Guidelines & FAQs: ARTIFICIAL TURF

A new trend for some homeowners is to replace their grass lawn with artificial turf.  This is not an easy process to get approved.  Artificial turf may be desirable as it will use less water and, while fake, it may look nice if a good quality turf is selected….especially in areas where natural grass doesn’t grow well.  However, it can have drawbacks in that it is a source of pollution in its runoff and limits wildlife access to nutrients.  It is also subject to City of Sammamish codes regarding how much of your property can be covered by an impervious material, handling water runoff, and maybe also regarding clearing and grading.  It is not a trivial process. 

So, to be approved in Heritage Hills, the resident must follow these steps:

• To meet City of Sammamish codes, the applicant will need to hire a civil engineer to design the required drainage and possible water treatment requirements.
• The proposal needs to meet City of Sammamish lot coverage regulations. A survey of the property by a licensed surveyor will likely be required to determine the existing and proposed coverages by impervious materials.
• A clearing and grading permit will be required from the City if the project exceeds their square footage limitations.
• The applicant should meet with City officials to discuss the project and the City’s requirements for issuing a project permit.

With the city’s approval in hand, the resident can submit the proposed project to the Architectural Chair using the Architectural Request application on the Heritage Hills website.