On September 4th, Gov. Brown signed AB 349 into law, as an urgency statute – effective immediately. AB 349, which the community Association industry and CAI's California Legislative Action Committee (CLAC) have followed closely, amends Civil Code section 4735 and limits the right of a community association to restrict the use of artificial turf. Specifically, it renders “void and unenforceable” any provision in governing documents or guidelines which “prohibits, or includes conditions that have the effect of prohibiting, the use of artificial turf or any other synthetic surface that resembles grass.” If an owner installs artificial turf in response to a drought emergency, an association cannot require its removal once the emergency has passed. However, an association may still apply landscaping rules in the governing documents, to the extent the rules “fully conform” to these provisions.  Read more on CLAC's blog.