RJ,
While there are certainly those who prefer the lush green look, I think you'll find that in Adam's area, and much of the west, outside of CA, most people are very water conscious and are leaders in the use of native flora. The problem is, Adam's area has been in a record drought and you wouldn't get the native grass look in the perimeters without supplemental irrigation. Thus, defeating the purpose of native, no?
I've seen a lot of native areas in the west that folks from the Midwest and east find unappealing because they almost always think native means having that meadow and wildflower look. There are courses in the west that do that, but it's often manufactured and managed, including the use of irrigation in out of play areas trying to achieve a certain look. Not exactly great conservation in my book.