The Town Council has approved a staff request for a grant application to help fund the conversion of turf areas to desert landscaping. The application is to the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona and would help cover the estimated $173,709 cost of re-landscaping two areas. The grant would cover all but $43,427 of the cost, which would be the Town’s responsibility.

The first project is a turf conversion at the intersection of Fountain Hills and Shea boulevards. The area has approximately 30,000 square feet of irrigated grass as well as non-drought tolerant trees and shrubs. The funding would be used to remove the existing landscaping and replace the turf with granite and add drought-tolerant desert xeriscape. The estimated total cost of this project is $135,200.

The second project is located in Fountain Park adjacent to the Splash Pad near Plaza Fountainside. This work would consist of removing 8,100 square feet of turf in an area that has been difficult to grow grass. It would be replaced with granite and desert landscaping. This work would offset a portion of the cost of a proposed capital improvement project to convert this area to a picnic site near the water play area. The total estimated cost of this phase is $36,675.

These proposed projects fall in line with several goals and policies presented in the 2020 adopted Town of Fountain Hills General Plan, Fountain Hills Environmental Plan 2022 and the Arizona Department of Water Resources 4th Management Plan for the Phoenix Active Management Area for water conservation, according to Public Works Director Justin Weldy. He added that the conversion projects would save an estimated 7.33 acre-feet (about 2.4 million gallons) of water annually.

Staff was made aware of this grant opportunity during the council’s summer recess and proceeded to prepare and submit the application prior to the July 31 deadline. The item was placed on the council consent agenda for retroactive approval without discussion at the Aug. 22 council meeting.