Governor Polis signs Water-wise Landscaping in HOAs bill

On May 17, Governor Polis signed into law SB23-178  Water-wise Landscaping In Homeowners’ Association Communities. The bill was co-sponsored by Senators Sonya Jaquez Lewis and Perry Will, and Representatives Karen McCormick and Mandy Lindsay.

Native plants that attract pollinators are a great option.

The new provides that an association’s guidelines or rules must:

Not prohibit the use of nonvegetative turf grass in the backyard of a unit owner’s property;

Not unreasonably require the use of hardscape on more than 20% of the landscaping area of a unit owner’s property;

Allow a unit owner an option that consists of at least 80% drought-tolerant plantings; and

Not prohibit vegetable gardens in the front, back, or side yard of a unit owner’s property.