Centerville adopts water-efficient landscaping code, bans lawn in new park strips and sets turf limits

Centerville’s City Council on April 7 adopted a pair of code changes designed to make the city eligible for Weber Basin Water Conservancy District landscape-rebate incentives and to reduce outdoor water use. The council approved ordinance 2026-05 (zoning code amendments adding water-efficiency landscaping standards) and ordinance 2026-06 (municipal-code changes aligning the park-strip definition and prohibiting lawn in park strips for new development). The votes were unanimous among council members present.

Staff said the package was developed over many months with Planning Commission input and Weber Basin review. Lisa, who led much of the drafting, told the council the rewrite addressed three goals: conforming to Weber Basin requirements so residents could apply for rebates, consolidating turf restrictions into a single code section, and introducing a nonconforming clause to protect existing yards. "We are changing 180 degrees our previous policy on what went in the park strip," Lisa said, adding the code protects existing lawns unless a homeowner demolishes and rebuilds or increases house square footage by more than 50% (standard nonconformity triggers).

Key provisions approved: - Park strips: No lawn or turf in park strips for new development; properties without sidewalks are not treated as having a park strip for the landscaping chapter. - Narrow areas: Turf is prohibited in landscape strips narrower than 8 feet to reduce overspray and waste. - Single-family yards: Turf cannot exceed 35% of the front and side yard area for single-family residential. - Non-residential (commercial, industrial, public facility, multifamily): Turf capped at 15% of the total landscaped area. - Nonconforming protections: Existing lawns generally may remain until a major remodel/demolition triggers compliance.

Staff explained rebate eligibility details: Weber Basin’s landscape-rebate program requires live, permeable plantings with drip irrigation and coverage targets; incentives were discussed in the packet and staff cited a roughly $2.50-per-square-foot payment (program maximums apply). Public commenter Heather McKenzie Campbell, a Centerville resident, spoke in support and described Weber Basin classes and phased implementation procedures she had observed in workshops.

Administration: staff proposed an effective date of May 1 to enable residents to qualify for program funding, but noted the program timing and Weber Basin documentation will govern final eligibility. Council directed staff to provide public guidance, work with Weber Basin to link available resources, and use municipal communications to notify residents and businesses about rebate windows and compliance requirements.

Next steps: staff to post guidance on the city website, coordinate outreach with Weber Basin, and monitor nonconformity and ADU questions raised during the discussion.