Staff Report: Use of Artificial Turf on Boulevards and Frontages

Staff Report: Use of Artificial Turf on Boulevards and Frontages

t 250.478.7882
e administration@langford.ca
2nd Floor, 877 Goldstream Avenue
Langford, BC V9B 2X8

DATE: Monday, March 20, 2023
DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreation

BACKGROUND

The City of Langford began utilizing artificial turf on its boulevard frontages in 2017. This change was expected to lower maintenance requirements and costs, improve worker safety, lower irrigation demands and reduce financial impacts on taxpayers during a time of rapid population and development growth.

In 2017, Council was provided with a comprehensive artificial turf report outlining the anticipated costs, and return on investment, based on installation and maintenance costs of the time (2016/17). With the anticipation of long-term savings and reduced maintenance fees, the City of Langford began incorporating artificial turf in its boulevard and frontage improvements.

Due to the anticipated cost increases to the Developer for artificial turf installation, a cost sharing approach was incorporated at a 65/35 split (City pays 65%). Additionally, the City of Langford agreed to take over the maintenance of artificial turf (and all frontage landscaping) areas at the time of awarding construction acceptance landscaping (CA-L) rather than the industry standard at final construction landscaping (FA-L). Industry standard also includes a one-year warranty period to be provided by the Developer, a requirement that is still in place.

The City now has over 5 (five) years of experience working with and maintaining artificial turf. A review of the maintenance, installation and replacement costs over this period shows that the anticipated savings have not been met.

COMMENTARY

Since 2017, the prices of both artificial turf and sod have increased significantly. The cost of artificial turf, including installation, has increased 64% from $85/m2 to $133/m2. Sod installation has increased 50% from $20/m2 to $30/m2. These increases are due to inflation and recent supply chain issues caused by the pandemic (for artificial turf) and extreme Lower Mainland flooding (for sod). When installing sod (and irrigation), Developers are required to pay 100% of the costs. When installing artificial turf, the cost is a 65/35 split, between the City and developer, with the City paying 65% of install costs. Switching back to sod installation on City boulevards will result in lower costs to Developers (at $30/m2) compared to artificial turf ($46.55/m2) and no cost to the City for sod installs on boulevards.

Additional findings over the last 5 years include:

• Artificial turf requires more than the projected 3 maintenance visits per year to deal with weeds, garbage and dog waste.
• The cost for the projected 3 annual artificial turf visits equates to approximately 34 annual maintenance visits for sod. This allows for more frequent litter picking and boulevard inspections by our contractor.
• The life expectancy of artificial turf is 10-15 years, which the City will bear 100% of the cost to replace.
• Artificial turf does not support the natural breakdown of organic and inorganic materials, with only 3 maintenance trips per year, these areas accumulate waste in more abundance.
• Repair costs to artificial turf are significantly higher than the cost to repair sod.
• Artificial turf does not absorb C02 or give off oxygen like natural grass making it not environmentally friendly.
• Frequent herbicide applications are required for weed control on artificial turf. (Other weed control solutions can be found for sod).
• Inorganic materials contribute to heat island effects in dense urban areas.
• Feedback from Langford residents over the last 5 years has been generally negative.

Should Council direct staff to remove the requirement of artificial turf from Bylaw No. 1000, staff recommend returning to industry standard regarding approvals and maintenance takeover from the developer. Staff can include amendments to reinstate industry standards as part of the upcoming Bylaw No. 1000 omnibus amendment.

To summarize industry standard for frontage landscaping, the following is a brief process overview:

• CA-L is awarded once all deficiencies are rectified and approved by the Parks department;
• The Developers one-year maintenance and warranty period begins upon awarding CA-L;
• Upon the conclusion of the one-year period, FA-L is issued for all frontage landscaping installations;
• Any remaining bonding for the works being held by the City is released.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Currently the City covers 65% of installation costs accrued by the developer for installation. Installation costs accrued by the City were roughly 33k (2021) and 49k (2022), these are included into the Parks operations budget. After the 1-year warranty period, the City pays 100% of repair and maintenance costs, as well as 100% of replacement costs at the end of the life span (10-12 years). Additional cost variables include repairs and non-contract maintenance requests over and above the 3 annual visits as per the maintenance contract.

Alternatively, sod (including soil and irrigation) is installed 100% at the cost of the developer. This works out to be less costly for the developer and less costly for the maintenance, repair and replacement for the City.

Reinstating the one-year maintenance requirement required by the developers on all frontage improvements (artificial and natural) would further reduce maintenance costs taken on by the City. However, this does put maintenance costs onto Developers for one-year, although by reverting from artificial turf to sod, Developers can expect to save on installation costs. This maintenance arrangement is no different from the requirement prior to the City’s incorporation of artificial turf and meets industry standards.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

N/A

OPTIONS

Option 1
THAT Council direct staff to remove artificial turf requirements from Bylaw No. 1000 in the next omnibus amendment.
AND
Direct staff to reinstate industry standards regarding maintenance and warranty periods in the next Bylaw No. 1000 omnibus amendment.

OR Option 2
THAT Council take no action regarding the removal of artificial turf requirements in Bylaw No. 1000.

SUBMITTED BY

Wolfgang Schoenefuhs, Parks Planning Coordinator

Concurrence:
Donna Petrie, Senior Manager of Business Development and Events
Concurrence:
Yari Nielsen, Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities
Concurrence:
Matthew Baldwin, MCIP, RPP, Director of Planning and Subdivision
Concurrence:
Katelyn Balzer, P.Eng., Director of Engineering and Public Works
Concurrence:
Michael Dillabaugh, CPA, CA, Director of Finance
Concurrence:
Marie Watmough, Deputy Director of Corporate Services
Concurrence: Braden Hutchins, Director of Corporate Services
Concurrence:
Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer