Calif. city may ban front lawns

AMERICAN CANYON – Regardless of the recent wet weather, American Canyon’s is still confronted with a long-term and challenging problem of providing enough water for its homes and businesses. That’s why city officials are discussing a new water efficiency policy that they say no other municipality in California has embraced so far: no front lawns for new homes.

Known as “zero turf,” the draft ordinance would mandate to developers that all proposed neighborhoods come with lot designs that omit grass in front of homes. The restriction would still allow the planting of lawns in backyards.

Members of the American Canyon Planning Commission took a serious look at the draft ordinance on Dec. 18 before deciding they were not ready yet to vote on it. Commissioner and Vice Chairman Keith Pepper recommended commission staff “massage it a bit more” and bring the ordinance back at a future meeting. Pepper also expressed concern about the commission taking such a serious step without first hearing from the public. No residents or developers attended the meeting to voice opinions one way or the other about the plan.

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