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Trends to watch this fall: Lawns for looks — out. Functional fields — in. Groundwater for golf courses — out. Effluent — very in.

Pima County recently adopted its first water-conservation ordinance, and officials want to kill some already approved golf courses.

And now those same officials are looking to use the county's zoning and building codes to further limit water use.

Several of the proposed changes are expected to come before the Planning and Zoning Commission next month and reach the Board of Supervisors before the end of the year.

"It's taking what we've done in terms of water conservation and taking it to the next level," said Pima County planner Arlan Colton.

The two most significant changes are a ban on groundwater for golf courses and a ban on "lawns for looks," those strips of grass found in apartment complexes and subdivision common areas. The changes would apply only to new developments in unincorporated areas.

The county has encouraged the use of reclaimed water for golf courses in the past, but it has never banned the use of groundwater.

County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry wants to stop several already approved golf courses from moving forward, and he said the groundwater restrictions would make it difficult for new proposals.

"It's likely to severely limit their expansion," he said of the proposed change, which would require that golf courses use either reclaimed water or Central Arizona Project water.

The other significant change would target apartment complexes, shopping centers and other businesses that use grass for aesthetic purposes only. The change would not affect lawns in private yards.

Kathy Chavez, county water-policy manager, said she doesn't know how much water the ban could save, but limiting grass sends an important message.

"People ask why we allow these places to have grass and then tell people to conserve water," she said.

Managers of apartment complexes that have grass say it's an important part of their marketing strategy.

"Everybody that moves here, it's because of the landscaping," said Carmen Swan, manager of the Mission Palms apartment complex on Orange Grove Road, which bills itself as a "desert oasis."

"They don't feel like it's a desert. They feel like they can escape," she said.

"It's the curb appeal that the owners wish to achieve," said Lonnie Herell, manager of nearby Orange Tree Village.

Those strips of grass may be the exception, rather than the rule, in Pima County, but Val Little, executive director of the Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona (CASA), said she believes the savings could be substantial, though she couldn't put a number on it.

"If you look at every commercial development and apartment complex that has a little 4-foot strip of grass that has to be mowed and watered, it's just not a good use of a scarce resource," she said. "It's wasteful, and there's a huge savings as well."

Orange Tree Village took out much of its grass 10 years ago to conserve water but kept a few strips along the entrance and main roads. Mission Palms can afford to water its lush landscaping because it has its own well, Swan said.

But instead of going after water use per se, the county proposes changing the ground-cover section of the zoning code to ban turf that isn't "multipurpose," that is, also used for playing.

The proposed changes were adapted by the county's water-conservation task force from a list of "ideals" developed by Water CASA. Little said she is pleased the county is considering the changes.

"As an organization, we said we wanted to be on record. In an ideal world, what would the area look like?" Little said. "We did not expect they would be adopted."

Other proposed changes include:

● Banning groundwater use on all turf facilities larger than 10 acres, including county parks.

● Creating incentives to use water-harvesting techniques.

● Requiring all commercial buildings to use automatic faucets and waterless urinals.

● Banning water features like fountains and ponds larger than 50 square feet.

● Requiring individual metering in multifamily dwellings.

● Requiring irrigation systems to have rain sensors or seasonal adjustment to prevent needless watering.

● Requiring irrigation systems to be reclaim-ready, should it become available.

● Requiring new pools and spas to come with a cover to prevent evaporation.

On StarNet: Find out ways in which you can conserve water at azstarnet.com/earth911