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Commission backs sending 'ColoradScape' lawn-certification proposal to City Council
Summary
A subcommittee presented a proposed ColoradScape program to certify native, pollinator-friendly residential landscapes; the Sustainability Commission voted to ask its representatives to present the idea to City Council for guidance and potential support.
Members of a sustainability subcommittee presented a pilot “ColoradScape” certification program on July 1 that would promote native, pollinator-friendly residential landscaping across Englewood and provide participating homeowners with technical resources, a yard sign and peer education.
Rick Emelheinz and other subcommittee members described the proposed pilot as an educational, voluntary certification aimed to conserve water, reduce chemical use, increase local pollinator habitat and foster neighborhood pride. The plan envisions a modest pilot of 20–50 participants, an application portal, a plant list and basic certification requirements such as a 25-square-foot minimum native planting area and ongoing maintenance commitments.
Subcommittee members said the program is intentionally flexible for do‑it‑yourself residents and could be linked to existing city programs such as turf-removal incentives or a “garden-in-a-box” offering. The subcommittee asked the Sustainability Commission for permission to bring the idea to City Council to gauge support for staff assistance, communications help and possible funding or pilot resources.
The commission voted to authorize the subcommittee representatives to present the proposal to City Council. Logan Dunning made the motion to send the program forward; Lana Garcia seconded. The roll-call was recorded in the meeting transcript as unanimous in favor; the commission’s chair instructed staff to include the proposal in a future council study session packet and to proceed with next steps including outreach and a pilot timeline.
Commissioners discussed program design questions they want clarified before broader rollout: how certification standards will be defined, what resources will support applicants, whether certification would require renewal and how code enforcement would treat intentional native landscapes. Subcommittee members said they will assemble plant lists, cost and funding options and suggest evaluation criteria for the pilot if council grants permission to proceed.
