Time to Convert to Sustainable Landscaping?

Depending on where you operate, you may have heard annual meeting debates about sustainable landscaping dating back at least a decade. “I’ve worked with clients who have made the change, and I’ve also worked with those who have said they’d never do it,” says Paul Grucza, director of education and client development at the Seattle-based management company CWD Group, Inc. It might be time, though, to again raise the issue with clients that have previously dismissed it. After all, some states, such as Florida and Texas, already have enacted laws that require associations to permit owners to adopt sustainable landscaping practices. This legislative action could be a precursor to shifts in sentiment in community associations. “The concept of sustainable landscaping is going to become an even more important discussion point across the years,” Grucza says. “There’s going to be no choice because associations are simply not going to be able to afford or be allowed to use green spaces.”

Aesthetic and Cost Concerns

“People occasionally bring up sustainable landscaping, but it never goes anywhere because they want to conserve water but don’t want to change the look and feel of community,” says Brad van Rooyen, president of HomeRiver Group-Florida, the management company for about 160 associations in the state. “If you do it for common areas, you have to allow owners to do it on their property so you’re substantially changing the overall look. People like lush-looking vegetation, and you don’t really get that.” Van Rooyen says cost has been a deterrent for his clients in the Sunshine State, as well: “Cost is a big factor. It’d have to be a staged project, and you’d have to work with a landscape architect.” But Grucza, who has worked with clients in areas with more limited rainfall and restricted irrigation than Florida, says cost savings have been the main driver for those associations. “It’s a major capital investment, but, once it’s done, the cost for utilities plummets. You can adjust landscaping budgets — the cost, the maintenance, the overall expense, it all goes down.” He points out, too, the possibility for reduced insurance costs. “Risk managers will take a look at what hazards are on a property, like branches that could fall, but they don’t quite look at it the same way when they see, for example, rock architecture.” Grucza concedes, though, that sustainable landscaping is a hard sell. “If the board is on board, there’s an incredible amount of education that’s needed to help educate the residents about the benefits.”

Making the Case for Sustainable Landscaping

The potential benefits are numerous, particularly in drought-affected areas. Sustainable landscaping, for example, generally is low maintenance, reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers, and requires little watering. Grucza reports some of his clients in the southwest and Texas have introduced rock, stone, yucca, and other materials that can get by with an inch or two of water over a year. In areas with plenty of rainfall, such as the Pacific Northwest, sustainable landscaping can help in the battle against erosion and flooding from stormwater runoff. Associations also can use sustainable landscaping to create wildlife habitats. The incorporation of native plants provides homes for native insects that are critical to the ecosystem. Boards also may need to address fears about the effect on property values. “Owners worry about how you compare with surrounding communities aesthetically and how that impacts value,” van Rooyen says. Grucza says these concerns are misplaced. “One of the major misconceptions is that replacing traditional landscaping lessens the value and curb appeal of a community. The Urban Land Institute and others have shown over and over that there’s no diminishment of value.” It’s also important to bring owners up to speed on the many alternative approaches to sustainable landscaping. They’re not limited to rocks or cacti. Rather, they can include native prairie and other grasses, shrubs, trees, wildflowers, and even perennial flowers. Whether owners like it or not, sustainable landscaping looms on the horizon for many areas of the country. You can help your clients get ahead of potential mandates by starting the ball rolling now, when demand — and possibly the upfront cost — is lower.