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Council denies proposed water-efficient landscaping ordinance after park-strip concerns
Summary
South Weber council voted to deny Ordinance 2025-14, which would have limited front/side turf to 35% for new single-family lots and prohibited lawn in park strips, after members raised concerns about corner lots, unclear definitions and the 'no variance' language; staff will seek written confirmation from Weber Basin and redraft.
South Weber City Council voted to deny Ordinance 2025-14, the proposed amendment to Title 10 Chapter 15 on water-efficient landscaping requirements, after a lengthy discussion about park-strip restrictions, corner-lot impacts and enforcement.
Paul Sturm, a South Weber resident who spoke during public comment, flagged several details in the proposal, noting "the total area of lawn shall not exceed 35% of the front and side landscape areas on a lot." Council members pushed staff for clarification about whether a park-strip prohibition would be counted inside that 35% cap for new construction and whether Section 10-15-7(prohibiting variances) could preclude development on constrained parcels or affect affordable-housing layouts.
Several council members described the proposal as overly prescriptive. One council member said the rules "are very draconian," arguing the city should not adopt restrictions that would apply to all new homeowners to capture rebates for a few applicants. Staff explained the change was proposed to align South Weber with Weber Basin rules and allow residents to qualify for rebate programs.
A motion to deny Ordinance 2025-14 passed on a roll-call vote; the mayor declared the motion carried unanimously. Council directed staff to revise the draft, obtain written confirmation from the Weber Basin/Conservancy District that the amended language would qualify for their incentive program, and return the ordinance for further consideration rather than adopting it as written.
