
A bill was passed in the House on Friday to prevent homeowner’s associations from restricting homeowners to xeriscape their lawns.
Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, said it’s unreasonable for a landscape design to be refused because it doesn’t fit in with the other lawns in the neighborhood, according to The Dallas Morning News.
One East Dallas resident entered into a debate with the Dallas Landmark Commission after they told him a water-saving lawn, including cactuses, would not fit with the rest of the lawns in the neighborhood.
The bill passed without debate on a voice vote and will now move on to the governor.
The Environmental Protection Agency recently conducted a report on how to do water-efficient landscaping.
In the report, it noted a U.S. Geological Survey that showed of the 26 billion gallons of water consumed on a daily basis in the United States, about 7.8 billion gallons, or 30 percent, is devoted for outdoor use.