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Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 3.B
Meeting Date: December 14, 2022
From: John Corella, Director of Engineering/Public Works Title: Update on Cathedral City WaterSmart Landscapes Grant Program
City Council
RECOMMENDATION:
The update on the Cathedral City WaterSmart Landscapes Grant Program is presented for City Council information, discussion and direction.
BACKGROUND:
In 2004, The WaterSmart Landscapes Grant Program (Program) was created to address the environmental issues inherent in the Panorama area’s green landscaping practices. Proactively, the Cathedral City Council approved the implementation of an innovative pilot program to educate, encourage and assist residents in the area to replace their lush landscaping with xeriscape, a more drought tolerant landscaping method. Xeriscape, a source reduction program, can reduce landscape water use by 60% or more. In xeriscape, the traditional expanse of lawn is replaced by drought-hardy plants, low water perennials, organic mulches and water-conserving grasses.
The City’s Environmental Conservation Manager originally initiated a pilot program by creating specific guidelines and a formal application for the Panorama area residents .
Postcards were sent to every household located in the P anorama area outlining the water-saving and time -saving virtues of conversion to xeriscape. To provide further incentive, qualifying residents receive d matching funds of $500 for their participation in the pilot program.
Inherent in the xeriscape philosophy is the reduction of green waste. So logically, funds for the Program come from the City’s AB 939 Environmental Conservation Fund. This fund was established in response to the State legislature’s passing of AB 939 laws declaring that each community must designate certain monies for source reduction and recycling programs. Source reduction programs are an important component of AB 939 programs. Source reduction is defined as any action or process that reduces the creation of waste. The Cathedral City WaterSmart Landscapes Grant program reduces the amount of waste being generated, thus decreasing the amount of waste requiring
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disposal. Source reduction programs complement other AB 939 approved programs such as recycling, composting and public education.
In 2006, after the success of the Panorama pilot program, the City Council approved expanding the grant Program to all Cathedral City residential properties.
The Program not only eliminates greenwaste but also directly impacts the water run -off onto public streets eliminating unnecessary asphalt repairs, reducing the amount of standing water within neighborhoods and allows the City to sweep the streets more efficiently.
Beginning in 2008, the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) and Dese rt Water Agency (DWA) began analyzing Cathedral City’s WaterSmart Landscapes Grant Program with the goal of developing their own rebate program , with the objective to conserve water. Today, CVWD and DWA offer $3 per square -foot in rebate funds for the con version of commercial properties and residential properties ( front, side, and backyards).
Per the Program guidelines, Residents can qualify and receive rebates from both the Cathedral City and CVWD/DWA programs.
Cathedral City’s WaterSmart Landscapes Grant Program ~ Process
Qualifying projects should include the following: removal of grass located in the front yard and replacement with drought tolerant landscaping, removal or relocation of sprinkler system so that it only services turf and drought tolerant planting and does not spill over onto sidewalks or streets. Residents that qualify will receive dollar -for-dollar match up to a maximum of $500 of City AB 939 funds. To receive reimbursement, residents are required to obtain final approval of t he work from the Environmental Conservation Manager and submit receipts. Grants will be awarded to qualified residents.
Step 1: Residents contact the City’s Environmental Conservation Manager to request a Grant Application. At this time, the Application is not offered on -line or available for pick-up at City Hall. To provide accurate information, the resident must discuss the program with the Environmental Manager before the Application is mailed in. It is Staff’s belief that explaining the Program to residents verbally and before they receive a Grant Application eliminates confusion on the part of the resident.
Step 2: Resident completes and submits the Grant Application to the City along with a picture of their front lawn.
Step 3: City Staff confirms that the Application is valid, and the property address listed on the Application is indeed located in Cathedral City.
Step 4: Once the Application is approved, Staff mails a Grant Agreement Packet to the resident which includes information on how to obtain reimbursement.
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Step 5: When the renovation project is completed, residents submit to the City a signed copy of the Grant Agreement, completed copies of Exhibits B and C, copies of receipts ($1,000) and a picture of the finished project.
Step 6: Staff will confirm that the project has been completed and if so, process the reimbursement check. Reimbursement usually takes 2-3 weeks.
DISCUSSION:
Cathedral City’s WaterSmart Landscapes Grant Program Activity Recap
Below is an activi ty recap beginning 2004 to current on Cathedral City’s WaterSmart Landscapes Grant Program:
Applications
Approved
Renovation
Projects
Completed
Environmental Funds
Spent (reimbursement to
Property Owner)
Total Square Footage of
Greenwaste Eliminated
2,377 1,030 $515,000 1,582,950
• The average square footage of residential front lawns in Cathedral City is 1,000 s/f.
• On average residents have spent $2,000 on their renovation projects.
• There are residents that chose to do more elaborate renovation s and those costs can range from $5,000 to $12,000 but are not as common as the $1 ,000 to $2,000 projects.
Expanding Cathedral City’s WaterSmart Landscapes Grant Program
Staff is proposing to revise the WaterSmart Landscapes Grant Program and allow communities managed by an HOA to participate. The current grant process must be completed by the property owner and the rebate funds are paid directly to the property owner. The current grant process makes it challenging for HOA’s to participate as most property frontages are communal and under the HOA’s purview.
Cathedral City has a few communities like Shadowcrest, located within the Rio Vista area, that are in the process of converting front lawns within their community from gras s to drought tolerant landscaping. Cathedral City’s WaterSmart Landscapes Grant program could offer a dollar-for-dollar match of up to a maximum of $500 per property within the development and allow the management companies for the HOA’s to complete one application for all p roperties and receive the rebate on behalf of the property owners. In the case of Shadowcrest which has 42 homes, the rebate the HOA would receive from the City would be $21,000.
This update by Staff on the Cathedral City WaterSmart Landscapes Grant P rogram is presented for City Council information, discussion and direction.
FISCAL IMPACT:
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No general fund dollars are allocated towards the existing Program. The addition of the HOAs into the Program will expand the overall effectiveness of the original Program.
The City’s AB 939 Environmental Funds support the City’s WaterSmart Landscape s Grant Program by e ducating the public and implementing drought tolerant landscaping methods which is a qualifying program under AB 939.
ATTACHMENTS:
Cathedral City WaterSmart Landscapes Grant Program