LAGUNA NIGUEL

The city is going to be the first in Orange County to use a synthetic grass material for its sports fields.

Montgomery said the relatively new product, which comes with an eight-year warranty, is more durable than grass, justifying the installation cost--which over eight years averages out to about $3,000 more each year than grass.

The artificial turf will be playable throughout the year, even in bad weather, since it doesn’t require watering, re-sodding or soil maintenance. Grass wears down in about three months and has to shut down for refurbishment throughout the year, so players can use it only about 10 months a year.