Water Efficient Landscaping Development Code Amendment

Lehi City requests changes to the Development Code to add water efficient landscaping requirements.

This comes from a model ordinance provided by Central Utah Water Conservancy District (CUWCD) with some minor changes. CUWCD sent out a message in September of 2022 putting all cities in their jurisdiction (which includes Lehi) that residents of cities that have not adopted the required water efficiency standards by 2023 will no longer be eligible to apply for the rebate programs offered by Central Utah Water Conservancy District. They also said the State is currently working on a landscape rebate program that will be available starting around March of 2023 that would also only be available to cities that have adopted these standards. Outside of the residential rebate programs, further State and District funding may be contingent upon adoption of the required standards.

The standards relate to all new developments and for any new landscaping installed in front or side yards. It includes regulations to only plant grass on usable lawn spaces that are wider than eight feet in width. It also limits the percentage of landscaping that can be lawn for different projects.