Update: In a final decision, the City Council approved a compromise plan. It requires 33% of the parking strip to be vegetated.

April 18, 2000

A year-long battle over parking strips will end tonight at the Salt Lake City Council meeting. The City will make some new rules on what you can plant on that strip near the sidewalk. News Specialist Jed Boal has the story.

The city owns the strip between the street and sidewalk, and the city can tell you how to maintain it. Some are pretty ugly, others are beautiful.

Tonight, they'll change the old ordinance, but it wont' make everyone happy.

More lawns look like gardens these days. Many people extend that drought-resistant landscaping, or xeriscaping to the parking strip.

But, the city ordinance says it has to be sod, and ticketed several dozen people last summer. After objections and review, council plans to pass new rules. Homeowners must keep 50-percent vegetation (see update at top of story).

Liz McCoy was cited three times. She wants to save water and time on her lawn. She calls the new ordinance an improvement, but a disappointment.

Liz McCoy/Homeowner: I'M TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN REGARDS TO CONSERVING WATER AND THE CITY IS NOT ALLOWING ME TO DO THAT.

The council chairman calls the new ordinance a fair compromise.

Jed Boal, Eyewitness News: THE COUNCIL CHAIR SAYS THEY HAD TO BALANCE WHAT SAVES WASTER WITH A COMMON PERCEPTION OF WHAT LOOKS GOOD. LIZ MCCOY SAYS HER NEIGHBORS LIKE HER LAWN AND SAY HER PARKING STRIP WAS FINE.

Liz McCoy: MOST OF THEM LIKE IT AND LIKE THE FACT THAT IT'S UNIQUE. WE'VE HAD NOTHING BUT COMPLIMENTS.)) [14:14-14:40, school] What about the strip at a school, or the one at the LDS Conference Center?

One water conservationsist says the new LDS Conference Center would break the rules.

No one in the planning department returned our calls to confirm whether the Conference Center would break the rules. Liz McCoy says she'll plant some new drought-resistent plants.