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Roseville Public Works, Environment and <br />Transportation Commission <br />Agenda Item <br />Date: September 24, 2019 Item No: 5 <br />Item Description: Best Management Practices for Lawns <br />Background: <br />There has been significant interest from this Commission and the City Council about increased <br />efforts to reduce the use of water for irrigation of lawns. There have been several ideas proposed <br />including an additional water rate tier, rebates for new controllers and supercharged and targeted <br />outreach efforts. <br />In an effort to develop the outreach efforts, we have asked Professor Daniel Sandor to come <br />present on his research related to best management practices for lawns including irrigation <br />controller technology and even what type of turfgrass to use. Professor Sandor is a postdoctoral <br />associate in the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota <br />From his profile page on the U of MN website: <br />"My research interests emphasize the selection & utilization of drought -resistant turfgrasses in <br />the lawn and the implementation of improved irrigation tools such as smart controllers and soil <br />moisture sensors for residential and commercial sprinkler systems to significantly reduce water <br />usage while meeting the needs and expectations of the consumer. Other research areas include <br />the use of best management practices for weed control, and the identification & refinement of <br />current turfgrass management beliefs, behaviors, and preferences for lawns in the urban <br />environment. <br />My outreach -education efforts are centered upon water conservation practices for urban lawns <br />and cover subject areas including turfgrass selection and establishment, mowing, fertility, and <br />irrigation. I am a strong, passionate advocate of turfgrasses and I am devoted to sharing the <br />multitude of environmental, functional, aesthetic, and recreational benefits they provide. My <br />programming efforts have been shared with audiences ranging from a small handful of municipal <br />officials and city council members to large crowds of hundreds of lawn -care professionals and <br />landscape contractors." <br />Recommended Action: <br />Receive presentation by Professor Daniel Sandor <br />Attachments: <br />A. Presentation <br />