Thornton OKs Artificial turf for front yards

BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Arti cial turf is now allowed in the front yards of ornton’s singlefamily homes after the city council voted 6-3 to amend the municipal code at the May 23 city council meeting.

City Councilors Karen Bigelow, Julia Marvin and Kathy Henson stood opposed. e ordinance will allow for 25% of turf in single-family home landscapes for their front and visible side yards. at turf must be PFPFAS-free

Previously, city code only allowed turf to be used in landscaping that isn’t viewable from public rights of way. Only designated sports elds were allowed to have turf if they were approved by the council.

According to the meeting’s agenda, there were four turf permits in 2020 and 29 in 2022.

Now, the turf must be green, look like a well-maintained lawn and have an eight-year warranty against fading. ere will also be no slope installation requirements. e agenda says there must also be permeable bu ers next to the turf. at’s three feet away from all property lines, three feet from the trunk of any deciduous tree, no closer than the dripline of any evergreen tree and eight feet from the front wall of any building and three feet from all other building walls and impervious surfaces. e new rule comes with the requirement to balance of living plant material with arti cial turf. Under that requirement, 750 square feet of turf requires one “tree equivalent” and 250 square feet comes with ½ of “tree equivalent.”

“For reference, one “tree equivalent” (TE) means one two-inch caliper deciduous tree or one six-foot tall evergreen tree, or ten shrubs or 20 ground covers or ornamental grasses,” the agenda reads.

Council’s opinions

City Councilor Kathy Henson asked if would be allowed to have the turf under a play structure or as a putting green. Karen Widomski, Senior City Development Analyst, said that part of the ordinance is for nonresidential areas.

City Councilor Julia Marvin asked