Understanding Colorado Senate Bill 24-005 and House Bill 25-1113
- katier883
- Jul 3
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 10
Understanding the contents of Colorado Senate Bill 24-005 and House Bill 25-1113, how to be compliant, and other frequently asked questions.
Senate Bill 24-005 (SB5) was introduced with the primary purpose of reducing outdoor water demands by limiting the amount of non-native, cool-season, high water use turf in landscaping. The bill intends for communities to replace the practice of installing nonfunctional, high water use turf with "water-wise landscaping" that reduces outdoor water consumption without impacting landscape functionality or quality of life.
Senate Bill 24-005 (SB5) prohibits the installation of nonfunctional turf, artificial turf, and invasive plant species on nonresidential properties for new development and some redevelopment projects on or after January 1, 2026. SB5 does not apply to existing development or new residential development.
SB5 was signed into law on March 15, 2024. On or before January 1, 2026, local entities will enact or amend ordinances, resolutions, regulations, or other laws in accordance with SB5. In 2025, House Bill 25-1113 (HB1113) passed, which both expanded and modified the requirements of SB5.
SB5 prohibited all artificial turf, however, HB1113 changes that by adding definitions for functional artificial turf, which is allowed, and nonfunctional artificial turf, which communities will still need to incorporate into their codes by the SB5 implementation date of January 1, 2026. HB1113 also adopted additional changes which include adding multifamily residential properties with more than 12 units to be applicable properties that SB5 applies to. Local entities will be required to adopt and regulate these additional changes to turf on all residential properties by January 1, 2028.
Key Definitions in SB5:
Redevelopment
Projects that require a building permit or landscaping permit, plan check, or design review, and that result in a disturbance of more than 50% of the aggregate landscape area.
Turf
Continuous plant coverage consisting of non-native grasses or grasses that have not been hybridized for arid conditions and which, when regularly mowed, form a dense growth of leaf blades and roots. Common examples include Kentucky bluegrass and fescue.
Per Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.) Section 37-60-135(2)(i).
Functional Turf
Turf that is located in a recreational use area or other space that is regularly used for civic, community, or recreational purposes, which may include a playground, a sports field, a picnic ground, an amphitheater, a portion of a park and the playing area of a golf course, such as a driving range, chipping and putting green, tee box, green, fairway, and rough.
Nonfunctional Turf
Turf that is not functional turf. Nonfunctional turf includes but is not limited to turf located in a street right-of-way, parking lot, median, or transportation corridor.
Functional Artificial Turf
Artificial Turf that is:
Located in a recreational use area or other space that is regularly used for civic, community, or recreational purposes, which may include a playground, a sports field, a picnic ground, an amphitheater, a portion of a park, and the playing area of a golf course, such as a driving range, chipping and putting green, tee box, green, fairway, and rough;
Or a component of a product designed and approved by a professional engineer for civil infrastructure projects, including but not limited to: covers for solid waste facilities and brownfield sites; and revetments for slopes, channels, levees, and dams.
Nonfunctional Artificial Turf
Artificial turf that is not functional artificial turf.
SB5 (as modified by HB1113) prohibits the use of:
SB5 Applies to All New and Some Redevelopment Projects On:
Commercial, institutional, or industrial properties
State-owned properties
Common interest community property, i.e., homeowners' association (HOA) common areas
Street rights-of-way, parking lots, medians, and transportation corridors
Residential properties are not subject to SB5 requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why does legislation prohibit nonfunctional artificial turf when it doesn't use any water?
SB5 aims not only to reduce outdoor water use but also to ensure that turf is not replaced with landscape material that could cause other environmental or health concerns. Artificial turf has considerable drawbacks despite reduced water use and the elimination of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides on landscapes. Artificial turf can cause negative environmental impacts such as exacerbating the heat island effect and releasing harmful chemicals including plastics, microplastics, and PFAs into the environment and watersheds.
To learn more about the environmental and economic drawbacks of artificial turf read the Western Resource Alliance's report: Is Artificial Turf a Beneficial Water Conservation Tool in the West?
What landscaping is allowable?
SB5 states that warm-season native and climate-adapted grasses that require significantly less water can be used in nonfunctional areas along with a range of plants, shrubs, and trees that are native or adapted to Colorado's climate.
Factors such as irrigation needs, foot traffic tolerance, appearance, maintenance requirements, shade tolerance, and salt tolerance are all important aspects to consider when selecting the right grass option. The Colorado Native Grass Guide is a great resource for selecting, installing, and maintaining native Colorado climate-adapted, and water-wise species.
Common examples include, but are not limited to:
Buffalograss
Blue grama
Buffalograss/blue grama grass mixture
Native shortgrass prairie mixture
What landscaping isn't allowable?
SB5 prohibits the use of cool-season grasses, including mixes/blends and hybrids, in nonfunctional areas of properties. Cool-season turf grasses are characterized by grasses that are not native, or climate-adapted to Colorado, which require more water to stay green and healthy.
Common examples include, but are not limited to:
Kentucky bluegrass, including blends and hybrids
Tall fescue
Fine fescue
Perennial ryegrass
What are considered invasive plant species?
Invasive plant species are plants that are not native to Colorado, can spread quickly, outcompeting native plants for space, and can have negative environmental and economic impacts. Invasive plant species are often times used synonymously with noxious weeds which are regulated under the Colorado Noxious Weed Act (C.R.S. Section 35-5.5)
SB5 defines invasive plant species (C.R.S. 37-60-135(2)(e)) as plants that are not native to the state and that:
Are introduced into the state accidentally or intentionally;
Have no natural competitors or predators in the state because the state is outside of their competitors' or predators' range; and
Have harmful effects on the state's environment or economy or both.
What are some alternatives to nonfunctional turf in nonfunctional areas?
SB5 supports the use of water-wise landscaping in nonfunctional turf areas. The statutory definition of "water-wise landscaping" places an emphasis on the use of plants that require lower supplemental water, such as native and drought-tolerant plants, and specifies that landscaping is intended to be functional and attractive.
There are a variety of resources regarding both plant materials as well as landscaping templates available to help develop alternatives to nonfunctional turf in nonfunctional areas. Western Resource Advocates' SB5 Grasses and Plants Guide provides a list of Colorado-specific resources on page 5. For resources and ideas for landscaping templates check out
Northern Water's Sustainable Landscape Templates, Plant Selects' Downloadable Designs, or Northern Water Waterwise Templates.
Resources:
Local Compliance with Colorado Senate Bill 24-005 - Western Resource Advocates
SB5 Key Considerations Guide - Western Resource Advocates
Community Hub: Landscape Transformation & Water Conservation - Western Resource Advocates
Is Artificial Turf a Beneficial Water Conservation Tool in the West? - Western Resource Advocates
SB5 Grasses and Plants Guide - Western Resource Advocates
Free Landscape Designs | Waterwise Garden Plans & Xeriscapes
WaterWise Native Plants by Region - Colorado Native Plant Society