Loveland staff outline UDC landscaping changes to comply with Senate Bill 24‑005 and conserve water

City planning and water‑resources staff, together with consultants, told the council that state law (Senate Bill 24‑005) requires cities to restrict nonfunctional turf and certain artificial turf in new development and major redevelopment and to update local plant lists and definitions to promote water‑efficient landscaping.

Presenters said the law applies to institutional, industrial, commercial and common‑interest properties (homeowners associations), rights‑of‑way, medians and parking areas but does not apply to private residential lots. The state requirement takes effect Jan. 1, 2026 for Colorado communities; the consultants noted a related 2025 bill (referenced in the presentation as House Bill 1113) that clarifies limits on nonfunctional artificial turf.

Bridle/Brindle Group consultants and city staff recommended updating the Unified Development Code to define “functional” versus “nonfunctional” turf (functional examples: sports fields, play areas, stormwater uses) and to prohibit nonfunctional turf in newly developed or substantially redeveloped landscapes when 50% or more of landscaping is disturbed. The consultants described alternative plant palettes—native warm‑season grasses, climate‑adaptive grasses and water‑wise ground covers—and said early testing in the region is assessing species’ drought tolerance and maintenance needs.

Staff briefed council on the practical implications: the code amendments will require new definitions, revised redevelopment triggers (Loveland’s current redevelopment definition focuses on building area rather than landscape area), and clearer approved/prohibited plant lists. The city will reverse the longstanding “optional turf pathway” so that developers must plant alternatives unless they demonstrate no feasible alternative. Staff recommended an informational developer session on June 24 and more public and stakeholder briefings through the summer and fall, with code finalization planned this fall.

Councilors raised practical concerns about wildfire‑risk areas (WUI) in western parts of the city, the appearance and maintenance differences of non‑turf landscapes, and the need to allow future innovations and pilot projects (for example, native grasses and tested hybrids). Staff said the city will coordinate with Loveland Fire Rescue Authority on WUI compatibility, and noted voluntary programs already in place—lawn‑replacement rebates and a hydrozone program—and that some short‑term irrigation may be required while native plantings establish.

No ordinance or vote was taken; staff will return with draft code language and continued community and developer engagement ahead of the 2026 compliance deadline.