This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In the interest of preserving water, the Salt Lake City Council unanimously agreed Tuesday to amend a citywide zoning ordinance to allow xeriscaping in front and side yards.
The 7-0 vote means residents only have to have one-third of their yards covered with some form of vegetation, while gravel, mulch or boulders - so long as it's 3 inches deep - can cover the rest.
The move brings into compliance the scores of capital yards that technically have been illegal. It also should encourage more people to be "water wise," council members said.
The ordinance also allows vegetable plants so long as they don't extend higher than 2 feet.
- Derek P. Jensen
