Sprinkler-watered lawns would largely disappear from new shopping centers, apartment complexes and homeowners association common areas in Celina under landscaping rules that go to a public hearing before the Planning & Zoning Commission next Thursday, Oct. 22.
The rewrite of the city's landscaping and tree preservation code follows direction the City Council gave staff after xeriscape discussions in January and July, according to a memo from Long Range Planning Manager Melissa Kleineck. The commission discussed the idea in February and June.
Staff wrote that Celina has a chance to set the regional standard for managing water through how new development is designed, and to model that in its own projects.
The current code allows drought-tolerant plants and xeriscape options but requires irrigation systems on every project, the staff presentation says. Xeriscape, as staff defines it, does not mean fewer plants. It means much less grass and watering, with irrigated turf in decorative areas replaced by rock and gravel, while trees on bubblers and shrubs on drip lines are still required.
What would change
Businesses and apartments: Irrigated turf grass would no longer be allowed. Every landscaped area would have to follow xeriscape design. Grass that is not watered could be used in back-of-house areas with staff approval, and temporary watering would be allowed only to get new turf established.
HOA open space: Common areas would be sorted into two kinds. Grass that people actually use, such as athletic fields, playgrounds, programmed recreation areas and some pet areas, could still be irrigated. Grass that is mostly decorative, such as roadway parkways, would have to be xeriscaped.
Landscape buffers and medians: Buffers, including HOA parkways, would have to be xeriscaped. Medians would follow the Median Design Guidelines the city adopted in June. A zero-turf option for medians was one of the changes the council asked for.
Home yards: Here the rules would loosen. The proposal drops the current 30% cap on xeriscape-style materials in front yards and corner side yards, so builders and homeowners could use grass, xeriscape or any mix. Back yards and interior side yards stay flexible. Artificial turf would remain banned in yards visible from a street, though not from an alley, and trees and planting beds would still be required.