Projects with new landscape areas installed by a developer of 2,500 square feet or larger in size, and/or homeowner-installed landscapes of 5,000 square feet or larger in size, shall demonstrate compliance with state water efficiency standards by using one of the following methods:
A. Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance Method. Projects using this method shall submit a Landscape Documentation Package demonstrating compliance with the revised state Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO). Project improvements shall be installed and maintained in compliance with an approved Landscape Documentation Package. (The Revised State Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (Cal.Code Regs., tit. 23, §§ 490-495.) is hereby incorporated by reference and shall be used for the administration of this chapter.)
B. General Water Efficient Design Method. Projects using this method shall submit landscape plans and make improvements in compliance with this Title, as well as all of the following water efficient landscape criteria:
1. The plans shall be prepared by a Landscape Architect, certified irrigation designer, or other landscape professional authorized to sign such plans as provided in state law;
2. Turf areas shall comprise less than 10 percent of the total landscape area and are on separate irrigation controls from trees and shrubs;
3. Plant species shall be grouped together in distinct hydrozones and limited to non-invasive species as specified in the most recent Water Use Classification of Landscape Species (WUCOLS), University of California Cooperative Extension, available from the Department of Water Resources;
4. Plant species shall be selected from the "very low," "low" and/or less than 50 percent by hydrozone area "moderate" WUCOLS categories for the Chico region. Species not listed in the WUCOLS may be approved by the Director on a case-by-case basis where the landscape professional can document that the species is appropriate for placement in a qualifying hydrozone;
5. The irrigation system shall be limited to subsurface and surface drip emitters, and less than 10 percent of the landscape area shall be irrigated by sprinklers or other types of overhead spraying;
6. Sprinklers, if used, shall be mounted on swing arm attachments and located more than 24-inches from hardscape;
7. Sprinklers shall be limited to landscape areas that are larger than eight feet in width; and
8. Soil amendments shall be specified for backfill material where existing soils are not comprised of Vina loam, Chico loam, Almendra loam, and/or Conejo clay loam (for example. Foothill areas east of State Route 99 and areas south of Skyway). Post-installation laboratory soil testing may be required to verify that backfill material meets minimum requirements.
(Ord. 2440 §47)