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Fountain Green staff brief council on state-backed lawn-removal rebate, ordinance would affect new development
Summary
Council heard details about the Utah Water Savers landscaping incentive and a model ordinance that would limit lawn area on new development and open a $2-per-square-foot rebate for homeowners who remove lawn.
Fountain Green City Council received a briefing on Feb. 20 about a state-backed landscaping incentive that would pay homeowners about $2 per square foot to remove irrigated lawn and replace it with low-water landscaping.
The presentation, from a regional representative for R6, described a two-part approach: adopt a local ordinance restricting lawn in future new construction (examples cited: no lawn in parking strips, limits for front/side yards) and offer a voluntary reimbursement program for existing homeowners who remove lawn and document the replacement landscaping. The presenter said the program uses the Utah Water Savers portal and that the deadline for one competitive grant round is March 17.
Why it matters: the program aims to reduce water use in a community that managers said should plan for constrained supply. The proposed local ordinance would be a condition for new subdivisions to be eligible for the state funding and would allow residents to apply to replace existing lawns for reimbursement once the ordinance is in place.
Council members asked about enforcement, visual standards and possible abuse. One council member raised a concern that homeowners might remove lawn and replace it with unmanaged weeds; the regional representative said the program works by reimbursement, so homeowners must document approved replacements and the state inspects or verifies work before paying. The presenter also said some municipalities have adopted short, single-page ordinances to qualify quickly; she offered to draft an ordinance for Fountain Green if council wants to proceed.
The council discussed likely local next steps: place a public hearing on a draft ordinance, publicize the program link on the city website, and weigh whether to require design standards (for example, rules that prevent unmaintained, weedy lots). The presenter said commercial and multifamily standards often limit lawn to about 20% of front landscaped area, while single-family front/side yards in model ordinances are often limited to 30–50% lawn.
No ordinance was adopted at the meeting; council directed staff to gather model ordinance language and additional examples and to return with options for a public hearing.
Speakers quoted in this story are from the meeting transcript and include the regional R6 representative and council/staff who participated.
