Two-man council panel deadlocked on turf issue

After landscapers and water conservationists butted heads yesterday for two hours before a two-member committee that finally deadlocked, it will be up to the City Council to rule on a proposed law to limit grass at new developments.

Councilmen Michael McDonald and Larry Brown, forming a two-member committee charged with recommending a yes or no vote to the City Council, split on the proposed law, which Southern Nevada Water Authority analysts say would save 98 million gallons of water a year if passed.

"Water is one of the valley's most prized possessions but I've always had a problem telling people what to do with their homes," McDonald said. "It's the first step in Big Brother looking over a person's shoulder."

But Brown, who worked for the Las Vegas Valley Water District before being elected to the City Council, and whose job was to educate the public about water conservation, could not agree.

"One point has to be resolved and that is where the government draws the line with private property," Brown said. "We live in the desert and it is unlike anywhere else in the country and we all have to climb the conservation ladder together."

The bill would prohibit turf in public districts except for schools, parks and cemeteries. It would also limit turf in commercial districts to 25 percent of the area and allow only five acres of turf per hole at golf courses.

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the bill calls for new developments of single-family homes to limit turf in front yards to 50 percent. In multi-family homes, apartments and condominiums, the bill would allow 30 percent of the landscape to be grass.

The bill is on the City Council's Aug. 10 agenda.

Monday, the bill sparked nearly two hours of debate between landscapers and representatives of the water authority.

Landscaper Stuart Rayburn said the projected savings of 98 million gallons is a drop in the bucket when it comes to Las Vegas' water problems.

"We're talking about a total savings of 1 percent," Rayburn said. "Limiting turf is not the answer. The answer is coming up with a standard for a quality installation of the turf so that water is not wasted."

Water Authority officials responded that reducing the amount of turf will save water, reduce water waste and send a strong message that Nevada is a leader in conservation.

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