Committee advances bill to limit high‑water turf in new development after broad testimony and planned amendments

The House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee advanced House Bill 25‑11‑13 as amended to the Committee of the Whole on a 9‑3 vote after extensive testimony from developers, sod growers, landscape professionals, water managers and conservation advocates.

The bill, sponsored by Representative Smith with Representative McCormick as a co‑sponsor, would expand limits established in last year’s Senate Bill 5 by applying restrictions to new multifamily residential projects (apartments and condominiums) and by directing local governments that have land‑use authority to adopt regulations to limit nonfunctional, high‑water turf in new residential developments by Jan. 1, 2028. The sponsors and proponents emphasized the bill targets high‑water, non‑hybridized turf that is not used for recreation; hybridized or low‑water turf and functional uses such as playgrounds, sports fields and civic spaces remain exempt under the sponsors’ amendments.

“Headwater states depend on snowmelt and we need to be better stewards of that water,” said Representative Smith, sponsor of the bill. The sponsors added…