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Mandatory Turf Conversion and Desert Shores

The Las Vegas Valley is in an extreme drought status. While strict restrictions have been in place for the past several years, the continued decline in the Lake Mead water level has resulted in additional restrictions that were made into law during the 2021 Nevada State legislative session. In July 2021 the Nevada State Legislature voted AB 356 into law requiring all HOAs and commercial properties to remove all nonfunctional turf by December 31, 2026.
This law tasked Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) to determine what constituted nonfunctional turf.  SNWA produced an Implementation Plan in January 2022. The three items that affect our community are:

  • Any turf that is within 10’ of a street.

  • Any turf that is in an area that is less than 1,500 contiguous square feet in size.

  • Any turf that is not accessible or used as a park.

AB356 
SNWA Implementation Plan

The Desert Shores Board of Directors met with the Association attorney and CPA, investigated different options regarding the overall expense. The April 2022-2023 Budget Mailer (see link below) addressed the need to obtain an updated Reserve Study to determine how much much turf the DSCA has that would be considered nonfunctional turf, based on the three items above. The next step was to determine an estimated cost for the required conversion. 

2022-2023 Budget Mailer
Supplemental Reserve Study

Desert Shores has unique considerations. The lake side greenbelts are not easily accessible and in quite a few cases, there is not sufficient space to get a backhoe behind the docks, meaning that the work in these areas will need to be completed manually and that means a higher cost per square foot versus grass alongside a street.

Representatives from Desert Shores met onsite with SNWA to look at each of the areas where the Association has turf.  A case was made and we were able to secure most of the turf at the lake ends as functional. Waiver requests were submitted to SNWA for all areas with turf.  The maps below show what the Association can and cannot keep. 

Waiver Maps

The Board looked at multiple options to fund the turf conversion mandate. The estimate for our property is $4.6 million dollars. The Board looked into 2 different loan options, both of which would have required a large increase to the monthly HOA assessments, would require Association assets to secure the loans, and would have increased the overall cost to owners by around an additional million dollars on top of the actual cost for the conversion. 

After consulting their various professionals, the Board voted to charge a one-time Special Reserve Assessment (SRA) of $1,600 for Single Family Units (SFU) and $800 for Condos. This is how the Association governing documents allow for assessments to be split. SFUs are a full assessment and Condos are half. Many owners felt that the homes along the lake sides should pay a larger assessment. This option was researched with the Association attorney and it was verified that the Board is required to follow how the governing documents set up assessments.

The Board understood that the additional cost of the SRA may be difficult for many owners, they voted to allow a 24-month payment plan that began October 1, 2022, when the SRA was charged.

On July 13, 2022, The Board of Directors held a Town Hall meeting. This Town Hall was attended by the Board, Management, Association Attorney, Association CPA, Association Landscapers and Southern Nevada Water Authority.  The purpose of the Town Hall was to share the information and plan to date. 

Town Hall Presentation
SNWA Presentation

 Your Board and Management have been working to make the best long-term decision for DSCA.
Nevada law dictates that that we must comply.
As homeowners of Desert Shores, we are in this together.
Our goal, as always, is to preserve the assets of DSCA (specifically our lakes) and continue to make Desert Shores a Premier Las Vegas Community to buy in, live in and enjoy!


DSCA Turf Conversion Projects (divided into eight phases).

 

Phase 1  -

Regatta Drive – this phase is 95% completed – rebate of $93,000 received for this phase.  The hold up is the sign monument renovation at Regatta Drive and Buffalo Drive at the main entry.  The plan is to renovate the sign monuments before the artificial turf is installed on these corners. The permit process has taken many months longer that first anticipated.  As soon as the sign monuments are complete then the artificial turf can be installed.  The Association received $3.00 / sq ft for the first 10,000 sq ft and $1.50 / sq ft for the remaining sq ft. 
 

Phase 2 -

Lake Sarah – lake sides and south end – has been completed. Application for final review and to receive the approved rebate has been submitted to SNWA. $54,487.50 is the anticipated rebate.

 Phase 3 - 

 Soaring Gulls Drive – remaining turf areas – has been awarded to Park West Landscape. Project to begin late October.  The landscapers have begun spraying the Bermuda grass before it goes dormant. 
















Remaining Phases:

  • North Lake Jacqueline lake sides – north of the bridge

  • Lake Madison lake sides

  • Lake Lindsey lake sides

  • South Lake Jacqueline side along Regatta Drive and small areas along Mariner (top tier of the turf along Regatta)

  • Corner of Regatta and Breakwater3 Corners at Mariner and Regatta

  • 2 Patches of turf on San Marino

  • Outside of DSCA Office – around the circle, along parking lot