What is "Nonfunctional" Grass?

A new measure passed by Nevada state legislators will make the Las Vegas metro area the first region in the U.S. to permanently ban “non-functional” grass — purely ornamental lawns common to office parks, street medians, and housing developments that require irrigation, but provide no recreational or environmental benefits. - Stormwater Report

This narrow strip of living grass or turfgrass, besides being "nonfunctional", is difficult to water, mow and maintain. It has no justification in any irrigated landscape.

What is Nonfunctional Grass?

Sometimes turfgrass is easy to identify as "nonfunctional", eg eye candy, strictly ornamental and visual. it provides no benefit outside of visual appeal. Sometimes grass is considered functional. Golf courses and athletic fields are considered "essential" because they provide a safe place to play or they return tax revenues to the municipality. Sports fields covered in grass (at least the "functional" part) is considered essential since it provides a safe place to play "rough and tumble" sports like American football, soccer, baseball, La Crosse, field hockey and the like. It might argued that "band practice" on a similar grass covered field does not qualify.

Sometimes "wall to wall" grass is hard to justify in the desert. The "functional" grass can be identified and the "nonfunctional" grass removed and replaced with "desert landscaping". This Las Vegas golf course looks much different now than it did when this picture was taken over 20 years ago. What caused the change? Primarily cost or budget. A golf course or athletic field may have both functional and nonfunctional grass in its area of play.

Twenty years ago the cost of watering an 18-hole golf course (small 18 hole is about 120 acres) was about $1 million dollars per year. Elimination of "nonfunctional turfgrass", or lawn grass used only for beautification, was also one of the seven principles of in xeriscape many years ago.

How to keep your lawn in Nevada? Justify it.