Landscape Design Assistance Program

Program Information

The goal of the Landscape Design Assistance Program (Design Program) is to help our Lawn to Garden Rebate Program participants develop ideas to transform their water-thirsty lawns into beautiful water-wise gardens. The Design Program provides for a 2-hour consultation with a professional landscape designer for the lawn area removed. Participants may receive a 2-hour consultation for their front lawn area or back lawn area. If participants are converting both their front lawn and back lawn, they may receive a 2-hour consultation for their front lawn area and a separate consultation for their back lawn area. Participants pay the designer a $200 fee per consultation at the time of service and are reimbursed by the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) when their lawn to garden conversion project is successfully completed.

In this Design Program, the designer will help you explore ideas and make recommendations on layout, plants and other features that may work for your front yard. The 2-hour consultation is not enough time for the designer to draw a detailed landscape plan; however, it will be enough time to discuss site issues, uses and customer needs, and to develop general landscape layout ideas, and ideas on plant choices.

Eligibility

Participants must meet the Landscape Design Assistance Program Terms and Conditions (PDF).
Participant must be currently participating in the CCWD Lawn to Garden Rebate Program.
Participants must use a CCWD Professional Landscape Designer (PDF) and complete their Lawn to Garden project to receive a Landscape Design Assistance rebate.
Customers may only participate in the program one (1) time for the front lawn area and one (1) time for the back lawn area.

Rebate Terms

Customer will pay the Landscape Designer the $200 fee at the time of their 2-hour landscape design consultation. If the customer has a consultation for their front yard and a consultation for their back yard, they will pay a $200 fee for each ($400 total).
CCWD may be required to issue IRS 1099 tax forms to customers receiving rebates totaling $600 or more in a calendar year. This includes the Landscape Design Assistance Program, Lawn to Garden Rebate and other CCWD rebate programs. More information about the potential tax on water conservation rebates.
Customer will complete and return to CCWD the Design Program Application and the receipt from the landscape designer.
CCWD will reimburse the customer the design fee, up to $200, after their lawn to garden conversion project is successfully completed. If the customer received two separate consultations, one for the front yard and one for the back yard, CCWD will reimburse the customer the design fee, up to $200 per consultation, upon successful completion of each project.
CCWD will not reimburse the fee if the customer does not complete their lawn to garden conversion project.
Any additional design services outside of the 2-hour consultation contracted between the Customer and Designer are beyond the scope of this program.

What to Expect

In a 2-hour consultation the designer will help you explore ideas for your new landscape. During the 2 hours you and the designer will review the site conditions and discuss your needs and desires for the new landscape. The designer will develop some general design ideas for the site and make general plant pallet recommendations.

Preparing for Your Landscape Design Consultation

To get the most value from your time with the designer, we recommend you have the following items ready prior to your design consultation:

Complete the Landscape Design Questionnaire (PDF).
Consider compiling a file of photos from magazines and websites to help communicate what you would like in your new front yard.

Steps to Proceed

The CCWD Landscape Design Assistance Program is intended to assist customers participating in the CCWD Lawn to Garden (LTG) Rebate Program. Customers may use the Design Program only after receiving their Lawn to Garden “Notice to Proceed” letter.

Review the list of CCWD Professional Landscape Designers (PDF) and choose 1 that meets your needs.
Schedule your 2-hour landscape design consultation. If you are converting both front and back yard lawns, you may schedule a 2-hour consultation for each. You may only schedule one consultation for the front yard and one consultation for the back yard. We recommend you complete the Landscape Design Questionnaire in advance to get the most out of your consultation.
Pay the Landscape Designer the $200 fee and ensure you get a receipt. If you have a consultation for your front yard and a consultation for your back yard, you will pay a $200 fee for each ($400 total).
Print and complete the Landscape Design Assistance Program Application (PDF) and send the application along with the Landscape Designer receipts to:
Contra Costa Water District
P.O. Box H20
Concord CA 94524
CCWD will reimburse you the design fee, up to $200 per consultation, after your lawn to garden conversion project is successfully completed. If you received two separate consultations, one for the front yard and one for the back yard, CCWD will reimburse you the design fee, up to $200 per consultation, upon successful completion of each project.