OGDEN — City Council members on Tuesday voted to enter into an interlocal agreement with the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District for joint participation in the Flip Your Strip program, meant to remove grass from water-wasting curbside parking strips.

According to city documents, the agreement was proposed between the two entities so Ogden City could help administer funds to qualified applicants in Ogden.

Those interested in participating in the program can apply at www.utahwatersavers.com.

Ogden City will issue permits for landscape and irrigation plans to qualified applicants upon completing a park strip conversion course through Weber Basin.

Applicants will receive a check from the city for $2.50 per square foot within 30 days of qualified, converted strip inspection. As part of the interlocal agreement, Weber Basin will reimburse the city $1.25 for each completed project each quarter.

Strips of land between sidewalks and curbs are said to be heat islands as they are surrounded by heat-absorbing pavement and concrete.

According to Weber Basin, watering parking strips typically requires 7,000 to 10,000 gallons of water per year when occupied by grass. The agency says parking strips are often inefficiently irrigated and difficult to maintain, with a significant amount of water ending up on sidewalks and roadways.

Weber Basin established the park strip conversion program last summer in response to ongoing drought conditions.

With 90% of Utah experiencing extreme drought conditions in 2021, cities and counties throughout the state began implementing landscaping ordinances in addition to seasonal water restrictions in an attempt to reduce water waste and conserve the vital but limited natural resource.

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