Green turf, red tape: A Salt Lake City man fights the city to keep his artificial turf

[@amigo4909]

The company that installs the turf should always know the ordinances of every city they work in.

[@deniselittle5558]

maybe, but so should a homeowner find out for themselves.

[@dawsie]

@@deniselittle5558so I take it every time you do modifications to your yard you first run off to city hall to see what it is you can and can not do. In the case of the turf issue the city SHOULD have released a statement to all residents and corporations within their city council areas. ALL changes for all residents and communities should have been sent an updated statement as to what they can and cannot do. What this government did was buried it under a lot of waffling and never sent out the notices to all the homes highlighting the changes. That is poor management. What is even worse is they said in the same breath he can have that artificial turf in his backyard because it’s out of site and not considered as “LANDSCAPING” that is a double standard in itself.

[@TravisGrant-q9f]

Folks in salt lake city should stand up for this man 😊

[@robertowens3122]

The second they said he can put it in the back yard they killed their PFAS argument for the front yard.

[@dawsie]

Yep that’s exactly what I thought as well talk about waffling through their but.s

[@ExtremeSnowRemoval]

A high quality artificial grass looks way better than these clowns who throw down a bunch of rocks and then have weeds growing thru a month later.

[@mylifewithmarmalade4624]

Or put down plastic weed barrier under the rocks which blocks water drainage and becomes a much worse microplastics issue. But that’s totally permissible.

[@shallbetterdj]

City laws being stupid

[@jeannemckee2009]

What a crock!! All for control, we can but you cant.

[@elitehuntclub]

Does this mean they'll be tearing out all the highschool foodball fields in SLC and U of U's football fields and sport fields? NOPE... another "Law for thee, but not for me" situation... Either it's actually bad for people and the environment and ALL of it has to go, or shut up and move out of the way.

[@OmarF-zu5mm]

Its a dumb law

[@MikesDIY]

That's a rediculous law that should be changed, but the company that installed it should have known. This isn't the first time I've heard of a city ordinance that bans turf. The reason that company is willing to replace it at no cost is because they would have to do that and refund his money if he sued them. If a contractor built a shed that violated city code, it would be the contractors fault.

[@OmarF-zu5mm]

Its the first time I heard of it. Its been shut down in every california city that tried to ban it. Because there is no reason for it.

[@deniselittle5558]

Why don't you think a home owner should be responsible to know if he is allowed ot have artificial turf?

[@justsomelovelylady]

Let him have his turf, it doesn’t look bad at all and helps him

[@johnlundgren5085]

If I'm the homeowner and you are now telling me that I can't have Non watering grass, but your a Disabled person let's file a A.D.A violation lawsuit against the city of Salt Lake city, Utah for 150 million dollars how you going to handle that????????.

[@pleasebesafe-c2p]

@@johnlundgren5085 well said. The artifical turf lets him go anywhere on his property.

[@Fred-mp1vf]

I saw an artificial lawn with a plastic dandilion in the middle to make it more realistic. 😅

[@mylifewithmarmalade4624]

Realistically this was about aesthetics. Back in the 90s artificial turf looked obviously artificial. Technology has improved vastly. Today there are some high end artificial turf products that look far more natural, and drain as well or better than grass. Yes microplastics are a concern. But if you’re really that concerned about microplastics, and forever chemicals, start by banning plastic grocery bags and teflon cookware, not artificial turf. You know what also gets hotter than grass and can look a bit funny? Xeriscape with lots of rock and gravel. But that’s perfectly allowed and even lauded for water conservation.

[@Marynicole830]

Right? This is a city that doesn’t get a lot of rainfall. They need people to have non traditional lawns. I understand why this guy doesn’t want a rock, gravel or dirt yard, his wheelchair would have trouble. This is a perfect solution for his mobility and water conservation. Not many people like artificial turf, i don’t think enough people would get it to even make a difference with microplastics considering the other issues we have. When we cut down on those issues maybe we can talk (talk not be completely against it) but until then let the guy have a lawn he can comfortably use.

[@briandavis8629]

The government says DO AS WE SAY NOT AS WE DO.

[@junkman8742]

Neighbor complaining

[@Fred-mp1vf]

My neighbor has had artificial turf for years and no one has complained..

[@realstatistician]

Yep. City wouldn’t have done anything if a neighbor hadn’t reported him.

[@ExtremeSnowRemoval]

If he’s not in an HOA this shouldn’t matter. Why is the state over stepping?

[@Bodiddly2106]

Not the state, the City.

[@Fred-mp1vf]

It's about contaminating ground water. It doesn't matter if it's HOA. Still, the law makes no sense if it only applies to the front lawn.

[@dawsie]

@@Fred-mp1vfactually they blow that statement out of the water when they said in the same breath he can have the artificial lawn in his backyard just not in his front yard. His front yard is considered to be “LANDSCAPING“ but his backyard is not. They are not allowing artificial turf in any “LANDSCAPING” areas which includes every single house with a front yard but NOT their backyards within the city limits. So the reason for banning the turf is a false statement on the part of the city, they just have not released their own logic is going to come back and bite them yet.

[@Fatboy53]

Make your neighbor jealous of a green lawn ordinance? What in the world who writes this garbage

[@JakeStewart1343]

The neighbor might have been the one who reported it 😂

[@NosmoKing001]

It’s a silly rule. Either ban it everywhere or allow it everywhere. The rule makes the city look like some kind of flaky HOA.

[@OmarF-zu5mm]

What grounds would you ban it?

[@skateart1180]

This law is out dated!

[@paveltolz6601]

Wait one. Artificial Turf is prohibited in SLC but the city parks have Artificial Turf?

[@catherinethemba]

Looks great.

[@OmarF-zu5mm]

Why would there be an ordinance? Turf is more safe environmentally than real grass. Less PFAS in artificial turf, no pesticides, no herbicides, no water, and now turf has no microplastics and is much much cooler. Turf has far better engineered grass now

[@Oliver-wq8vg]

Pesticides and herbicides do break down fairly quickly in the sun. Meaning they just disappear. They change into nothing. Besides, when you follow the directions., you are applying a very tiny amount. This is why you never get sick at your home when using your own lawn.

[@CuriositySake]

And those harmeful chemicals don't exist EVERYWHERE without artificial turf?

[@OmarF-zu5mm]

The are not in artificial turf anymore... just look at any of their websites

[@notimpossible4294]

2:50 What’s the point? In WVC front yard trees and grass are being changed to stone and cement driveways to accommodate the excessive numbers of cars per household including company vehicles.

[@OmarF-zu5mm]

Stephanie Duer has to start pulling up sidewalk, rocks, gravel, parking lots, all have higher temperatures than turf. Turf now by the way is 40-50 degrees lower than even a few years ago. Has ZERO PFAS (which the soil has more PFAS), will she ban soil???

[@siral2000]

Inconsistency is the most irritating problem. If it bad, it's bad everywhere. If the city thinks it's bad the city shouldn't be using it.

[@raistlinmajere2257]

The micro-plastics argument might be the stupidest thing I have heard, at least today. Every car in the world has plastic components exposed to the elements. Are those plastics not just as bad as a fake lawn?

[@rickv5833]

So stadiums who use artificial turf and many sports fields for schools are going to be banned also. Most people who lay down mulch also use a plastic big box store weed barrier has that been banned also.

[@OmarF-zu5mm]

The are worse actually.

[@OnlyTheEd]

Rules for thee, and not for me.... public property is okay to have artificial turf....private property, no....

[@realstatistician]

Ridiculous. If the city can put it in the parks there is no reason people shouldn’t be able to put it in their yards.

[@TheKnifed]

Pfas and microplastics weren't the issue when the law went into effect, it's funny when people use modern excuses for laws that went into effect 20-30 years ago

[@terryweatherford5070]

Another example of politicians dumber than a box of rocks.

[@RustyFoundry]

well that's upsetting

[@ronpeacock9939]

Paint lines on it, call it a stadium and be done with them... Or do what someone I know did... cover the yard in concrete and paint it green and let them complain... its now a large sidewalk...

[@xhades101x]

West valley city made it a nightmare for me too, I had to remove my turf and swap it for something with a slightly heavier face weight because they wouldn't give me a permit and held my business license hostage

[@KTPurdy]

Informative story. Not aware of all the issues. Clean water supply is everyone's concern, but the way the rule is written is nonsensical.

[@OmarF-zu5mm]

Has nothing to do with clean water supply. The typical artificial turf today has zero PFOA and PFOS, and under 20 parts per TRILLION of all pfas chemicals (of which there are 15,000). Soil, grass, and rain water has MORE PFAS! The environment contaminates the artificial turf, not the other way around.

[@KTPurdy]

@@OmarF-zu5mm Highly skeptical you have any idea of what elements are in artificial turf, especially per each manufacturer.

[@heroesandzeros7802]

Rules for thee, not for me. Turf: Saves water Does not require mowing, seeding, fertilizers, poisons, ... The city can use it, but you cannot. Sounds like the government to me.

[@brotheradam]

They should allow it. It doesn't need cut, but still let's water into the soil underneath it.

[@ivormectin.3046]

The water company won't be able to keep the price of water high if everyone gets fake grass...

[@ericbrowning9971]

They make some artificial turf that has many different lengths to look more natural.

[@davidsummers2616]

And in their own statement if it even breaks down, so apparently it doesn’t break down and it’s not contaminated like they say it does

[@markburton8680]

Government needs to butt out!

[@Oliver-wq8vg]

Neighbor installed artificial turf grass in his backyard directly behind me. Everything is fine until the warm days bring out all of that trapped urine from his 4 dogs. Smells like an old kennel blanket or such. Wow, I am starting to wonder if I will be able to enjoy my backyard next year? The turf has only been in since September so I have not experienced the full wrath of dog waste baking in the summer heat.

[@EricRay-tj9lp]

Only a fool would ever call that country the land of the free.

[@cgray8969]

Not entirely sure why artificial turf is being sold then in the state of Utah if it's Banned.

[@shawnhuff3920]

A lot of the cities in Utah say no turff i think that is stupid i hop this guy wins a lawsuit against the city and gets 20 million dollars from the government 🤔

[@JakeStewart1343]

I wonder where that money would come from??? 🤔

[@shawnhuff3920]

@JakeStewart1343 governor Spencer cox's Bank account 🙃🤪

[@saintracheljarodm.holy-kay2560]

SO SAD THIS IS WHERE YOU DRAW THE LINE IN THE SAND, ATTACKING A HANDICAPPED PERSON. IN A DROUGHT STRICKEN AREA, WHAT ABOUT ALL THE CHEMICALS THAT COME OF CARS, AND THE TOXINS THAT COME FROM AN EXPOSED LAKE BED(GREAT SALT LAKE). YOU ALL REALLY NEED JESUS!

[@saintracheljarodm.holy-kay2560]

And if the make you take it out plant dandelions, there edible, and have a nice flower!!!👋😇🙏👍

[@AdamBlack-h9r]

Keep it weird Utah...keep it weird.

[@sirjasonakana]

If he’s in a wheelchair would the Americans with Disabilities Act apply?. That would allow him to keep his turf

[@wendys6438]

Stop putting plastic in to the environment! If you want to reduce your water use throw down stones and sand. For accessibility, a paver path can be put in. Alternatively, if you want green, get a naturally occurring wild grass that's native to your area and you'll barely need to touch it except in the really wet seasons and even then it'll be less maintenance than imported turf grass. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@justalittlebitmo]

When did SLC become such a hot mess? Microplastics are bad for our health but so are diet sodas and smoking... I hope Tony gets to keep his lawn

[@bcwbcw3741]

I wonder if he has an argument based on his disability?

[@jjohnson3696]

the ada shoud apply.

[@Ray-h7x8e]

how much did that cost

[@johnfeola6047]

More government lunacy

[@justthejuan8160]

lol and the free city water.

[@Fred-mp1vf]

The laws make no sense at all! Either make it all inclusive or repeal it. West Valley has the worst ordinance laws of all. If your lawn has a yellow spot, or if you don't plant flowers, they fine you $1000 per day and put a lein on your property.

[@davidsummers2616]

Do as I tell you to do don’t do as I do government red tape leave them alone is artificial turf is fine

[@CARWASHCHANNEL.]

I like real green glass witch is real grass and real lawn

[@jefffoutz4024]

Most folks came West to get away from Burro-crats....

[@YouTubeUserNumber1]

"We're from the government and we're here to help. "

[@patricklora4434]

What i want to know is who is the government bureaucrat a**hole going around enforcing these stupid laws?

[@curtbremner]

More lunacy in Mormonville

[@originalfred66]

SLC is run by democrats.

[@Fred-mp1vf]

That's an idiotic thing to say. Grow up.

[@curtbremner]

@@Fred-mp1vfWhat's more idiotic than a law to prevent decreased water consumption? And, please, demonstrate your maturity by proving that any level of government in Utah is not elected by a Mormon majority. And, don't play some stupid semantic game by saying there's no such thing as a Mormon and they're all Saints. If they were, they would be better stewards of God's creation unless they're trying to promote the arrival of the end of the world in "fire" before their god's second coming.

[@oldgranny410]

Don't blame it on Mormons.

[@Oliver-wq8vg]

IT really is an issue that is being dealt with in many states.

[@Navy_VetE6]

You pay all that money to some bank all the while thinking you own your home. Sucker. YOU DON’T. You ‘rent’ it from the government only they like to call it ‘property taxes’. Stop paying your “rent” and see how long it takes for the government to seize your home, sell it to someone else, and boot you out….at the point of a gun or threat of imprisonment if necessary. Adding insult to injury, if you make any improvements at YOUR expense, that same landlord, er, government now wants to charge you MORE because you’ve increased the value of the property and try to tell you what you can or can’t do with it. Your home value is really an unrealized gain and though it’s illegal for the government to tax your unrealized gains on stocks, they get away with taxing the unrealized gains of your real estate. Property taxes are unAmerican and should be outlawed.