How to Get the Turf Removal Rebate
City of Sonoma · North Bay / Sonoma County, CA
What you get
The City of Sonoma pays $1.00 per square foot for removing turf, up to a $1,000 total for single-family residential properties. The rebate is part of the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership; residents apply through the city's official turf removal rebate application (City of Sonoma; last verified July 2026).
- Residential: $1.00 per sq ft, up to $1,000
- Commercial: $1.00 per sq ft, up to $3,000
Are you eligible?
- Be a City of Sonoma customer
- Property located in: Sonoma
- Property within Sonoma city limits
- Turf removal must be pre-approved before work begins
- Replace removed turf with drought-tolerant or native landscaping per program guidelines
Before you start
Do not remove turf or begin work before you have written approval. This program requires pre-approval. Starting early can disqualify the project even if everything else is correct.
The application checklist
How to apply for the Turf Removal Rebate
These are the steps this application actually takes.
- 1
Call the city to schedule your pre-inspection
Call the City of Sonoma Water Conservation Office at (707) 933-2247 and schedule a brief pre-inspection visit. Your lawn must be green, regularly mowed, irrigated, and well taken care of at the visit.
- 2
Replace the lawn within 120 days of approval
After the pre-inspection approves your project, do the replacement. Replace the lawn with water-conserving plants, vegetable gardens, or other low-water plant material with sufficient mulch. Put the n
- 3
Schedule the post-inspection
When the project is finished, call (707) 933-2247 again to schedule the post-installation inspection. The post-inspection must take place within the 120-day period that started at your pre-inspection.
- 4
Mail your application
Fill in the application, check both inspection boxes, sign it, and mail it to: Turf Removal Rebate Program, c/o Mike Brett, No 1 The Plaza, Sonoma, CA 95476. Make copies for your own files first. The
The call below also unlocks the ready-to-file packet for this program in the app.
Get help applying
Want a hand with the application?
A 30-minute call with Stephen, the founder. He reads the Turf Removal Rebate rules with you, tells you what to photograph and file first, and answers anything this page does not cover.
Confirm your project ZIP first. If this program does not serve your address, do not buy; check your city or utility on the rebates page instead.
One-time $29.99. Guidance, not filing: you submit to the program yourself. Not legal or financial advice. Rebate amounts and approval are decided by the program.
Every program listed cites its official source, and each program page shows the date we last verified it against that source. Program details change throughout the year, so always confirm requirements, amounts, and eligibility directly with the program before starting work. Pollinator Patch is not affiliated with any rebate program and does not guarantee approval.
See a problem with a program? Report it
Programs change throughout the year. If something here is out of date or wrong, tell us and we'll check it against the provider.