Sacramento Reconsiders Ban on Artificial Turf

California Governor Jerry Brown has called for 50 million square feet of lawns in the state to be removed; water districts across the state are offering rebates for lawn removal; and cities across the thirsty state impose fines on residents who water their lawns too often.

Thus it is that the state's capital is wrestling with the merits of a 30-year-old ban on artificial turf in front yards. According to Joy Patterson, principal planner for the city's Planning and Design Commission, the origins of the rule stem from aesthetic concerns. She explains that the turf of 1984 was used primarily for commercial applications and golf courses, but modern-day turf has evolved to look more like real grass.

"A review by Planning Commission staff, at the request of Councilman Jeff Harris, found artificial turf to be drought tolerant, with excellent built-in drainage and no irrigation requirements," reports Brenna Lyles for the Sacramento Bee.

But residents and Planning officials have environmental and safety concerns about the materials used to manufacture such life-like grass. Among other things, writes Lyles, residents "have questioned the safety of the ground-up, recycled tires that make up the tiny ‘crumb rubber’ pellets that are intended to give the surface more bounce and mimic dirt."

Councilwoman Angelique Ashby is not on board. "There's probably no way I would support it, ever. But, I would at least encourage my colleagues to consider how are we going to do enforcement so that we make sure that it's high quality, and that it doesn't have toxic runoff and that it is recycled appropriately if we're gonna use it, and that it is installed appropriately. How would we properly monitor those things?"