Chandler staff seek approval to convert seven turf retention basins to xeriscape under $3 million WIFA grant; council asks to pull one site

City staff asked council to approve a turf‑to‑xeriscape conversion project for seven major retention basins, leveraging a $3 million Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) grant and aiming to significantly reduce municipal irrigation demand.

Jeremy Abbott, city staff, said the seven Phase‑1 basins total just over one million square feet of turf and that converting them to xeriscape (drought‑tolerant trees, shrubs and native plantings rather than irrigation‑dependent grass) could save an estimated 22 million gallons of water annually. Abbott said the city will use a plant palette intended to create lush, low‑water landscapes rather than just rock, and that grading, turf removal and irrigation changes would occur this fall and winter with plantings scheduled for spring 2026. He emphasized a near‑term timing constraint: the city is obligated to make substantial progress by December to secure the WIFA funding.

Abbott said the project team had engaged the public over 14 months — 3,500 postcards mailed, a public meeting with 25 residents and a project website — and received fewer than 50 public comments. However, councilmembers reported sustained constituent opposition for one basin, Site 418B along Chandler Boulevard, where residents and dog‑owners value the existing long green strip and have petitioned to keep it. Councilmember Harris asked that staff pull Site 418B from Phase 1 because neighbors consider it a cherished green space. Councilmember Martinez and Mayor Hartke asked staff to follow up with residents and explore options (partial turf retention, redesign or moving the basin into Phase 2) and staff agreed to return with options before the Thursday vote.

Why it matters: converting high‑use turf to xeriscape is a major water conservation step tied to Chandler’s strategic framework on water sustainability and can yield substantial irrigation savings. Council discussion focused on balancing water savings and grant timing with neighborhood value and recreational uses of specific green strips. Abbott said maintenance costs may change slightly due to added tree/shrub care but that revised maintenance practices aim to keep long‑term costs stable and that staff did not request additional maintenance budget for the upcoming fiscal year because most plantings occur in spring 2026.

No final council vote was recorded in the study session; staff said they will provide options and follow‑up on Site 418B prior to the scheduled formal vote.