1     
WATER WISE LANDSCAPING AMENDMENTS

2     
2022 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Ryan D. Wilcox

5     
Senate Sponsor: Michael K. McKell

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill modifies provisions regarding water wise landscaping.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     defines terms;
13          ▸     prohibits certain public or private entities from prohibiting water wise landscaping;
14     and
15          ▸     authorizes certain landscaping requirements.
16     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17          None
18     Other Special Clauses:
19          None
20     Utah Code Sections Affected:
21     ENACTS:
22          10-9a-535, Utah Code Annotated 1953
23          17-27a-531, Utah Code Annotated 1953
24          57-8a-231, Utah Code Annotated 1953
25     

26     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27          Section 1. Section 10-9a-535 is enacted to read:
28          10-9a-535. Water wise landscaping.

29          (1) As used in this section:
30          (a) "Lawn or turf" means nonagricultural land planted in closely mowed, managed
31     grasses.
32          (b) "Mulch" means material such as rock, bark, wood chips, or other materials left
33     loose and applied to the soil.
34          (c) "Overhead spray irrigation" means above ground irrigation heads that spray water
35     through a nozzle.
36          (d) (i) "Vegetative coverage" means the ground level surface area covered by the
37     exposed leaf area of a plant or group of plants at full maturity.
38          (ii) "Vegetative coverage" does not mean the ground level surface area covered by the
39     exposed leaf area of a tree or trees.
40          (e) "Water wise landscaping" means any or all of the following:
41          (i) installation of plant materials suited to the microclimate and soil conditions that
42     can:
43          (A) remain healthy with minimal irrigation once established; or
44          (B) be maintained without the use of overhead spray irrigation;
45          (ii) use of water for outdoor irrigation through proper and efficient irrigation design
46     and water application; or
47          (iii) use of other landscape design features that:
48          (A) minimize the need of the landscape for supplemental water from irrigation; or
49          (B) reduce the landscape area dedicated to lawn or turf.
50          (2) A municipality may not enact or enforce an ordinance, resolution, or policy that
51     prohibits, or has the effect of prohibiting, a property owner from incorporating water wise
52     landscaping on the property owner's property.
53          (3) (a) Subject to Subsection (3)(b), Subsection (2) does not prohibit a municipality
54     from requiring a property owner to:
55          (i) comply with a site plan review or other review process before installing water wise

56     landscaping;
57          (ii) maintain plant material in a healthy condition;
58          (iii) follow specific water wise landscaping design requirements adopted by the
59     municipality, including a requirement that:
60          (A) restricts or clarifies the use of mulches considered detrimental to municipal
61     operations;
62          (B) imposes minimum or maximum vegetative coverage standards; or
63          (C) restricts or prohibits the use of specific plant materials.
64          (b) A municipality may not require a property owner to install or keep in place lawn or
65     turf in an area with a width less than eight feet.
66          Section 2. Section 17-27a-531 is enacted to read:
67          17-27a-531. Water wise landscaping.
68          (1) As used in this section:
69          (a) "Lawn or turf" means nonagricultural land planted in closely mowed, managed
70     grasses.
71          (b) "Mulch" means material such as rock, bark, wood chips, or other materials left
72     loose and applied to the soil.
73          (c) "Overhead spray irrigation" means above ground irrigation heads that spray water
74     through a nozzle.
75          (d) (i) "Vegetative coverage" means the ground level surface area covered by the
76     exposed leaf area of a plant or group of plants at full maturity.
77          (ii) "Vegetative coverage" does not mean the ground level surface area covered by the
78     exposed leaf area of a tree or trees.
79          (e) "Water wise landscaping" means any or all of the following:
80          (i) installation of plant materials suited to the microclimate and soil conditions that
81     can:
82          (A) remain healthy with minimal irrigation once established; or

83          (B) be maintained without the use of overhead spray irrigation;
84          (ii) use of water for outdoor irrigation through proper and efficient irrigation design
85     and water application; or
86          (iii) the use of other landscape design features that:
87          (A) minimize the need of the landscape for supplemental water from irrigation; or
88          (B) reduce the landscape area dedicated to lawn or turf.
89          (2) A county may not enact or enforce an ordinance, resolution, or policy that prohibits,
90     or has the effect of prohibiting, a property owner from incorporating water wise landscaping on
91     the property owner's property.
92          (3) (a) Subject to Subsection (3)(b), Subsection (2) does not prohibit a county from
93     requiring a property owner to:
94          (i) comply with a site plan review or other review process before installing water wise
95     landscaping;
96          (ii) maintain plant material in a healthy condition;
97          (iii) follow specific water wise landscaping design requirements adopted by the county,
98     including a requirement that:
99          (A) restricts or clarifies the use of mulches considered detrimental to county
100     operations;
101          (B) imposes minimum or maximum vegetative coverage standards; or
102          (C) restricts or prohibits the use of specific plant materials.
103          (b) A county may not require a property owner to install or keep in place lawn or turf in
104     an area with a width less than eight feet.
105          Section 3. Section 57-8a-231 is enacted to read:
106          57-8a-231. Water wise landscaping.
107          (1) As used in this section:
108          (a) "Lawn or turf" means nonagricultural land planted in closely mowed, managed
109     grasses.

110          (b) "Mulch" means material such as rock, bark, wood chips, or other materials left
111     loose and applied to the soil.
112          (c) "Overhead spray irrigation" means above ground irrigation heads that spray water
113     through a nozzle.
114          (d) (i) "Vegetative coverage" means the ground level surface area covered by the
115     exposed leaf area of a plant or group of plants at full maturity.
116          (ii) "Vegetative coverage" does not mean the ground level surface area covered by the
117     exposed leaf area of a tree or trees.
118          (e) "Water wise landscaping" means any or all of the following:
119          (i) installation of plant materials suited to the microclimate and soil conditions that
120     can:
121          (A) remain healthy with minimal irrigation once established; or
122          (B) be maintained without the use of overhead spray irrigation;
123          (ii) use of water for outdoor irrigation through proper and efficient irrigation design
124     and water application; or
125          (iii) the use of other landscape design features that:
126          (A) minimize the need of the landscape for supplemental water from irrigation; or
127          (B) reduce the landscape area dedicated to lawn or turf.
128          (2) An association may not enact or enforce a governing document that prohibits, or
129     has the effect of prohibiting, a lot owner of a detached dwelling from incorporating water wise
130     landscaping on the property owner's property.
131          (3) (a) Subject to Subsection (3)(b), Subsection (2) does not prohibit an association
132     from requiring a property owner to:
133          (i) comply with a site plan review or other review process before installing water wise
134     landscaping;
135          (ii) maintain plant material in a healthy condition;
136          (iii) follow specific water wise landscaping design requirements adopted by the

137     association including a requirement that:
138          (A) restricts or clarifies the use of mulches considered detrimental to the association's
139     operations;
140          (B) imposes minimum or maximum vegetative coverage; or
141          (C) restricts or prohibits the use of specific plant materials.
142          (b) An association may not require a property owner to install or keep in place lawn or
143     turf in an area with a width less than eight feet.