News

From parks and trails to slopes and greenbelts, landscape is SAMLARC's largest asset, with more than 300 acres across the community. The plant palette includes combinations of California native plants, colorful ornamentals, Mediterranean-climate plants, and trees. SAMLARC takes pride in maintaining healthy plants throughout the community. However, as California’s drought mitigation measures tighten, SAMLARC is pursuing new ways to sustain a beautiful and hardy landscape environment. 

In 2015, the SAMLARC Board of Directors launched a Drought Mitigation Plan in response to California’s water reduction mandates. Assembly Bill 1572 has prompted SAMLARC to refine the plan's landscape service regimens, implement drip irrigation systems, replace nonfunctional turf grass, and leverage grants and rebates from various water agencies. These last two objectives fall under the SAMLARC Turf Conversion Program. 

Nonfunctional turf grass typically requires copious amounts of irrigation. However, replacing the turf with lower water needs plantings as well as plants that acclimatize to our local weather will reduce SAMLARC's irrigation water usage by 50% and maintenance costs by 66%. Not only does this minimize water waste, but it also fosters a resilient ecosystem adapted to the region's climate. This project is anticipated to be funded through grants and rebates from the Municipal Water District of Orange County, with no cost to SAMLARC. 

SAMLARC is starting the next portion of the Turf Conversion Program in February 2025 focusing on portions Antonio Parkway and Avenida De Las Banderas. The project is anticipated to span approximately 8 weeks.

SAMLARC has completed several turf conversions throughout the last 9 years, including Camino Montana, Via Arribo/Via Regressos (2015), Arroyo Vista Street (2022), and Altisima Street (2023), Antonio Parkway, and Avenida De Las Banderas (2025). Arroyo Vista Street and the Via Arribo/Via Regressos areas are excellent examples of what the Antonio and Banderas projects will look like once the landscape has fully matured (generally about 2 years after planting).  

Project Details  

Plant Palette: The curated plant palette is comprised of waterwise, Southern California-compatible plants, including star jasmine and natal plum carissa.

Irrigation: The current spray irrigation system will be converted to a drip system to provide water directly to the plant roots, reducing the amount of water lost to evaporation. 

Process: While individual project sites may be tailored to the unique terrain and needs, the general process spans 8 weeks. Nonfunctional turf grass is removed through a combination of agricultural herbicides and physical uprooting.  Over the next few weeks, the grass stops growing and turns yellow and brown. After the soil has been cleared for replanting, a new irrigation system and a combination of seedlings and young plants are installed.

Stay up to date on this project at SAMLARC.org/projects