If you have already killed or removed lawn, your application will be denied. Spencer Cox and Lt. A study for the prioritization of water rights who gets what and how much during an extreme water shortage. A list of eligible cities, information for communities interested in adopting water-efficient landscape policy and information about rebate applications can be found below. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints new temple location, Opinion: How to handle the final game of your childs basketball career, No deal on bill to eliminate signature gathering, bill yanked from committee, Proposal would give first-time Utah homebuyers $20,000, Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices, cap costs at $35 for many people with diabetes, All-Star Weekend sting operation leads to child exploitation arrests. 350 North State, Suite 320 PO Box 145115 Salt Lake City, Utah 84114; Telephone: (801) 538-1408 https://senate.utah.gov; Contact a Senator The HB 121 bill lists some preliminary eligibility requirements. Whether if you are looking at the water conditions, we were facing last year. Whether you're installing a new landscape or renovating an existing one, following the Localscapes five-step approach will give you a landscape that thrives! In Sandy, the community has saved more than 234 million gallons of water the equivalent of 359 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Have a story idea or tip? About 70% of Utahs municipal water use is outside the home, mostly for thirsty turfgrass. The idea is very preliminary, but it would offer money to help people get over the hurdle of new landscaping. This year, Utah's legislature passed bills that mandated water metering for landscaping, created a statewide turf buyback program, and set limits on turf at new state-owned buildings. In information provided at the press conference, officials pointed to water savings in Layton, where residents and businesses have used 94.9 million fewer gallons of water this year compared to last year. "Were lush. SALT LAKE CITY The state legislature approved a $5 million rebate program for residents that remove their grass. Projects required by governmental codes or policy are not eligible for this program. Sign up for a free consultation to see how you can make your yard more water-efficient and Utah-friendly. Completed projects must be covered with 3-4 inches of gravel, bark, or compost mulch. Click here to sign in and see program availability. By leaving the ice in this year and not letting it melt and then freeze again, the water savings will be substantial. "Instead of having a lot of grass, maybe only have 10% of your lawn be grass? Projects should remove all lawn from the park strip and replace it with water-efficient landscaping. Lawmakers are already planning on using $280 million of federal COVID-19 relief money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to improve Utah's water infrastructure. Concrete areas do not qualify for a square foot rebate, but pavers, bricks, stone, and other permeable materials are permitted. New study says worst in 1,200 years. Spencer Cox announced the expansion of a statewide turf buyback program as one of four efforts to conserve water amid the megadrought. Washington County Water Conservancy District. Skijoring is when someone on skis is pulled by a horse, dog, animal, or motor vehicle. Those against a new Utah state flag spoke of maintaining history, while supporters said it was time to give a fresh look to the state. Starting a turf buyback program According to the Governor's office, areas that have installed secondary meters include Spanish Fork, Saratoga Springs and Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, and they have seen a reduction in water use by about 20-30%. Participate in Skijoring the Bear on February 20th, 2023. Read all of our stories atgreatsaltlakenews.org. Completed park strips must be irrigated with low-volume drip systems. Photo: Kevin Cody. With the dramatic decline of the Great Salt Lake and repeated pleas from state leaders to conserve water in the ongoing mega-drought, people have remarked at the high cost of replacing landscaping with drought-friendly turf. Once your application has been approved, you have up to one year to complete your landscaping project. To all those people who asked what are YOU going to do, this is the answer, Cox said. Communities within these districts service areas should work with their district to adopt qualifying landscape standards. With 100% of the state experiencing drought conditions, Gov. Governor Deidre Henderson ceremonially signed key water legislation on Monday, April 18, 2022. Legislative Research and General Counsel. Aware of an additional resource that would would be helpful to include on this site?Please send an email to greatsaltlake@utah.gov. We moved here a year ago to the city, so we decided Lets not worry about it., She puts water on her trees and pumpkins, but that is about it. "When a lot of these landscape ordinances were passed, the goal was wanting to keep the community vibrant and look well-maintained. Nominate Someone for a FOX 13 Dream Team Surprise! ", Kari said she would have liked to have gotten some money to "help with offsetting material and that type of stuff.". Its saving water," she said. Heres what to expect. The 2023 legislative session is also shaping up to be another year of water investment. Thats ambitious, but Cox may have his work cut out for him if he wants to implement it on a statewide level. This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lakeand what can be done to make a difference before it is too late. Then theres how to pay for it. This assessment has been folded into the, Many residential connections use secondary water for outside irrigation. Realistically, they wont bear fruit, or water, until 2023. I have been really impressed driving around the city to see how many lawns are following the restrictions.. "It just cant be a dirt patch.". "Grass is not the enemy. Cox said his administration is committed to pushing for more aggressive conservation measures, but they are long-range considerations and would require the legislature to get on board. Tasked the division with making state agency conservation data . To conserve, we need to plant grass in areas where its actively used, not treat grass as the default ground cover. All rights reserved. Is there a connection? Localscapes is an approach to landscaping designed specifically for Utah. Stay in the loop when you subscribe for free. "They loved how the project has come out. "It still has to be somewhat alive. Consider that 99% of Utah is in severe drought and 28 of Utahs largest 45 reservoirs are below 55% of available capacity. Legislative Research and General Counsel. The measure, HB410, tasks the Utah Department of Natural Resources with undergoing a selection process for a conservation organization that will be in charge of the trust and award money for restoration in the Great Salt Lake watershed and the acquisition of water rights to benefit the lake. Additional program rules will also require adoption of the following ordinance for a city to remain eligible for incentives: With the exception of Washington County, the statewide landscape rebate program will be facilitated through utahwatersavers.com. Coxs proposal is similar to the Flip Your Strip initiative offered by the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District which offers homeowners a financial incentive to replace the grass on parking strips with water-wise landscaping. In cases where metering is already happening, the savings have been as much as 30%. And can he win? We have seen significant water reductions in every water district across the state, Cox said, lauding the efforts of the public and water managers. We want our kids to play on it and our dogs," Hasenyager said. Program funding is available statewide. Municipal water use makes up about 15% of all water use in Utah. These types of programs have traditionally been offered at the local level. Now, for the bad news. You have 6 months after your application to complete your park strip project. Begin your application. SALT LAKE CITY The Utah State Legislature is considering bills to encourage people get rid of "non-functional turf" and block cities and HOAs from requiring lawns. Mayor Randall said some of the policy changes may be painful for some residents, but they are necessary. Cox emphasized, too, that land use planning needs to be integrated with water use planning, but more often than not, that coordination does not take place at the level it should. Turf buyback . Over 100 patients with brain tumors attended the same high school. If your community does not currently qualify for rebates, contact your elected municipal representative and encourage them to adopt qualifying landscape standards. Unlike North Ogden, some municipal water providers do not have prohibitions regarding the use of indoor water on outdoor landscaping, but households and businesses just need to be prepared to pay much higher water bills. An effort to require all new secondary water connections be metered was brought up legislatively a few years ago, but the bill was modified and not nearly as aggressive as its sponsor wanted it to be. The HB 121 bill lists some preliminary eligibility requirements. Appropriated $5 million for a statewide turf buyback program. The newly passed turf buy-back bill encourages people to replace their lawns with landscaping that uses less water. "Theres going to be people that are going to have some pain points on this," Mayor Randall said. All new state facilities in Utah may be required to have less than 20% turf. Across the state there are multiple cities that have enacted various restrictions or taken other measures to cope with the effects of this drought. (Remember, killing or removing your lawn before this visit will make your park strip ineligible for a rebate). Review the eligibility tab to ensure that your project qualifies for a rebate. It. "No, we dont," he chuckled. 1/18/2022. Most secondary water is used for agriculture or irrigation. The programs are available to all eight counties within the districts coverage area and being funded at a half million dollars. Turf buyback programs like Jordan Valley's . Utah's water agencies are in the process of developing a comprehensive state water plan that builds on the previous version developed by the Division of Water Resources. As one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, how we grow and develop today will set our water use for decades to come. Despite pleas from her children about running through the sprinklers to ease the summer heat, Baker said her response is a firm no.. The largest share goes toward agriculture, which accounts for more than 72% according to figures from the United States Geological Survey. Eight streams are flowing at record low conditions, according to the Utah Division of Water Resources. Whats next for Utah in wake of leaked SCOTUS draft abortion decision? Lawn areas shall not be less than eight feet wide at its narrowest point. ST. GEORGE, Utah Wilson and Kari Jimenez are thrilled with how their yard looks. "They have actually expressed even wanting to get rid of their grass so I think its been a positive thing.". People can buy it for $8.50 a bag, which will cover 1,000 square feet. The this is the Utah Legislatures passage of a dozen water-related bills and ensuing endorsement by Cox that transform them into law. Last year was pretty stressful, said Brian Steed with the Department of Natural Resources. Rebate checks will be issued to the name on property's water bill. The city said new landscaping, especially lawns, require a lot of water to germinate, and it would be best to wait to plant it in a cooler time of the year. Lawn areas shall not exceed 50% of the total landscaped area for front and side yards.*. The four measures he hopes legislators take up during the next session include: Statewide installation of secondary water meters While some turf areas are important and provide a lot of benefit (e.g., parks and playgrounds), many turf areas are hardly used and could be replaced by beautiful drought-tolerant vegetation that requires little to no water at all. S.B. Roughly $100 million of that. Also attending are, from left, Utah Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Brian Steed, St. George Mayor Michele Randall, Lt. The program, authorized by the Utah State Legislature earlier this year, is expected to launch in the spring. Very low water levels at Jordanelle Reservoir in Wasatch County are pictured after Gov. Cash rewards and plan reviews will be given for landscaping projects that meet program . During your consultation, you will receive watering suggestions, sprinkler system advice, and recommendations for your landscape. Taller plants block views, impede safety, and can interfere with city maintenance. This bill appropriated $250 million in. Turf buyback programs like " Flip Your Strip " program help incentivize people to replace thirsty grass with waterwise options. "We've done it ourselves to save the water. She and members of the city council have called for a review all of St. George's ordinances and policies with an eye toward water savings. The Bear Lake Monster Winterfest is an annual weekend event jam-packed full of fun activities the whole family can enjoy. As Pineview supplies start to falter, North Ogden passed an ordinance relaxing some rules around use of culinary, or treated water, on shrubs, trees, flowers or for livestock. No, we do not promote the removal of trees from landscapes; however, trees must be watered with the installed drip irrigation system following conversion. The Weber County Sports Complex launched an initiative to do fewer cuts at its ice rink and in doing so, anticipates saving more than a million gallons over the year. You will be asked to provide photos of your project site and an estimated conversion area in square feet. This year the event will be held from January 27-29 at the Utah Bear Lake State Park Marina and Sunrise Resort and Event Center in Garden City, Utah. It is also being offered at Weber Basin Water Conservancy District because Layton City adopted via an ordinance the institution of the program. ", Water conservation authority considers 'turf buyback' as St. George reviews wasteful ordinances. 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