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Boulder planning staff propose waterwise landscaping rules; state law drives turf limits
Summary
Planning and utilities staff presented proposed updates to Boulder’s landscape code to comply with state measures restricting nonfunctional turf, to support wildfire resilience and to modernize technical guidance; no board action was required, but staff requested feedback.
City planning and utilities staff presented a package of proposed Waterwise Landscaping Policy and Code updates to the Water Resources Advisory Board on Sept. 15, explaining the package is driven in part by new state legislation that limits nonfunctional turf in certain new and redeveloped areas.
Charles Ferro, senior planning manager in the Planning & Development Services Department, said the state law prohibits installation of “nonfunctional turf, artificial turf, or invasive plant species” as part of new development or redevelopment in specified land-use categories and requires local regulations to come into compliance by Jan. 1, 2026. The draft code changes would apply to commercial, industrial, institutional, parking medians, rights-of-way and multi-family residential development of 12 units or more.
Staff explained the proposed ordinance would: remove technical specifications from the code into an updated landscape manual (so the manual can be revised administratively); modernize the city’s approved tree and plant list to emphasize low-flammability and water-efficient species; prohibit watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; and permit turf conversions without an expensive plan amendment for previously approved projects.
Why it matters: staff said the landscape changes implement council priorities on Waterwise and Firewise landscaping and will affect roughly half the city’s land area where the state standards apply. Planning staff noted the changes seek to balance maintaining aesthetic quality with wildfire risk reduction, urban-heat mitigation and reduced outdoor water demand.
Board members asked about enforcement (staff said the city would rely on complaint-based enforcement, because meter data do not show time-of-day use), the role of licensed landscape architects in preparing plans (planning board and council opposed a proposal to require licensed landscape architects for all plans), and how the landscape manual would be updated. “The list was derived by our consultants with input from other city departments with the goal of balancing conservation and allowing only low-flammability plants,” Ferro said. He added that the manual and plant list will be maintained administratively to allow more frequent updates without council action.
Staff noted next steps include council consideration in October and that the work is intended to be coordinated with related efforts such as the city’s water-efficiency plan, wildfire mitigation programs and the Cool Boulder initiative.
Ending: Staff asked advisory-board members to identify policy areas they would like to explore further as the comprehensive plan update proceeds; board members signaled interest in floodplain resilience, utility cost allocation and water-supply interactions with land use.
