The bill promotes Xeriscape and other water-efficient landscaping on properties governed by HOAs, including common areas. It deems that any bans or restrictions on drought-tolerant plants and practices is unenforceable. It also extends water conservation requirements to special districts. 

The purpose of the legislation is to support Colorado’s efforts at water conservation. It also seeks to help communities lower their costs related to landscaping by reducing water consumption.  

“In many homeowners associations, water is about a third of their budget,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “It is very important that we are being responsible with the usage of our water, especially on the Front Range and in our rural communities who have been hit hard by the ongoing drought.” 

Sponsors of the bill stated, “Even as Colorado and other western states suffer from drought and severe water shortages, members of homeowners’ associations as well as residents of some metropolitan special districts often pay exorbitant water bills to satisfy requirements in their by-laws. By-laws can be written in a way that makes changing them time-consuming, burdensome, and cost prohibitive for an association or district. Allowing homeowner associations and special district boards to modify their master landscaping plans, will save water and lower costs.”