California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law two bills that will encourage citizens to consider options such as synthetic grass and artificial turf.

Guvanator signs bills encouraging synthetic lawns

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law two bills that will encourage citizens to consider options such as synthetic grass and artificial turf.


One bill provides low cost loans to property owners while the other limits and may void HOA and property management guidelines that may deter or restrict the use of water or energy efficient solutions and products (such as requiring that lawn turf be installed while not allowing for synthetic grass, as an alternative).



AB.474 allowed for public and quasi-public entities to provide low cost loans to property owners for products such as synthetic turf (and porous pavers, concrete and asphalt)



This bill would expand these provisions to authorize the legislative body of any public agency, as defined, to determine that it would be in the public interest to designate an area within which authorized city officials and free and willing property owners may enter into contractual assessments to finance the installation of water efficiency improvements that are permanently fixed to real property, as specified.



download copy of AB.474 here:


<http://www.asgi.us/publicdownloads/ab_474_bill_20091011_chaptered.pdf>


AB.1061: may VOID existing governing documents


(guidelines) of HOA & other common interest developments



This bill would provide that a provision of any of the governing documents of a common interest development shall be void and unenforceable if it prohibits, or includes conditions that have the effect of prohibiting, the use of low water-using plants as a group, or if it has the effect of prohibiting or restricting compliance with a local water-efficient landscape ordinance or water conservation measure described above.



download copy of AB.1061 here:


<http://www.asgi.us/publicdownloads/ab_1061_bill_20091011_chaptered.pdf>