.

Lauren Maske, planning and development, told the council the ordinance was brought back after work sessions and public review and would allow artificial turf "citywide with through the approval of a building permit" while preserving a requirement that residential properties keep 25% of their front-yard landscape in live plant materials in many circumstances. Maske said the proposal requires city engineering approval for installations in rights of way or drainage easements and includes design standards that require turf products to be green with lifelike blades, flame retardant, free of lead and PFAS and carry a minimum eight-year manufacturing warranty.

The ordinance sets different pile-height and face-weight specifications for residential versus nonresidential installations and would treat artificial turf as a construction-type installation (similar to driveways) that may require excavation and layered installation techniques. Maske said permits will require documentation including a landscape plan, tree preservation plan if trees are nearby, edge details and manufacturer specifications. If a homeowner installs turf without meeting the proposed perviousness installation standard, Maske said the turf would not count toward pervious-area calculations and could affect impervious-surface ratios for that property.

Environmental and neighbor concerns surfaced during public comment. Glenna Wentworth, speaking as a member of the Environmental Advisory Board, said she opposed allowing artificial turf and warned it "does not clean the air" and "cannot absorb as much rainwater as natural grass," adding concerns about biodiversity, heat island effects and disposal at end of life. Several other residents urged stronger ongoing enforcement and questioned whether current code compliance would be sufficient to monitor maintenance over time.

Maske and staff responded that the proposal includes maintenance standards and that code compliance would monitor installed turf the same way the city monitors other yard and property maintenance issues; staff also said existing, pre-enactment turf installations could be grandfathered if owners provide proof of installation date and meet ongoing maintenance standards where practicable.

The ordinance was presented as Ordinance No. 98005-25 (listed on the council agenda) and, following public comment and council discussion, a motion to approve the ordinance on first reading carried unanimously.

Council members and staff said they expect the planning and development department to finalize an application package and submittal checklist describing permit submittal requirements and that the code language includes allowances for athletic fields and park facilities to use different blade heights and colored turf where appropriate. The community development board reviewed the ordinance and recommended approval with a clarifying edit to the 25% rule; that clarification is reflected in the draft presented to council.

The measure now proceeds through the city's ordinance process for subsequent readings and final adoption.