"It is highly recommended that new plant and sod installations... be delayed until the start of the summer rainy season (typically in June)." That line is from the City of St. Petersburg's watering restrictions fact sheet, revised September 22, 2026.
About a month after that revision, the Snell Isle Property Owners Association will set up on Snell Isle Parkway for the neighborhood's first Landscaping Expo. It runs Saturday, October 24, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 600 Snell Isle Boulevard, with a food truck, music, and free advice from local designers and plant experts. SIPOA President Frank Farkas gives the credit to Beautification Chair Beth Vogl, who organized it so members could talk through planting ideas with experts and trade ideas with each other.
The timing and the City's advice line up better than they first appear. The rules are strict this fall, but they don't hit every yard the same way. For most Snell Isle homeowners, the most important thing to know before talking to a designer is what kind of water runs through the irrigation system.
Why the rules got tighter and how long they last
The Southwest Florida Water Management District has extended its Modified Phase III water shortage order through March 31, 2027. The District says both the 2025 and 2026 rainy seasons came in below average. The 12-month rainfall deficit through August 2026 was 15.4 inches, and as of September 20, Tampa Bay Water's C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir held 7.87 billion gallons, about half its capacity.
The City's version of the order began December 1, 2025. Once-a-week watering was added on February 8, 2026. One part of the City's watering page still says the restrictions end October 1, 2026. The September 22 fact sheet replaces that date with the March 31, 2027 extension.
Here is what applies to St. Petersburg water customers inside city limits:
- Lawn and irrigation days: even-numbered addresses on Saturday, odd-numbered addresses on Sunday.
- Hours: 5 to 9 a.m. or 7 to 11 p.m. Properties under an acre pick one window, not both.
- Shrubs, beds, and drip lines: hand watering and micro-irrigation are allowed any day, but only before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
- Hand watering the lawn: only on your assigned day and in your assigned window.
Enforcement has teeth. Since April 17, 2026, the City has issued citations for first violations, with no warning first. A Class II municipal ordinance citation carries a $193 fine plus court costs, and repeat violations can go up to $500 plus court costs.
The water source behind your sprinklers
All of those limits apply to potable City water and private wells. Reclaimed water works differently. The City says reclaimed irrigation is not currently restricted under the shortage order. Reclaimed customers are asked to water no more than three days a week: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday for even addresses, and Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday for odd addresses, ideally between 5 and 9 a.m. or 7 and 11 p.m.
There's one catch. Under the City's dry-weather protocol, reclaimed pressure may drop between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., so the reclaimed supply lasts for overnight and early-morning watering. If the pressure is too low, the City asks customers to turn automatic sprinklers off.
The City's public GIS data includes at least one current reclaimed-water connection at a point that falls inside the Snell Isle Property Owners Association boundary. That doesn't mean every home on the island has it. The City says availability depends on the property and on whether reclaimed mains already reach it, and it points homeowners to its reclaimed water service map and inquiry form to check a specific address.
Look this up before Saturday. A yard on reclaimed water and a yard on City water may sit side by side on the same street, but they need very different plans this fall. Both designers and homeowners will get more out of a conversation at the Parkway if they start with the water source.
What planting in October actually involves
If your yard runs on City water and you want new plants or sod this fall, you'll need a variance from St. Petersburg's Water Resources Department. The variance lets you water new plants any day of the week, but only from 5 to 9 a.m. and/or 7 to 11 p.m. It lasts 30 days. You'll need a contractor's invoice or a receipt for materials you installed yourself, plus your name, address, and phone number. The City allows one variance every six months and grants no extensions. The fact sheet gives 892-5611 for requests. The City's watering page lists 727-893-7261, so confirm the number when you call.
Here's how the calendar plays out. Sod laid the week after the expo gets about a month of daily watering under a variance, which takes it into late November. After that, it's back to once a week through the winter, with the order in place until at least the end of March. The District's general rule gives new plants a 60-day establishment period, with daily watering for the first 30 days and three days a week for the next 30. The City's 30-day variance is shorter, and the City's rules apply first inside city limits.
That's why the City recommends waiting until June to plant on potable water. A design worked out at the expo this month can wait for the rainy season, and the drought doesn't change what it costs to plan.
A short vendor list that matches the moment
The newsletter says the expo's list of providers is "short on purpose," and that the goal is "not to confuse, but to inspire." Each name covers a different part of the work:
- Landscapes by Randy Lee, at 3210 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N., has been designing residential and commercial properties since 1990, specializing in specimen trees, plantings, lighting, hardscaping, and irrigation.
- RMS Landscapes serves Tampa Bay with coastal design and installation, 2D and 3D design, pavers, artificial turf, lighting, and irrigation.
- Wilcox Nursery & Landscape, at 12501 Indian Rocks Road in Largo, began as a family business in 1947 and sells Florida-native trees, palms, shrubs, wildflowers, and grasses.
- The Sodzilla, founded in 2020, handles sod installation and storm cleanup across St. Petersburg and Pinellas.
- Tierra Supply Co., at 2555 Blackburn Street in Clearwater, sells mulch, soil, gravel, sand, flagstone, and boulders.
- The City of St. Pete rounds out the list.
In a year like this, the list covers the useful options. Stone, mulch, and hardscape need no water at all. Native plants and a good design can wait for June. The City table is where to ask about variances, rebates, and the restrictions.
What to ask the City while you're there
City water-conservation staff give talks to community associations on reclaimed water, micro-irrigation, sprinkler self-checks, and Florida-Friendly Landscaping. Its Water Wise rebates cover irrigation evaluations, high-efficiency spray nozzles, pressure-regulated spray bodies, rain sensors, and weather-based controllers for eligible potable-water customers, and the City notes that funding is limited. Pinellas County's Florida-Friendly Landscaping incentive isn't taking applications right now.
The City's fall workshops line up with the expo:
- Rainwater Guardian, a free virtual class, on Thursday, October 15; Tuesday, November 3; or Saturday, December 12. Eligible St. Pete utility customers who attend the full class later get a chance to register for a free rain barrel.
- Micro-irrigation on Friday, October 30.
- Design basics, led by the City's water-conservation coordinator, on Tuesday, November 17.
For plant choices, UF/IFAS advises using at least somewhat salt-tolerant plants within roughly one-eighth mile of saltwater. Its list includes live oak, southern red cedar, cabbage palm, saw palmetto, firebush, and wax myrtle, along with groundcovers like beach sunflower, gaillardia, and seaside goldenrod. UF/IFAS also notes that new coastal plants still need fresh water while they get established. That's one more reason to plant on a schedule set by your water source.
Standards, restrictions, and a century-old boulevard
The fact sheet also says that while the order is in effect, "no homeowners association or other entity shall enforce deed restrictions or other community standards requiring an increase in water use, including replacement of plants to meet aesthetic standards." SIPOA is a voluntary association, funded by dues starting at $100, that works on the care and beautification of the neighborhood. Its expo fits that rule. It's a morning of free advice, not a deadline for replanting.
The setting makes sense too. According to the association's history, C. Perry Snell bought the property in 1911 and put money into landscaped boulevards and decorative statuary as part of his plan for the neighborhood. The Parkway where the expo sets up is part of that plan.
The rest of the SIPOA fall calendar
The expo is one of two first-time events this season. Here is the full schedule from the association's September newsletter:
- October 6, 5 to 7 p.m.: the annual SIPOA social at Harvey's Grill, open to all members.
- October 24, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.: the Landscaping Expo on Snell Isle Parkway.
- October 27, 7 to 8:30 p.m.: annual ghost stories and haunted organ at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 1200 Snell Isle Blvd NE.
- November 27, 5:30 to 7 p.m.: the holiday lighting celebration on the Parkway.
- December 13, 4 p.m.: a holiday concert at St. Thomas, open to SIPOA neighbors.
- December 22, 4 to 6 p.m.: a visit from Santa on the Parkway.
The November lighting has its own backstory. There was no holiday display last year because hurricane damage and the financial strain that followed left the association without the money for it. With support from more than 350 paid members, the lights are back this year. The newsletter says the budget still falls short of past displays and asks for contributions to make the event bigger. Farkas calls the evening the Snell Isle version of the Rockefeller Center tree lighting, with Christmas music and food trucks. Updates are posted on enjoysnellisle.org.
If you're planning a new design for your Snell Isle yard this fall, whether you'll plant in June or you're on reclaimed water and ready sooner, Kym Coyle is glad to share what she knows about how outdoor improvements play out on the island and to connect you with trusted local pros. When you want to see where your property stands, start with an instant home valuation.
