September 2026

Bay Breeze

In This Issue

From the President

Jackie Marsey, Paradise Garden and Landscape, Inc.

Fall is almost here, and apparently 2026 has no intention of slowing down long enough for us to catch our breath.

If I am being completely honest, I am struggling to keep up. As the owner of a landscape design and build company, I wear many hats and often feel pulled in too many directions. I want to be fully present with my clients, creative in my designs, available to my team, and involved in our industry, all while making sure I do not miss a single detail. For me, the details are everything.

This summer has been our busiest ever, and I have stretched myself too thin. When that happens, the details I care about most can begin slipping through the cracks. That is difficult to admit, but burnout is something many business owners and landscape professionals experience, even if we do not always talk about it.

Fall brings its own kind of pressure. In addition to our everyday workload, there are educational events, conventions, family commitments, children returning to school, and everything else competing for space on our calendars. Before we know it, we will also be preparing contracts for 2027, updating standard operating procedures and employee handbooks, renewing insurance policies, reviewing budgets, and planning for another year. Apparently, a “fall reset” comes with a very long to do list.

Even so, this season gives us an opportunity to pause, take an honest look at what is working, and make changes before the new year arrives.

Lately, I have felt a strong need to get my hands dirty and return to what I do best: transforming a tired, rundown yard into something beautiful. There is something grounding about stepping away from the emails, paperwork, and constant decision making and reconnecting with the work that made me fall in love with this industry. Sometimes the best way to find our direction is to return to where we started, preferably with a shovel in hand.

I have also been reminded how important it is to reach out to our peers for advice and support. One of the greatest benefits of being part of CLCA is knowing that we do not have to figure everything out alone. Our fellow members understand the challenges of this industry because they are living them too. They share their knowledge, offer honest advice, answer questions, and help one another through difficult seasons.

Auxiliary Report

Happy fall! Trees are already changing color for winter and it seems to be cooling down. Enjoy this early start to fall. Christmas and Hanukkah will be here before you know it.

Thank you to Mary and Barry Cohen and Cindy Singletary for hosting the Auxiliary potluck at the Cohen’s house in Saratoga. It was pretty hot, but we all had a marvelous time chatting about summer activities and what’s on the calendar for the rest of the year. Food as always was delicious. Thank you to Dominic Bryan for doing a superb job at the barbecue. Rick Camin may want your help at the upcoming Chapter Picnic! And yes, the rumors are true that the Cohens will be moving to Arizona toward the end of 2026 to be closer to two of their daughters. Everyone in the Auxiliary and the Chapter wishes them well in their next adventure. We will miss their steady presence at CLCA events.

The Chapter Picnic is here! Come join us on Sunday, September 13 at Cuesta Park in Mountain View for a great barbecue lunch, featuring salmon, tri-tip, chicken, sausages, hot dogs and all the sides you could want. Deadline to sign up is Tuesday September 8. Bring your A-game for the horseshoe tournament as I’m sure the competition will be fierce again this year. The picnic starts at 11:00 a.m., the horseshoe tournament will begin around 11:30 and lunch is around 12:30 p.m. The chili cook-off and a dessert competition round out the day. We have marvelous cooks and bakers in our group so be prepared to go off your diet on that day. Thank you to everyone on the committee (Rick and Marina Camin, Vicky Parrott, Alice Domine, Cindy Singletary, Charlene Ott, Jackie Marsey and Girvin and Lesley Peters) for making this event a success. All are welcome to attend the Picnic.

Coming up after the Picnic is the Auxiliary’s last meeting of 2026 on Wednesday, October 14 at 6 p.m., venue still to be determined. This meeting is paid for by the Chapter and hosted by Chapter President Jackie Marsey. A Paperless Post invitation will go out later in September with all of the details. I look forward to welcoming a few new members to the Auxiliary in the coming year.

Lesley Peters
Garden Designer (retired now!)
650-444-4580
gpland@sbcglobal.net

Chapter Picnic

The Chapter Picnic is right around the corner! Come join your CLCA family at the Chapter Picnic at Cuesta Park in Mountain View on Sunday, September 13, starting at 11 a.m. The horseshoe tournament starts the day as soon as all of the teams are assembled, with a barbecue lunch around 12:30 p.m. Thank you to our picnic committee (Chair Rick Camin, Alice Domine, Vicky Parrott, Michelle Ott, Cindy Singletary, Girvin and Lesley Peters, and Charlene Ott) for putting this event together.

Games for all ages will be available throughout the day. Start practicing your horseshoe skills. The team to beat is Joesph Domine and son Alex, capturing the title again in 2025. There was fierce competition until the final horseshoe was thrown! Come on out and join the tournament.

Dust off your recipe’s! The dessert competition is back, as well as the chili cook-off. We have some awesome bakers and cooks in this group, young and old, and it is refreshing to see old family recipes being passed down to the next generation. A reservation form is available below and a Constant Contact invitation will also go out soon. Pricing is the same as last year, $10 for adults and kids 12 and over, $5 for children under 12.

A day filled with great food, great fun, and great friends. How could you go wrong with this combination? I look forward to seeing you there.

Download Reservation Form

2026 New market opportunities for landscape professionals across all property types

Landscapers can play a pivotal role in helping public agencies prepare for California’s new turf requirements. Beginning in 2027, Assembly Bill (AB) 1572 will prohibit the use of potable water to irrigate nonfunctional turf, or lawns that serve no recreational or community purpose. Public agencies and educational institutions will be among the first required to comply. This timeline creates an immediate opportunity for landscape professionals to guide clients through assessing, planning, and converting turf to low-water landscapes, instead of merely leaving lawns brown.

Assembly Bill 1572 applies to all public, commercial, industrial, and institutional properties. Government-owned or maintained sites such as libraries, courthouses, police and fire stations, public utilities, streetscapes, schools, universities, and parks, must meet the new requirements by Jan. 1, 2027. After that date, irrigating nonfunctional turf with drinking water may result in civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, making early action essential.

Landscape professionals can help clients move beyond basic compliance by connecting them with Valley Water’s Landscape Rebate Program, which offers up to $100,000 per site for replacing high-water-use landscapes and upgrading irrigation systems. Visit WaterSavings.org to explore available rebates, confirm eligibility, and begin an application. For official guidance on AB 1572 and nonfunctional turf regulations, visit NonfunctionalturfCA.org and contact the local municipality.

Landscape managers can benefit from our Large Landscape Program, administered by Waterfluence. This free irrigation management platform offers tools and resources to improve water-use efficiency. Thousands of public properties are already enrolled, giving landscape managers access to irrigation budgets, controller maps, leak alerts, and water-use data. Visit Waterfluence.com and use the “Find Your Site” map to check whether a client’s property is enrolled and request access to support irrigation assessments and water-wise improvements.

Landscape professionals are essential partners in helping public agencies adapt to California’s new turf requirements. By leveraging Valley Water rebates and tools like Waterfluence, contractors can expand their business while supporting water conservation and creating more sustainable public landscapes. As agencies prepare for the 2027 deadline, Valley Water is ready to help landscape professionals lead the transition to a more water-efficient future.

Upcoming Events

SFBA Chapter Board of Directors Meeting

Thursday, September 24th @ 5pm
Peninsula Building Materials – Mountain View

CLCA Members are welcome to attend
Contact Jackie Marsey jackie@paradiselg.com

Annual Chapter Picnic

Cuesta Park in Mountain View

Sunday, September 13th @ 11am

REGISTER

How landscape professionals can help clients prepare for California’s changing water requirements

California’s changing water requirements are creating new opportunities for landscape professionals to help clients save water, reduce costs and maintain attractive landscapes. Under Assembly Bill (AB) 1572, the use of drinking water to irrigate nonfunctional turf will be prohibited at institutional properties, including schools, beginning Jan. 1, 2027. The prohibition expands to commercial and industrial properties beginning Jan. 1, 2028, and to common areas maintained by homeowners associations (HOAs) beginning Jan. 1, 2029.

To prepare clients for AB 1572, landscape professionals can identify nonfunctional turf and develop phased landscape conversion plans. They can also help clients take advantage of available rebates to replace high-water-use landscapes. Commercial properties may get rebates up to $100,000 per site to replace high-water-use landscapes and upgrade irrigation systems. Visit WaterSavings.org to learn about available rebates, determine eligibility, and begin an application.

Valley Water’s Large Landscape Program, administered by Waterfluence, helps landscape professionals strengthen the value they provide clients by improving irrigation efficiency through objective performance monitoring and other insightful tools. The free irrigation management platform compares actual water use with a site-specific irrigation budget based on landscape characteristics and local weather. It also provides controller maps, water-use reports, and alerts that help identify leaks, scheduling issues, and inefficient irrigation equipment. With these insights, contractors can prioritize maintenance, optimize irrigation schedules, document performance, and demonstrate measurable water savings to clients.

Thousands of commercial, multifamily and public landscapes are already enrolled in the program. Landscape professionals can request access to enrolled properties to review irrigation performance, coordinate improvements with property representatives, and track progress over time, all at no cost. Visit Waterfluence.com and use the Find Your Site tool to determine whether a client’s property is enrolled and request access.

As water conservation continues to be a priority across California, landscape professionals play a critical role in helping clients improve irrigation efficiency, reduce costs, and create resilient, water-wise landscapes. Valley Water is committed to supporting contractors with the tools, data, and resources they need to deliver long-term value for their clients.

CLCA Member Benefit

Partner Spotlight

The Month’s Partner Spotlight is SavATree

A licensed and accredited tree, shrub and lawn care company, SavATree provides landscape stewardship to residential, commercial and municipal properties. Our International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborists rely on extensive knowledge and expertise to add value, safety and beauty through programs tailored to the specific needs and individual characteristics of each landscape.

With over four decades of experience, SavATree utilizes the most advanced technology and equipment to provide quality, reliable and efficient service. We rely on the latest scientific research including in-house trials, design many of our tools and specialized equipment, and offer several exclusive, patented products. Learn more about SavATree.

Diamond Partners