85-2023 - Kentucky Bluegrass to Native Grass Landscape Conversion Project

The key purpose of this project is to implement a demonstration turf conversion project on public land to support the city’s water conservation goals. In 2023, the city received $40,000 in grant funds from the Colorado Water Conservation Board in support of turf removal. A portion of this funding ($20,000) is proposed for use on a turf replacement pilot project in alignment with the outcomes of the recently updated Water Efficiency Plan (WEP). The project will support a key recommendation in the WEP to (1) develop information on alternative approaches to chemical methods for bluegrass conversion to native/ waterwise landscaping; to understand the cost of such processes; and to provide information on native/ waterwise landscape maintenance requirements, and (2) to share this information with the community. The project will also support a second WEP recommendation to improve water efficiency of municipal irrigation.