St. George area lawn rebates

Apply before you start

Apply on the district's agreement and application pages. A district representative then contacts you to set up a required pre-conversion site visit. Do not remove or kill any lawn, and do not start work, until the district has completed that visit and you have an email saying you are approved. Starting before approval and the site visit makes the project ineligible.

The grass must be living and maintained. You may turn the water off for up to a month before the visit if grass blades are still visible, but do not clear the area. The district generally requires at least 300 square feet of grass, with possible exemptions if you are removing all the grass from a whole park strip or a whole front or back yard.

The district's agreement says you have 12 months after approval to finish the project and request inspection, and then 6 months after you finish to complete the paperwork, including a conservation easement on the converted area. The easement stays with the property. The district, not Designscape, decides eligibility, approval, and payment.

Plan your new landscape

Plan for at least 50% living plant cover at maturity, using water-efficient plants. The district estimates mature size: 350 square feet for a tree and 35 square feet for a shrub, groundcover, or other perennial. Existing plants that stay can count if the area also meets the irrigation and surface rules. The program does not dictate which plants you use. It encourages drought-tolerant plants and trees.

Drip irrigation is required, on its own valves, with a filter, a pressure regulator, and emitters rated at 20 gallons per hour or less. Those parts must be visible for inspection. Remaining lawn next to the converted area must be at least 8 feet wide, and sprinklers may not spray or flow into the converted area.

Cover the ground with at least 2 inches of mulch, such as rock, bark, or ungrouted pavers. Permeable artificial turf may be used in place of mulch, but plant cover and drip irrigation are still required. Impermeable surfaces such as concrete are subtracted from the measured area. The district also lists a treebate for qualifying shade trees; see the district's terms.

If your city already approved and recorded a landscape plan for your lot, check with the city before you change it.

Free resources

You do not have to hire Designscape, or any designer, to apply. The district links Localscapes, which offers a Utah design approach and free design examples. It also points to plant ideas at Red Hills Desert Garden, a watering guide, a landscape photo gallery, and conservation gardens in St. George and Washington City. The district holds free public landscape workshops; see the current events list.