Highlands Ranch at a glance
- Water provider
- Centennial Water & Sanitation District, which operates as Highlands Ranch Water. Source
- Turf Replacement Program
- Pays $2.50 per sq ft for ColoradoScape planting and $1.50 per sq ft for low-water grass, from 250 up to 2,000 sq ft. Artificial turf replacements are no longer eligible. 2026 funds are used up and the program reopens March 1, 2027. Source
- HOA approval
- The program requires approval from the HRCA or Solstice architectural committee. HRCA's Residential Improvement Guidelines govern exterior changes. Source
- Colorado HOA law
- SB23-178 (2023): for single-family detached homes, an HOA can't prohibit artificial turf in the backyard. Front-yard changes can still need approval. Source
- Rain and elevation
- About 18.2 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Highlands Ranch station). Around 5,710 feet at Town Center (USGS). Source
Approvals come first
Most of Highlands Ranch is covered by the Highlands Ranch Community Association (HRCA), and its Residential Improvement Guidelines govern changes to the outside of your home. Start with what your association needs. We can give you a clear plan and product details to include with an approval request.
Colorado law helps here. Under SB23-178, an HOA can’t prohibit artificial turf in the backyard of a single-family detached home. It can still apply reasonable design guidelines, and front-yard changes are more likely to need approval.
Highlands Ranch Water’s program doesn’t cover turf
Highlands Ranch is served by Centennial Water & Sanitation District, known as Highlands Ranch Water. Its Turf Replacement Program pays for ColoradoScape planting and low-water grass, from 250 up to 2,000 sq ft, with HRCA or Solstice approval. Artificial turf replacements are no longer eligible, and 2026 funds are used up until March 1, 2027.
If you want both, we can plan turf for the backyard lawn or putting green, and water-wise beds you could put through the program when it reopens.
Weather and ground
At around 5,700 feet, Highlands Ranch sits higher than Denver. The Colorado Climate Center notes that most of Colorado’s severe storm damage hits the Front Range and eastern plains, with severe hail peaking around mid-June. Add the metro’s swelling clay soils, and the base, compaction and drainage under the turf matter as much as the turf itself.
Talk to Indy
Highlands Ranch is a short drive from our Englewood base. Send your address and what you have in mind, and we’ll arrange a free estimate.
A few things you might be wondering
Do I need HRCA approval for artificial turf?
HRCA's Residential Improvement Guidelines govern exterior changes, so check them and submit for approval where required. Under Colorado's SB23-178, an HOA can't prohibit artificial turf in the backyard of a single-family detached home, but it can still apply design guidelines. Front yards are more likely to need approval.
Does Highlands Ranch Water's rebate cover artificial turf?
No. The district says artificial turf replacements are no longer eligible. Its program pays for ColoradoScape planting and low-water grass, needs HRCA or Solstice approval, and its 2026 funds are used up until March 1, 2027.
Can you build a putting green in a Highlands Ranch backyard?
Yes, putting greens are one of our services. We'll look at the slope, drainage and the space you have for approach shots, and you can include the plan with any HRCA submission.
