All new state facilities in Utah may be required to have less than 20% turf. Most water providers have moved to a twice-a-week-only irrigation regimen and some are shutting down the season early, such as Davis and Weber Counties Canal Co., which will cease providing water in September. At minimum, the following water-efficient landscape standards for new residential construction will be required: *Lawn limitations do not apply to residential lots with less than 250 square feet of landscaped area. A list of eligible cities, information for communities interested in adopting water-efficient landscape policy and information about rebate applications can be found below. 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. Applicant must be in good standing with a participating water provider. Spencer Cox announced the expansion of a statewide turf buyback program as one of four efforts to conserve water amid the megadrought. Whether if you are looking at the water conditions, we were facing last year. HB 121 appropriated $5 million for statewide turf buyback, making Utah the first that offers a statewide. As water managers warn of worst on record drought, what do people think should be done to save water? Shasta daisies are pictured in the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District garden in West Jordan on Thursday, July 29, 2021. The newly passed turf buy-back bill encourages people to replace their lawns with landscaping that uses less water. (Remember, killing or removing your lawn before this visit will make your park strip ineligible for a rebate). "When a lot of these landscape ordinances were passed, the goal was wanting to keep the community vibrant and look well-maintained. 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. The Washington County Water Conservancy District offers tips for how to convert to desert-friendly landscaping. The requirement that general plans of cities and counties integrate land use planning with water as a consideration. Spencer J. Cox joined water officials from around the state to highlight current conservation efforts and outline measures needed to plan for Utahs water future. Drip emitters and spray heads must be on separate zones. Extreme drought has highlighted the need for Utah to stretch the water supply and look for ways to improve efficiency. The state of Utah has begun signing people up ahead of its launch of a "turf buyback" program, offering incentives for residents to get rid of grass they don't really use. A study for the prioritization of water rights who gets what and how much during an extreme water shortage. "But in the long run? Turf buyback programs like Jordan Valley's . But theres still a lot we need to do," she said. You can sign up here for information on the turf buyback program, With the dramatic decline of the Great Salt Lake, Depending on where you live, there are different rebates that can be offered. The goalis to plant grass in areas where it's actively used Wilson Jimenez said he doesn't miss mowing it. After the press event, Cox told the Deseret News that the drought has not taken controversial water development projects like the Lake Powell Pipeline and Bear River Development plan off the table. ST. GEORGE, Utah Mayor Michele Randall's backyard is turning brown and she's OK with it. We have seen significant water reductions in every water district across the state, Cox said, lauding the efforts of the public and water managers. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. This is a huge step forward, a huge lift, and one of the most important pieces of legislation we were able to accomplish this year.. Renstrom said the water conservancy district is not pushing people to get rid of their lawns, but reimagine how it could look with less grass and more drought-friendly plants. Projects that replace lawn with artificial turf are not eligible. Request a pre-conversion site visit. The way my yard looks is nowhere as important as it is for farmers to provide food for the state, Baker said. The state passed a bill trying to change that. Are we overreacting about the future of Twitter? You have 6 months after your application to complete your park strip project. In response to the drought, Oakley put a moratorium on any new development and Herriman pressed pause on its landscaping requirements on new development until Sept. 15. You read that right, Why theres not much room for optimism with Utah water supplies, Saving the otherworldly place of Utahs declining inland sea, The Deseret News is on a journey to help the Great Salt Lake. Depending on where you live, there are different rebates that can be offered. #utleg #utpol . The division has partnered with the Central Utah, Jordan Valley, Washington County and Weber Basin Water Conservancy Districts to increase program awareness, increase funding and develop program requirements. Also attending are, from left, Utah Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Brian Steed, St. George Mayor Michele Randall, Lt. Realistically, they wont bear fruit, or water, until 2023. During the legislative session, there was significant action to help the Great Salt Lake, which reached its historic low last year and continues to shrink. While most efforts are focused on managing the here and now, state officials are looking to Utahs water future and how to manage skyrocketing growth by preserving a precious natural resource. Review the eligibility tab to ensure that your project qualifies for a rebate. Will horrific drought make lawns in the West a memory? Cox may have a tough time getting them to dip into ARPA funds for the program, as lawmakers have already said they want that money to be used for generational programs. The 2023 legislative session is also shaping up to be another year of water investment. Municipal water use makes up about 15% of all water use in Utah. Dormant is still alive," Hasenyager said. If you have already killed or removed lawn, your application will be denied. Receive up to $1.25 per square foot for replacing the lawn in your park strip with a water-efficient design. The idea is very preliminary, but it would offer money to help people get over the hurdle of new landscaping. Mayor Randall said some of the policy changes may be painful for some residents, but they are necessary. Cox also said there are fewer wildfires burning in Utah in recent weeks, despite the increased danger from dry conditions. We need to expand this over the next few years. State Facility Water Conservation (HB121), Washington County Water Conservancy District site. "Grass is not the enemy. You can register at UtahWaterSavers.com and plug in your address, finding local discounts on things like smart controllers for sprinkler systems, low-flow toilets and discounts on landscaping. Weve scoured the web for you and narrowed down a few of our favorite Christmas dinner ideas to make your planning easy. When connections arent metered, it is difficult to track and conserve secondary water. 6300 N Sagewood Dr, Ste H579 Park City, Utah 84098, Signs of Drought at the Great Salt Lake. This gave us an opportunity to think outside the box, so that is what we did., Residents can learn more about rebates and water wise landscaping at UtahWaterSavers.com, Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. LDS Church wants to light up a temple in a place that prides itself on dark skies, For husband-and-wife team, this new restaurant is the culmination of a decadeslong dream. 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. Expect more information in spring 2023. Metering secondary water systems, working with farmers and ranchers, and starting a statewide turf buyback program are all steps Utah needs to take to be more waterwise. However, the Utah Department of Natural Resources is taking sign ups now to. For North Ogden resident Chelsea Baker, her family is taking the restrictions in stride. One idea being considered to get Washington County residents to change their outdoor watering habits is paying people to kill their lawns. Very low water levels at Jordanelle Reservoir in Wasatch County are pictured after Gov. In new commercial, industrial, institutional and multi-family development common area landscapes, lawn areas shall not exceed 20% of the total landscaped area, outside of active recreation areas. Nominate Someone for a FOX 13 Dream Team Surprise! A bill that would eliminate signature gathering candidates from Utah's primary election ballots was pulled off the agenda before being heard by a Senate committee Tuesday morning. Concrete areas do not qualify for a square foot rebate, but pavers, bricks, stone, and other permeable materials are permitted. Maybe its because our stories are so similar, I wasnt worried about ChatGPT until I tried ChatGPT. This assessment has been folded into the, Many residential connections use secondary water for outside irrigation. It. Groundcover plants can qualify as mulch if 100% plant density is achieved at maturity. Flip Your Strip involves removing lawn from your park strip and replacing it with water-efficient plants and a drip irrigation system. "The turf buyback will offer residents the opportunity to apply for a rebate to remove our thirsty grass with water-wise landscaping," said Candice Hasenyager, the director of Utah's Division of Water Resources. Receive up to $1.25 per square foot for replacing the lawn in your park strip with a water-efficient design. Consider that 99% of Utah is in severe drought and 28 of Utahs largest 45 reservoirs are below 55% of available capacity. HB 121 also requires water conservation at state facilities. The bills, which will be . BLM says its because of a killer cocktail of factors. No, This program is only for exisitng landscapes with grass park strips. 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. Rebate information for Washington County residents is available on the Washington County Water Conservancy District site. 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. City Manager Jon Call said normally the use of any culinary water outside is strictly prohibited, but a shortened irrigation season is requiring flexibility to be built into the system. Apply for the program through your WaterSmart Customer Portal at mywater.stpud.us or contact the District for assistance at conservewater@stpud.us or 530-544-6474. ii. Roughly $100 million of that. . But the bill also requires the state to take steps to conserve water. Raising Our Political IQ. I can tell you that other states are looking at Utah very jealously right now. 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. 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. ST. GEORGE, Utah Wilson and Kari Jimenez are thrilled with how their yard looks. Stay in the loop when you subscribe for free. The this, he added, is the unprecedented funding effort of nearly $450 million for water-related infrastructure, and lastly the this is the extensive amount of collaboration to lift a desire for change into actual action. Deidre Henderson, Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Brian Steed, St. George Mayor Michele Randall, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District General Manager Bart Forsyth, Central Utah Water Conservancy District Water Conservation Manager Ricky Maloy and others attended the announcement at the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy Districts Conservation Garden in West Jordan. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. HB121 prohibited certain lawn or turf requirements and imposed conservation requirements for state agencies. For us, we just didnt need it and for those who dont need the water, it gives a little more for those who need to take a little more.. Legislative Research and General Counsel. It is also being offered at Weber Basin Water Conservancy District because Layton City adopted via an ordinance the institution of the program. Sixty percent of our municipal water goes toward outdoor watering. TownLift is a web and mobile-based Entertainment & News media outlet providing Park City and Summit County Utah with Breaking Local News & Community Updates. During the 2022 legislative session, the Division of Water Resources received $5 million to implement a statewide grass replacement rebate program. Cash rewards and plan reviews will be given for landscaping projects that meet program . No matter what Cox proposes, there wont be any impact in the near term. I want to flush my toilet, so Im willing to do my part. Now, for the bad news. Submit completion photos of your project online. As for now, there is no standardizaton of turf buyback in Utah, or anywhere else in the country. Utahs 2022 legislative session concluded with a record number of water conservation bills and appropriations totaling nearly $500 million in spending. Completed projects must be covered with 3-4 inches of gravel, bark, or compost mulch. 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. Sign up for a free consultation to see how you can make your yard more water-efficient and Utah-friendly. The division has partnered with the Central Utah, Jordan Valley, Washington County and Weber Basin Water Conservancy Districts to increase program awareness, increase funding and develop program requirements. Unpaid water bills will disqualify applicants from the Flip Your Strip program. $19.20 - $22.80 hourly, 9 days ago Contractor Cox discussed new policies his administration is hoping to push forward, like a buyback program for turf and secondary water metering. No, this program is intended for single-family residences only. SALT LAKE CITY The state legislature approved a $5 million rebate program for residents that remove their grass. We have not put a lot of time and effort into our yard. The following cities have adopted qualifying water-efficient landscape ordinances for new residential developments. Applicants must be participating voluntarily. Cox also floated was a turf buyback program, in which the state would pay property owners to tear out grass and replace it with xeriscaping or more water-wise landscaping. 12 arrested during All-Star Weekend for soliciting minors, Park City woman's car crushed by fallen ice at Kimball Junction Smith's, Prospector Square struggles with snow removal, illegal dumping, Utah's first auto restraint chairlift opens at Deer Valley Resort, 2-hour delayed start for Park City School District due to weather, FullTime Social Practitioner, SUMMIT COUNTY CLUBHOUSE, Adventure Camp Site Director- Park City, UT, YMCA of Northern Utah, Retail Sales Associate, Crosby Collection, ON CALL WAREHOUSE AND DELIVERY STAFF , Wild Events, L.A. Theatre Works Lucy Loves Desi: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom, Pi Day Celebration at Mathnasium of Park City, Snowy winter speeds drought recovery but Utahs not in the clear, Median snowpack water equivalent surpasses 2022s highest peak, Above-average snowpack levels are starting to make an impact in Utahs severe drought areas, Western US cities to remove decorative grass amid drought, Over 50% of Utah still in extreme drought even with above-average early-season snowpacks, Utah DNR marks the end of the water year with a new drought update. Click here to sign in and see program availability. New developments in the area have prohibited turf lawns or kept them small. House Bill 121(water conservation modifications) provides $5 million in incentives for people that want to voluntarily replace turf with drought-resistant landscaping and imposes water conservation requirements by state agencies at state government facilities. "We haven't gotten any rebates," Wilson said. "Im trying to do my part and set the example," the mayor said in a recent interview with FOX 13. A previous version of this story incorrectly listed Rep. Val Petersons last name as Iverson. The federal government stopped states from removing people from Medicaid during the pandemic, but that's changing now. Choose from the dishes weve highlighted to plan your meal or start brainstorming your own meal plan a couple of weeks before to make sure you have time to shop and prepare. Utah wants to be the first and is working to expand this program statewide. First-of-its-kind legislation passed in . She understands that homeowners who have invested a lot of time, money and sweat into having perfect landscaping may be dismayed. You must apply for the program before starting your park strip project. at the local level - currently, states don't offersuch a program. Read all of our stories atgreatsaltlakenews.org. 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