Rebates to lose the lawn

Can you believe – another article about grass! If you’ve been following this column, you know Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District (TCCWD) applied for a grant to do a lawn removal rebate program but didn’t get it. We’re still going to teach the classes:

All classes are free, Saturday mornings for an hour from 9 to 10 a.m. and breakfast goodies are provided. The classes are held at the TCCWD office at 22901 Banducci Rd (next to Brite Lake). Call (661)822-5504 to sign up for one or more classes.

In response to the Governor’s drought mandate to remove 50 million square feet of lawn, the Department of Water Resources has put together a turf replacement rebate program, and YOU may be eligible.

Don’t touch that lawn! The first requirement of the rebate program is that turf must be in place at the time of application. It can be dead or alive, but bare ground does not qualify.

Funding for this program comes from Proposition 1 that was passed last year. The DWR has designated $25 million, $10 million of that is dedicated for residential turf removal in the ten San Joaquin Valley counties – that includes Kern County. Fifty percent of the funding must go to disadvantaged communities – that includes the City of Tehachapi. You, the homeowner, can receive $2.00 per square foot rebate to a maximum of 1,000 square feet of removed turf ($2000.00).

Lawn Removal. The program does not specify which of several methods to remove turfgrass, but hey, we’ve got a class on that!

Plants. The rebated portion of the landscape may only include low water use, drought-tolerant, or California native plants. Hey, we’ve got a plant list for you!

Mulch. Exposed soil surfaces must be mulched, including organic mulch (like bark), rock, or decomposed granite.

Irrigation. Methods are limited to drip irrigation, micro-spray irrigation, or hand watering. Hey, we’ve got a class on that!

Hardscape. You can’t count decks, patios, sheds or other impervious surfaces as part of your rebated square footage. Hardscape can be a beautiful part of your landscape design, but the rain has to be able to soak through. Learn about hardscape in our design class!

Finally, the project must be completed in 90 days. Stop and think about that for a minute. If you’re a do-it-yourself person, you will be dedicating a big chunk of your weekends for three months to this project. Personally, I recommend the do-it-yourself method. Gardening is excellent exercise, and there’s nothing like getting your hands in the dirt to reduce stress and reconnect to the land. But you are making a big time commitment to get funded through the rebate program.

If gardening is not really your thing, the DWR also has a Contractor Direct Rebate program. The landscaper’s fee would be reduced by the amount of the rebate, and they would collect the rebate directly. However, the landscape contractor must be certified through the State program, and I’m not confident certified landscapers will be available in our area.

As the DWR continues to develop the details of the rebate program, we will be providing a class to help guide you through the rebate process.

You’ll find that class announcement here in The Loop!