SB 305 Utah Senate · 2025 General Session

Water Wise Landscaping Amendments

SB 305 amends definitions related to water-wise landscaping by defining "functional turf" as turf dedicated to active use (e.g., sports fields) and meeting specific slope requirements (not exceeding 25%). This definition directly affects property owners, landscapers, and municipalities implementing water conservation rules for outdoor irrigation. The bill establishes a clear standard to distinguish water-efficient turf from decorative turf, ensuring only actively used areas qualify under water-wise programs. It does not create new mandates but provides a regulatory framework for future water conservation policies.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2025 Last action Mar 8, 2025

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What changed between versions

Amended Excerpts 3/4/2025 19:03:457 → Amended 3/4/2025 19:03:457 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Utah's water-wise landscaping requirements for state government facilities by updating definitions and expanding what counts as functional turf. The changes clarify which areas qualify for turf coverage limits and add specific criteria for what constitutes functional turf that can be included in the 20% turf limit.

Scope change

The bill maintains applicability to state government facilities built or reconstructed on or after May 4, 2022, but clarifies which areas count toward the turf percentage limit.

DEFINITION

Added new definition for 'functional turf' that includes specific criteria like slope limits, width requirements, and functional purposes such as soil stabilization and carbon sequestration.

Updated 'grounds' definition to more precisely describe which portions of state government facility property are designated for landscaping.

Added new definitions for 'canopy', 'overhead spray irrigation', 'park strip', 'reconstructed', and 'turf' to clarify landscaping requirements.

Added 'state agency' definition to explicitly include institutions of higher education.

REQUIREMENT

Modified the turf percentage limit language to specify that turf must be functional turf to count toward the 20% limit or municipal ordinance allowance.

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Full legislative history

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Committee

Amendments

Mar 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate/ comm rpt/ sent to Rules/ amended

upper

Feb 25, 2025

Introduced

Senate Comm - Amendment Recommendation

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Committee

Senate/ to standing committee

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Introduced

Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors