Xeriscaping: -> 0% turf?

Our current ACC Xeriscaping rules require at least 25% turf grass in any proposed design. Due to climate and water restrictions etc, a number of residents are calling to reduce this 25% requirement to zero. Our ACC chair is adamantly opposed to this (primarily because he thinks it will look like hell).

Any thoughts, experiences, stories, or advice on going to 0% turf coverage?

Thank you,

Bill

Thanks. We're not quite that far yet, though. Right now I'd like to hear from anyone who has stories or experiences with a neighborhood that took this step and went to 0% turf requirement. Or anyone else with enlightened commentary on taking this step. Ie: Was everyone happy with it? Did the neighborhood look like hell? And so on. I mean, on the face of it, it seems like it's inevitable. But - perhaps we shouldn't be so eager?

ÆlleN: you're not wrong in assuming that actually making this change may prove to be challenging. It seems like many neighborhoods in Austin went to a 25% rule circa 2013. I'm not (yet) aware of anyone local who has gone to 0%.

Bill

Are there local landscapers who specialize in xeriscaping? The board might want to reach out to a few to get some ideas (especially if they've worked with HOAs before).

I can see the ACC's point because I think the artificial turf some people have installed is tacky. It might be better to promote the use of ground cover and native plants - the right combination can look quite nice and lead to lower landscaping costs (saving money always gets people's attention). We've all grown up with green lawns, but with climate change being what it is, it's time to rethink this in many areas, especially Texas because it's a little...warm down there.

Start with this article - https://www.yellowstonelandscape.com/blog/texas-landscaping-what-is-xeriscaping - and then the board could call a town hall meeting where the landscapers can make a presentation. AFter that, the ACC could make recommendations to the board on updated landscaping design standards.

As for artificial turf, someone might want to read this - https://ideal-turf.com/artificial-grass-pros-cons/

Nevada has been xeriscaping for at lest 18 years. More and more states are Implementing watering restrictions on grass, it might behove of your board to get on board with
water conservation instead of causing unless spending to plant sod only to rip it up and lay synthetic turf.
in our HOA covenants the CC&R's stated that the owner had one year to plant X number of 5 gallon and X number of 1 gallon plants and crushed gravel, concrete slab or synthetic turf of the owners choice.
Because of the economic crunch in 2012-2013 the board then said to meet the minimum satisfaction for back yard landscaping just lay crushed gravel. The builder did the front of yard landscaping . Each lot received
two trees. up to 5 1 gallon plants and 3 5 gallon plants.

Gravel choices are plentiful at your local nursery. Ten years ago I had the nursery drop 6 tons of 1/4 inch rose colored gravel in my driveway.
the cost was under $200 for the gravel including delivery not including underlayment.

Thanks, all! And thank you for the links, Tim.

Alas, it seems like the a lot of the material I find comes from 2013, which I gather was a time of change. Many neighborhoods (including mine) lowered their requirements to 25%. Now it’s 10 years later and (alas) I’m not finding stuff about “It’s time to reconsider turf requirements again”.

Since I first posted, it has become apparent that our ACC chair is strongly opposed to going to 0% turf. This makes me unhappy, because I can foresee the situation degenerating. I do not think that our ACC chair is a bad person - I’m not even sure that he is wrong in opposing 0% - but a surprising number of our neighbors feel the need for change. We very much want to go the High Road with this - current plan is to attempt to get people talking about it and learning about it and thinking about it, and if there’s good cause to make a change, let’s do it. But I fear this matter may become extremely uncivil. Our ACC chair is a good man, an architect who has served the community for over a decade … but he’s not so great at expressing himself, and that’s not going to help.

Also, I wonder if we need to be thinking about this as a piece of a bigger picture: the weather in my neighborhood has been really freaky over the past several years, and *most* yards look like hell. I don’t believe it’s a problem that can be solved by issuing Violations and fining people. But a real and effective solution eludes me.

Bill

If a board majority does not want to ruffle the feathers of an otherwise competent ACC chair (possibly leading to his quitting), perhaps letting time pass, and allowing things to develop more, would be best. Support the ACC chair right up until someone (who wants 0% grass) starts talking lawsuit, claiming the statute requires approval of 0% turf on lots. Then get the HOA attorney's opinion. Simultaneously weather patterns, city water rules and the like may also push the necessity of allowing 0% turf.

EEP - not sure what happened to my first response to ElleN's post.

Anyway, I understand the man may be a good ACC chair, but he's not God, and if the ultimate decision is up to the board, he/she needs to be reminded of that gently, but firmly. Ditto for a CCR amendment that might press the issue.

For now, I still think a town hall on the pros and cons of both could be scheduled, with a representative from an artificial turn company and xeriscaping company making presentations so people can ask questions. This wouldn't be about making a specific policy but to educate everyone first, and then poll them to see what they'd like to see in a policy, then go on from there.

Bill, does Texas have any newly passed laws on the books pertaining to water conservation and or landscaping that pertains to grass lawns?
That is a good place to start. In today's political climate it may be best to be proactive and ahead of the 8 ball instead of behind it.
One of the accounts that I cover, some of the owners are in a mad scramble to tear out their lawns and replace them with artificial turf.
I believe propertied have to get rid of their "non functional" "ornamental" lawns by 2027.