Commission reviews landscape ordinance redlines; moves recommendations and sets public hearing

The Fairfield Planning and Zoning Commission spent a substantial portion of its March 9 meeting reviewing redline amendments to the town's landscape ordinance (Title 10.19). Commissioners discussed removing a provision that named recommended water‑wise plant species from the ordinance and instead making that list available as guidance on the town website.

Chair and staff framed the change as a way to avoid prescribing specific plants in code while still steering residents and developers toward species that perform in local soils and arid conditions. "If we wanna make a recommendation on what plants to use in town…we could post that on our website somewhere. It doesn't necessarily need to be in our ordinance," the chair said; commissioners agreed to strike the recommendation from the ordinance and use an external resource instead.

Commissioners debated whether to require a "licensed landscaping professional" for landscape plans. The group favored keeping a licensing requirement for commercial projects but allowing homeowners more flexibility for single‑family residential work. They also discussed water‑wise provisions requiring drip irrigation "where possible" and clarified definitions distinguishing natural turf (grass) from artificial turf; concerns were raised about artificial turf heating and irrigation needs for large commercial installations.

Other changes the commission reviewed included new parking‑lot planting area rules, screening standards at residential/nonresidential interfaces, clear‑vision triangle diagrams, and administrative flexibility for fence approvals. Commissioners requested that staff and legal counsel refine administrative‑flexibility language to ensure consistent treatment of applicants.

The commission moved and approved a motion to set a public hearing on March 19 at 7 p.m. to consider the landscape ordinance changes alongside proposed airport overlay revisions; staff will prepare a summary staff report and revised redlines before the hearing.