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Board adopts water‑conservation and native‑plant landscaping policy for county properties
Summary
The Board unanimously approved Supervisor Horvath’s policy to require native California plants (70% target) on county‑operated facilities, update contracting and training requirements, and restrict certain artificial turf; staff outlined implementation supports including contractor capacity and staff training.
Supervisor Horvath presented an updated board policy on water conservation and sustainable landscaping that prioritizes California native plants across county‑operated facilities, sets a 70% native plant target for applicable projects, and updates contractor requirements and staff training expectations. The chief sustainability officer, Rita Komplath, said the change is intended to conserve water while increasing biodiversity and reducing long‑term maintenance.
Komplath told the board the policy will require updated contracting language, training for county maintenance staff, and identification of local nursery capacity to ensure native plantings survive and deliver benefits. Public commenters — including elected officials and conservation organizations — voiced support; some callers raised drought and data‑center water‑use concerns. The board approved the policy and directed implementation planning.
