City to Let Some Lawns Go Brown

The Los Angeles City Council agreed today to turn off the sprinklers on large city lawns not used for recreation amid the statewide drought.Get Patched in! Sign up for the daily newsletter from Westwood-Century City Patch.The council also voted to instruct the Department of Water and Power and city staff to report back on the their progress in replacing the city’s turf lawns with drought-tolerant landscaping.Lawns bigger than 1,000 square feet will be required to adhere to the watering ban, while the watering of smaller lawns will be up to the building managers, a council aide said.The council made an exception for trees and shrubs, which will still be watered.A sign will be posted at the lawns to explain why the city has allowed them to go brown, and also direct residents to water conservation information.The motion approved by the council also instructs staff to provide a list of non-recreational lawns bigger than 1,000 square feet, and information on when those lawns are scheduled to be replaced with plants that require less water.--City News ServicePHOTO Patch file photo.