Soak It Up rebate
Homeowners can receive up to $5,600 to replace lawn or invasive weeds on private Shoreline property with native landscaping that absorbs rainwater.
Tato příležitost je nyní dostupná v angličtině.
The rebate reimburses approved native-landscaping work on private property in Shoreline, Washington. Homeowner gardens can cover 400–800 square feet, including several smaller gardens on the same property. The maximum is $7 per square foot, up to $5,600, and you receive only your actual eligible paid expenses if these are lower. A 400-square-foot project can receive up to $2,800.
Eligible costs include approved plants (up to $30 per shrub, groundcover or flowering perennial/annual and $150 per tree), compost up to 3 inches deep, woody mulch up to 4 inches deep, project-specific tool rentals, lawn or weed removal and disposal, soaker-hose or drip irrigation connected to an existing outdoor water source, and edging that keeps adjacent lawn out. Contractor labour qualifies only where the contractor holds current Washington State and Shoreline business licences and any applicable contractor licences. Your own or volunteers’ labour, purchased tools, personal gear, chemicals, membership fees, unapproved areas and unrelated features such as ponds, electrical elements, lighting, paved paths and garden structures are excluded.
Native landscaping helps rainwater soak into the ground. The required shrubs and trees can also contribute to the city’s climate goals: healthy trees remove and store carbon dioxide.
Eligibility
- You must own private property in Shoreline and propose a new, voluntary project. Required stormwater mitigation is excluded. A property can receive only one rebate in its lifetime.
- Convert existing lawn or invasive weeds where rainwater falls or flows. Areas near mature evergreen trunks that do not receive rainwater are ineligible. Do not remove the lawn or weeds or begin sheet mulching before approval.
- Call 811 to mark utilities before digging. Remove invasive weeds physically; herbicides are prohibited. Plants on Washington State or King County noxious-weed lists cannot be planted and must be kept out throughout the ten-year maintenance period.
- At least 50% of plants must be native, with a variety of plant types including at least 20% shrubs and trees. Mature plants must cover at least 60% of the garden.
- For heavily compacted soil that cannot be dug with a shovel, till 5–8 inches deep, scarify the subsoil and mix in 3 inches of compost. Never till or scarify under tree branches. For soil that is not heavily compacted, or lies under tree branches, gently loosen it with a broadfork or similar tool and immediately spread 3 inches of compost.
- Top the bed with 3–4 inches of woody mulch; garden paths need 5–6 inches of woodchips. Bark, synthetic or dyed mulch, plastic sheeting and weed-barrier fabric are prohibited.
- The owners must sign a ten-year maintenance covenant, an agreement attached to the property title. City staff can inspect the garden and conduct checkups every two years. Removing even part of the garden or failing to maintain it can require repayment of the entire rebate. If you sell, the new owner takes over maintenance for the remaining term.
How to apply
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- Fresh applicants must complete the required site visit between 1 September and 25 November 2026 before applying.
- Applicants who complete the required site visit can submit complete applications for 2027 funding by 15 January 2027; selection is competitive, with notification in February 2027.
Request the required free site visit through the City of Shoreline’s linked form now. The visit must take place between 1 September and 25 November 2026 before you apply for 2027 funding. The city says it will contact you within three business days to arrange the visit.
Submit a complete application by 15 January 2027 through the programme page, or request a printed application from Christie Lovelace at CLovelace@ShorelineWA.gov or 206-801-2420. Include a site plan showing garden dimensions, its position relative to a permanent feature, proposed plant positions and non-plant features. Your plant list must give names, Washington native status, quantities and a plant key matching the plan.
Wait for approval before starting or purchasing reimbursable materials. Funding prioritizes projects with the greatest community and environmental benefits; applicants will be notified in February 2027. Complete the approved work by 31 December 2027 and request a final inspection.
Submit detailed paid receipts or invoices dated after approval, identifying the goods or service, cost, tax, payment method, proof of payment and vendor or contractor. Sign the maintenance covenant to receive your cheque by mail, normally 3–6 weeks later. The city states that the rebate is taxable.