The good news is, one Colorado community is now taking steps to protect residents from burdensome fines for grass gone bad. As CBS News reports, the town council in Castle Rock, Colorado, approved the first reading of an ordinance preventing HOAs from fining residents for brown lawns, while the town also issued a drought advisory. (3)
Castle Rock won’t be the first to pass this type of rule, as HOAs across the country respond to challenging weather conditions that are potentially becoming more common due to climate change. (4)
Water restrictions frustrate homeowners as a dark cloud of HOA fines hangs over their heads
As droughts make lawn care difficult, many areas have imposed voluntary or mandatory water restrictions, including Castle Rock. These restrictions affect the ability of homeowners to keep their lawns in good condition.
“I do it [water the lawn] at night when we’re supposed to, after 8 o’clock and before 5 o’clock — but it’s not enough to keep the grass green, and it won’t be for the summer,” Brett Pfleger of Castle Rock told CBS. “Water is the key, obviously. So if we can’t water, grass is going to be brown.”
Unfortunately, many homeowners who try to abide by limitations on watering lawns end up frustrated as they are caught between a rock and a hard place. They can either follow the water restrictions and risk the wrath of the HOA, or they can water more than they should, potentially getting into trouble with the town and making a water shortage worse.
“If everybody’s grass needs to be green, or you get fined, it’s an issue and a challenge,” said Pfleger. “If they’re going to fine us from the HOA, I don’t think that’s fair if they’re going to restrict our water.”
Tolerance for HOA brown lawn rules is drying up
Fortunately, local and even statewide governments are taking action to alleviate homeowner fears by preventing HOAs from fining or penalizing homeowners whose lawns are less-than-lush because they aren’t watering during a drought.
“We don’t want residents to be feeling the pressure to overwater to maintain green lawns during this very dry period, because the HOA may issue them a fine or a violation,” says Mark Marlowe, Castle Rock’s Water Director.
