The Town of Edgewood is drafting an ordinance to restrict large grass areas and regulate future golf course development as officials grapple with declining water resources in the semi-arid region.
Town commissioners discussed the proposed “Ordinance to Protect Local Water Resources and Regulate Large Grass Areas and Golf Courses” during a workshop on Tuesday night. The draft ordinance would limit grass coverage on residential and commercial properties and impose strict water usage requirements for any future golf courses.
“We are massively running out of water,” Commissioner Patrick Milligan said during the meeting, noting that millions of gallons are being pumped daily for various uses while aquifer levels continue dropping.
The proposed ordinance would restrict grass areas to one-eighth of an acre on lots four acres or smaller, with a maximum of half an acre on larger properties. Golf courses would be prohibited from using potable groundwater or municipal water supplies for irrigation, requiring instead the use of reclaimed or harvested water systems with a minimum 30-year supply plan.
Milligan said the restrictions aim to conserve drinking water for future generations. He cited examples of residents having to drill wells 525 feet deep to reach water and others losing a foot of water annually from their wells.
The draft includes penalties up to $1,000 per day for violations and would require independent hydrological impact studies for golf course applications. Government entities would be exempt from the restrictions, though some commissioners questioned that exemption during the workshop.
Milligan also suggested the town should regulate itself, noting that government entities are often “the biggest abusers of water” for maintaining recreational fields and parks.
The ordinance includes provisions for using artificial turf as an alternative to natural grass and encourages xeriscaping with native plants. Properties already with large grass areas would be grandfathered in, with restrictions applying only to new development.
Town officials noted that New Mexico’s water laws already restrict certain water-intensive plants, with Russian olive trees being illegal to plant statewide. The town operates a wastewater treatment facility that produces reclaimed water, which commissioners said could be used for irrigation instead of potable water.
Town manager Nina McCracken suggested the water conservation measures align with Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 50-year water plan and the state’s initiatives to utilize brackish water resources.
The draft ordinance remains a work in progress, with commissioners planning additional workshops to refine the proposal before potential adoption. Officials noted the restrictions could be incorporated into the town’s existing landscaping ordinance, last updated in 2014.
