The first step of the grass removal process is to update your landscape plan with the City of Tempe Planning Division. A Development Plan Review landscape approval letter from Planning is required and must be submitted to Conservation with your application before the rebate can be approved. The quality of the application, content of materials submitted and responsiveness of the applicant to make changes in a timely manner to meet design criteria and code requirements will impact the timing of receiving the rebate. The time of year may also impact the process due to seasonal temperatures required for turf removal (May to August, when grass is actively growing) and ideal planting season (October or March).

Once a complete application is submitted to Conservation on the rebate application page, with all of the required information, the application takes six to eight weeks to be funded.

See below for steps and further guidance.

• If you do not have an existing site plan or landscape plan, then submit a public records request

• Go to the Public Records Request page and submit a public records request for your existing landscaping plan (note: depending on the age of the property, there may not be documents available, but any records found will be provided. An administrative fee is required, typically $10)

• Contact conservation@tempe.gov to schedule a virtual meeting with staff from both Water Conservation and Planning to review requirements of the applications
• Provide staff the address of the site so they can do research prior to the meeting to familiarize themselves with the site

• Look at the requirements for street trees, parking lot landscape islands, landscape buffers, and other requirements that may apply to the site in the zoning code landscape requirements before the scheduled meeting

• You do not need a registered landscape architect to draft the plan but it must meet certain criteria
• You do need someone who knows plant species and knows how to draw plans with the following information:
  • North Arrow & Scale (bar scale and number scale, such as 1” = 10’)
  • Legible writing - if not typed, print neatly so that it can be read
  • Legend of all plants existing and proposed – existing are shown as dashed symbols, new are solid symbols
  • Each plant needs a unique symbol, the name and size of plant at the time of planting listed
  • The symbols should be similar in scale to the mature size of the plants, so that tree canopies and shrubs have sufficient room to grow
  • Vision triangles should be shown by driveways for safety, no shrubs taller than 2’ in this area
  • Plants near public sidewalks should not be thorned or spiked
  • Plants within 6’ of the public sidewalk should have a mature size of less than 3’
  • A list of plants that have mature heights of 2’ and 3’ are available in the Zoning Code Appendix B and Appendix C
  • More information is available in the Zoning Code, Chapter 7 Landscape, and in Appendix A-IV

• Click on the link to the application packet, review all of the requirements in the checklist to make sure a complete submittal is made (incomplete submittals will not be reviewed)
• The application is made through the online portal
• Instructions on how to use the portal are available on the website
• Planning will contact you to introduce themselves
• First review takes 15 business days

• Planning will reach out to you within 15 business days
• If after reviewing the comments, you have questions, contact the planner for questions
• Once a resubmittal is made that meets the design criteria and code requirements, the planner will issue a letter of approval, and you will receive an automated notification that the approval letter is available on the portal
• Once obtained, save your letter of approval for the next step

• Apply for the Grass Removal and Conversion Rebate on the  Rebate Portal. Be sure to include your letter of approval from the Tempe Planning Department

• Install your project according to your approved plan

• Follow instructions on the Planning approval letter and Conservation Rebate Terms and Conditions for final inspections from Planning and Water Conservation

• Your rebate check will be sent via mail within six to eight weeks

Questions?

For questions or inquiries, contact Tempe Water Conservation at conservation@tempe.gov or 480-350-8351.