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Planning commission splits on water-wise landscaping ordinance; forwards it to council for attorney review
Summary
Commissioners split over an ordinance (26H) to limit turf in new developments to qualify for a state water-conservation program; supporters cited rebates and long-term water savings, opponents said it intrudes on single-family yards. The commission forwarded the ordinance with a request for legal review of applicability to single-family homes.
Perry City’s planning commission voted to forward Ordinance 26H to city council with a recommendation and a request that the city attorney review the language as it applies to single-family yards. Staff said the proposal tracks a state program that provides incentives for jurisdictions that adopt limits on landscape turf (e.g., a 20% lawn cap for commercial and multifamily sites and a 50% front/side-yard limit for single-family properties, with bans on lawn strips less than 8 feet).
Supporters of the measure said codifying the provisions would allow homeowners to access state rebates for turf removal and shade-tree incentives and would reduce peak-season water use; opponents said the restrictions on single-family front yards felt intrusive and could create homeowner frustration if culinary water allocations (from Pine View Water) are turned off during dry months. The commission voted to send the ordinance to council, with some members asking the city attorney to confirm enforceability and scope.
