Weighing savings, taste

NORTH GLENDALE — With no end in sight for the state’s drought conditions, La Crescenta Nursery Manager Steve Lok worked to expanded the store’s selection of California-friendly landscaping options by 40% in the past year.

While he has seen increased consumer interest in the drought-tolerant plants, so far sales have experienced only a “slight uptick,” but that could soon change.

Under the city’s 10% mandatory water conservation measures, irrigation of landscaping is limited to three days a week, 10 minutes per day per landscaped area. And a lesser-known restriction requires that all new landscaping projects use only plants found in the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s catalog of California-friendly greenery, a database of more than 1,000 plants that require low amounts of water, which could stir demand for drought-tolerant plants.

The confluence of new irrigation restrictions and planting rules could spell trouble for some lusher landscaping plans that were approved by the city prior to the regulations taking effect, especially since some designs won’t work with less water.

On Wednesday, the Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council approve proposed changes to the city’s landscaping codes to give officials the ability to modify previously approved landscaping plans to incorporate drought-tolerant plants without the plan having to return for commission review. “This amendment allows flexibility for property owners with approved landscape plans, helping them balance the landscape requirements, as well as water conservation during mandatory conservation phases,” said Senior Planner Kristin Asp.

The City Council must still sign off on the proposal.

Officials stress that drought-tolerant plants go beyond cactus or other stereotypical desert plants. Options include shrubs, colorful flowers and even some grass-like ground covers that are native to desert climates.

“It’s a lot of plants that stay green for a long amount of time,” said Councilwoman Laura Friedman, who has used drought-tolerant plants in her own backyard for many years. “Once you get used to them, I think people will find, they way I did, that they are really beautiful.”

Still, officials acknowledged that for some residents, drought-tolerant landscaping will require an attitude adjustment.

“For a lot of our longtime Glendale residents, it is an accommodation that is going to take getting used to,” said Councilman John Drayman. “We are so used to seeing expansive lawns and landscaping that just sucks up a lot of water, and that is changing. But we will get used to it.”

Public outreach and education of the restrictions will be key, planning commissioners said, especially since retrofitting landscapes doesn’t require permits.

“I think enforcement is going to be extremely difficult in this process,” said Commissioner Hank Scheetz “I think it’s going to be a contentious issue among neighbors, especially in certain neighborhoods. I think we should prepare for that.”