TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Law's on your lawn's side

ADVERTISEMENT

By NEIL JOHNSON

njohnson@tampatrib.com

Published: July 11, 2009

TAMPA - Part of a new law could literally change the landscape of Florida subdivisions.

The law, which went into effect July 1, prohibits cities, counties and homeowners associations from enacting or enforcing rules against Florida-friendly landscaping that aims to reduce the use of water, pesticides and fertilizers on lawns.

In the past, yards following the principles of Florida-friendly landscaping may not have passed muster of the covenants of homeowner associations. New homeowners or residents trying to install landscaping that fits the Florida-friendly concept could have plans rejected by association review committees.

Allowing Florida-friendly yards will take some adjustment for associations and their review committees, said Wanda Sloan, Hillsborough County neighborhood coordinator.

"It will be a big transition for the neighborhoods. They're not going to have all that St. Augustine grass," she said.

Florida-friendly landscaping groups plants according to sun, soil and water needs. It also leans heavily on mulch and tends to reduce the amount of grass in a yard.

The result is a yard that requires less water and is lighter on fertilizers or pesticides.

Although there is no exact standard for Florida-friendly lawns, the University of Florida has established some guidelines.

The university also has a scale that assigns points to elements of a landscape design, said Silvia Durell, Florida-friendly project manager for the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

"It's common sense, creating a landscape with the right plant in the right place," she said.

The sprawling community of Westchase is just now grappling with how to recognize a Florida-friendly landscape, said association president Carlos Quiros.

He will suggest his board of directors hire a landscape architect to develop guidelines for what qualifies as Florida-friendly. Those can be applied when residents submit landscape designs to a review committee.

The development has fairly detailed rules about the variety of plants and percentage of sod in a yard.

Regardless, the board has little choice.

"People always resist change. Our responsibility is to comply with the law," he said.

Not all associations will have trouble dealing with the new law.

In fact, the rules for Hunter's Green encourage Florida-friendly, said Ann Johnson, manager of the Hunter's Green Community Association, which has urged residents to convert up to two-thirds of their front yards to drought-tolerant plants.

"We've been promoting that almost since inception," Johnson said. "It helps support what we've been working toward."

Reporter Neil Johnson can be reached at (813) 259-7731.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT