SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Scottsdale City Council has approved a code amendment that prohibits homeowner associations from requiring its residents to over-seed their lawns.
In response to water shortages on the Colorado River, the council has offered an option for residents in HOAs to forgo over-seeding their properties during the fall season and potentially save some water.
Over-seeding is the practice of planting winter ryegrass seed over existing warm-season lawns as those lawns go dormant in the winter. The practice requires an extensive amount of water during the germination process
"Water conservation has estimated that approximately 1,000 square feet of winter grass takes about 8,000 gallons of water each season," city records state.
City officials say some homeowners in local HOAs were frustrated that they were being forced to over-seed their Bermuda grass. The new code amendment allows residents to opt-out of over-seeding in neighborhoods that have typically required the practice.
Benefits of not over-seeding include lower water bills, less lawn maintenance, and increased water conservation, city officials say.
Scottsdale says it's the first city to pass a code amendment regarding how HOAs regulate over-seeding lawns.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12 News YouTube playlist here.
More ways to get 12News
On your phone: Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
On your streaming device: Download 12News+ to your streaming device
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
