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Council discusses requiring plants in front-yard water-wise landscaping
Summary
Council and staff debated revising the landscaping ordinance to encourage live-plant coverage and limit rock-only front yards; staff presented participation numbers for incentive programs and recommended outreach, a work session, and possible planning commission review.
City staff presented background and participation data for the city's water-wise landscaping initiatives and asked the council whether to change ordinance language to require more live-plant coverage in front yards.
A staff member said the item was prompted by earlier comments about park-strip and front-yard landscaping and reported program participation: "We had 50, in 2022, 16 in 2023, for a Flip Your Strip. And then the new program is the full yard... since then, we've had 11 participants." The staff presentation noted the city has a water-use and preservation section in the general plan and suggested education and committee work to support broader adoption.
Council member Stewart pushed for a minimum requirement of live vegetation in landscaped yards, proposing a numerical floor: "So maybe you can't have more than 35%, but you need to have at least 10%." Stewart and other council members expressed concern that front yards made entirely of rock add heat and do not improve neighborhood aesthetics.
Council members and staff discussed next steps: schedule a work session for draft ordinance language, give staff a starting template to tweak, and, if directed, forward recommended changes to the planning commission for formal review. No ordinance amendment or vote occurred during the meeting.
