Glendale to tackle turf regulations
The city plans to draft standards for how much lawn space can be used for fake grass.
The Glendale City Council is expected to tackle this week the question of how it will permit and regulate the installation of artificial turf on residential lawns.
The city currently allows fake grass in backyards, but it’s always been prohibited on front lawns.
New state legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown over the weekend prohibits local governments from banning homeowners from using drought-resistant landscaping. The legislation states that cities must allow artificial turf if homeowners want it.
But municipalities will get to choose the quality of the artificial turf materials used and set other standards.
A Bay Area consulting firm, ReScape, recommended that artificial turf in frontyards be capped at taking up no more than 40% of the lawn area.
City staffers made their own suggestion of covering up to 65% of a lawn area, but that would include lining the border of a yard with live plants, said Community Development Director Philip Lanzafame. The recommendations are meant to give council members different options to consider, he said.
Mayor Ara Najarian, who has been pushing to get the artificial turf discussion on the agenda, said he would like to see the amount of lawn space raised to 80%.
“I think people not just in Glendale but across the state have realized the time has come for turf to be placed to save water. That’s where we’re at,” he said.
Resident Bill Metzdorf is known in his neighborhood for his elaborate droughttolerant landscape, which replaced his green front lawn. But he also knows a thing or two about artificial turf.
One of his biggest concerns is that fake grass made of plastic will trap heat on exceptionally sunny days. The scenario is often referred to as “heat islands.”
“If you step on it, you could really burn your feet,” Metzdorf said. “There’s a lot of heat in there.”
The solution, he says, is installing artificial turf that’s made from high-quality material that won’t pose such problems, he said. If the council sets the bar high, Metzdorf said he won’t mind seeing artificial turf on his neighbors’ lawns.
“If someone is going to install something, it’s going to have be very high caliber that’s not going to create a problem in the neighborhood,” he said.
Another potential problem is that some fake lawns can retain odor from animal waste.
Najarian said there’s a new generation of artificial turf that looks very convincing and is permeable to eliminate such concerns. But better materials could mean a higher price tag.
In its report, ReScape estimates installing artificial turf on a 1,000-square-foot frontyard could range from $6,000 to $12,000.
Some might make the swap to artificial turf to save on water costs, but not everyone will make the switch, said Councilwoman Paula Devine.
The council’s meeting Tuesday is intended to help the city move toward drafting an ordinance to regulate the installation of artificial turf.
“We’re not encouraging people to do this, we’re simply giving them a choice,” Devine said.