Jacksonville Artificial Turf
Field Companies

Florida is generally a great location for an artificial turf field, but in Jacksonville, both amateur and professional sports are a big deal. This means careful consideration should be given to the field’s future use, as well as its current use.

Field sports aren’t going anywhere soon in Jacksonville, so many of these facilities will outlive the teams that play on them. Artificial turf nearly guarantees an endless life for the field, because it can be so easily and efficiently replaced as needed. 

Natural grass fields eventually lose their nutrients, so growing lush green turf becomes more difficult every year. The soil will eventually need replacing, which is a much more expensive proposition than repairing artificial turf.

Zoning Compliance and Permits

Not all artificial turf installations inside the city limits of Jacksonville will require a permit. The City of Jacksonville has rules regarding landscaping projects that exceed 2500 square feet of area, and/or change the elevation by more than 24”, but smaller changes do not generally require a permit.

These rules are of particular importance to those looking to build a sports field in Jacksonville, because a field is only as useful as it is dryable. If the field is not higher in the middle than it is on the sidelines the field will hold water in an inconvenient place, disrupting the play.

This rule applies to any landscaping project that meets the criteria, but does not apply to those that do not meet the criteria. 

Generally speaking, any sports field will be larger than the maximum size allowed without a permit, so any Jacksonville artificial turf field companies you hire will need to apply.

Generally, organizations such as architectural committees and homeowners associations may have authority in residential installations, and local municipalities may enforce rules regarding zoning.

Location Restrictions:

Although the State of Florida does not have specific restrictions regarding the use of artificial turf, experienced installers often follow guidelines when creating a design. This is just to provide consistency and help avoid clashes with neighbors before they occur.

To avoid these potential pitfalls, artificial turf is not typically installed within landscape buffers, when visible from the road, or on waterfront lots. 

Stormwater management officials have jurisdiction when other landscaping features, like ponds and swimming pools, are added to a property. Since these pose a potential groundwater contamination threat, artificial turf is not usually allowed nearby.

This is because artificial turf does not absorb rainwater like soil does. If these features were to leak, the water would mostly run off of artificial turf, but at least some of it would be absorbed by soil. This added protection the soil provides helps avoid flooding, and the resulting erosion.

Aesthetics and Maintenance:

Artificial turf must be designed to look like natural grass, but function more like a carpet. Artificial turf can be washed, painted, and repaired very easily. In fact, the entire field can be changed to accommodate various sports with no permanent changes needed.

Being a living thing, natural grass requires much more attention if the goal is a nice looking field. This makes natural grass much more limited in use, since the grass may enter a dormant stage during the colder months. 

Players notice a difference between lush, even turf they play on during summer, and the brown, coarse grass they play on in winter. Artificial turf provides the same playing characteristics no matter the time of year.

Limited Impervious Surface Size

Artificial turf is considered an impervious material, which means the material itself does not efficiently absorb heat, nor moisture. Unless carefully designed, this makes the field a potential cause of erosion, since the field itself will not absorb all of the runoff.

Artificial turf playing fields include a drainage system to alleviate this problem, and design the field to be slightly higher in the middle than on either side. This helps channel water away from the surface, and into drains that channel the water safely away from the field. 

Drainage:

Artificial turf installations must have a minimum permeability, which indicates the field’s ability to absorb rainwater. Jacksonville requires that the field have a minimum permeability, so as to avoid combining with nearby asphalt or concrete to channel water.

Since these surfaces deflect more water than they absorb, they can unintentionally channel the runoff in a direction that causes major flooding. The City of Jacksonville wants to ensure that there is sufficient soil between these surfaces to dissipate and absorb the extra water.

Institutional and Public Uses

In Jacksonville, artificial turf installations must be purpose built, and designed for their intended use. For example, if the project includes a public park, the turf must meet certain requirements. These can include keeping the space small enough so as to avoid creating a hot spot.

The regulations Jacksonville enforces are primarily concerned with public safety and environmental impact. The city is also keenly interested in the appearance of the field, and will likely require routine maintenance.