CONSERVATION: Summerlin plans tighter water restrictions

As concern about water in Southern Nevada grows, the Summerlin master-planned community finds new ways to expand its water conservation programs. The developer of the community recently announced plans to retrofit existing turf landscapes in some common areas and will partner with the Southern Nevada Water Authority to tighten its water conservation guidelines that were initiated last year.

Summerlin was the first community in the Las Vegas Valley to implement water conservation guidelines, according to Tom Warden, vice president of community and government relations for The Howard Hughes Corp.

"While Summerlin has promoted water smart landscapes since its inception, we took a giant step forward last year when we applied our new guidelines to all new individual home construction," Warden said.

"Today, it's not enough to save water in common areas, such as parks and streetscapes. Our water resource challenges are such that everyone, including individual homeowners, needs to do their part. As the valley's largest master-planned community, Summerlin can and does make a big impact on our valley's water conservation, so we are more than happy to participate. Quite simply, it's the right thing to do."

Warden works with the authority on behalf of Hughes and Summerlin home builders to adjust the guidelines for the authority's Water Smart Home program, which is under development.

Summerlin has plans to retrofit several major common areas, including the north roundabout island at Town Center Drive and Village Center Circle, according to Warden.

"Built in 1991 when the community was new, the roundabout encompasses almost 100,000 square feet of turf. Thanks to the participation of the Summerlin North Community Association, the turf will soon be removed and replaced with a beautiful water smart landscape."

The Summerlin North Community Association and The Howard Hughes Corp. will jointly fund the project with assistance from the water authority's landscape rebate program, which offers funds for conversion of turf to more drought-tolerant landscape.

"We are pleased and gratified our homeowners feel as we do about saving water," Warden said. "The board of the Summerlin North Community Association, comprised entirely of residents, voted to retrofit the roundabout, and we appreciate their willingness to get behind the water-saving initiative, despite the steep price tag."

Warden said the cost of the retrofit will exceed $400,000.

"Summerlin turned off its water fountains and other water features last year, long before the SNWA required it," Warden said. "Today, the only decorative landscaping installed in common areas is water smart and turf areas are limited to parks designated for recreational use. We stopped designing decorative-use turf more than a year ago."

Summerlin ranked as the country's best-selling master-planned community for much of the last decade, according to independent surveys.

Situated along the western rim of the Las Vegas Valley, the community is home to 107 neighborhood and village parks, more than 100 miles of trails, houses of worship, shopping centers, medical facilities, cultural facilities, business parks and nearly 120 model homes.

Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums are available, priced from the high $200,000s to more than $2 million. Custom-home sites are priced from the $500,000s to more than $1 million.

Apartments offer rents starting from the low $800s.

For more information, visit www.reviewjournal.com/real estate and click on the Summerlin link.

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