So, you’re tired of that boring lawn just sitting there wasting money, water and your time to maintain it? Well, I say, “Lawn be gone!” And while your at it, how does an incentive of up to $1000 sound to get you motivated?
Julie Orr Design has been helping homeowners receive money back from lawn removals for many years, but this program was only for those living in the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
For the rest of you, the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) has teamed up with local cities and water districts to bring you rebates of upwards of $1000 to remove your lawn! So if you live in these following cities, you might qualify!

Menlo Park                    San Mateo
Foster City                    San Carlos
Redwood City               South San Francisco
 

However, this does not mean you can simply stop watering your lawn in order to kill it! You must be preapproved and receive a Notice to Proceed by a participating BAWSCA agency before any work can be done.
First you have to show that your lawn area to be converted must be maintained and healthy, and irrigated by a sprinkler system in good working condition. Your lawn needs to be a minimum of 200 square feet (smaller projects may be considered if they eliminate 100% of the front, or public visible lawn). There are also site inspections conducted by BAWSCA Member Agencies if you are unsure if you qualify.
front yard beforeIf you convert your lawn you need to have at least 50% of the converted area covered with plants when full grown. The plants must be low water users and adaptable to local climate and approved by the BAWSCA. You can ask your landscape designer, to help you chose the plants that will best work in your area. Now this doesn’t mean you can’t have paths or walkways in your converted areas, they just need to have a permeable surfaces. Also, you will have the options to completely remove your sprinkler irrigation system in the converted area, cap it in place, or convert it to a low volume drip irrigation system.
front yard afterOnce you have filled out an application, had someone inspect your yard, and received your Notice to Proceed you can finally begin your lawn removal with the help of your landscape designer. You will have three months from the time you received your Notice to Proceed to have a Post-Conversion Site Inspection of your project in order to get a final approval the participating BAWSCA Member Agency. Once approved,  you can have a mailed rebate check or you can get credit on your water bill!
Not only does this program help you with cash incentives, but you will be saving on future water bills and you will be left with a more appealing front yard!
If this program interests you then we recommend that you act now because it runs from now to June 30, 2014 and rebates are on a first come first serve basis until there is no more money to be offered! Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!
 
For more info visit BAWSCA’s site:
http://bawsca.org/water-conservation/residential-water-conservation-programs/lawn-be-gone/