Not the typical turf war

MONTROSE — David Wood has become ensnared in a web of competing city codes and bureaucratic headache — and all over a desire to be green.

Last month, with mandatory water conservation in place, he installed artificial turf in front of the house he built on Piedmont Avenue, but the fake grass is illegal under a city ordinance that bans it anywhere that’s visible from the street.

But in order to receive final city approval and adhere to his approved landscaping plan, he will have to replace the artificial turf with live grass. The new sod, though, requires daily watering to take root, which would violate the two-days-a-week irrigation limits imposed by the Crescenta Valley Water District. But if the grass dies, he can be cited by code enforcement for dead landscaping in a front setback.

“It’s kind of a Catch-22,” he said.

With local utilities limiting irrigation to only a few days a week, Wood is one of several residents across the city who say they feel caught between adhering to the water conservation measures and Planning Department design standards while avoiding penalties from Neighborhood Services inspectors who can issue citations for brown lawns.

Some city officials contend that the current restrictions still allow for enough water to sustain “moderate green” landscapes and point to drought-tolerant plants as turf alternatives.

But Councilman Ara Najarian, who has pushed for allowing artificial turf in front yards since the issue was in front of the council in February, said he thinks the issue needs to be revisited.

“This is one of the prime examples of why artificial grass is appropriate because it will not need the constant watering that either sod or seeded grass would require,” he said. “This is why artificial turf has to be allowed in Glendale.”

Water officials also support artificial turf. Most members of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, including Crescenta Valley, offer rebates for residents who install artificial turf.

“We like to encourage cities to allow customers to take the most water-conservation measures that they can while maintaining the appearance of their yards,” said Christy Scott, a program specialist for the Crescenta Valley Water District.

Artificial turf, which a weary City Council relegated to backyards in February, is scheduled to be reviewed again in coming months, said Planning Director Hassan Haghani.