As used in this chapter, the following definitions shall apply except where the context of such words or phrases clearly indicates a different meaning or construction, the following words, terms, meaning and phrases, when used in this § 17.70.015 shall apply.
(A) “Association” means a nonprofit corporation or unincorporated association created for the purpose of managing a common interest development.
(B) “Artificial turf” or “Synthetic turf” means a minimum of a soft polyethylene 1-1/2 inch green synthetic fiber that resembles real grass, is ultra-violet light (UV) protected, treated and tufted on a porous backing. The surface is in-filled with crumbed rubber and sand to increase stability, creating a weighted surface. The product is installed on a porous surface that is designed, compacted, and graded for positive drainage.
(C) “Bioswale” refers to a vegetated depression engineered to collect, store, and infiltrate stormwater runoff.
(D) “Certificate of completion” means the certificate required to be completed and submitted to the city certifying that the landscaping project has complied with the provisions of § 17.70.070 and the Guidelines.
(E) “Common interest development” means a community apartment project, condominium project, planned development, and stock cooperative pursuant to Cal. Civil Code § 1351.
(F) “Dedicated landscape water meter” means a water meter sized and designed to provide water for landscape irrigation only.
(G) “Developer installed landscaping” means landscaping which is installed by, or authorized to be installed by, an entity responsible for the improvement (constructing or reconstructing) of property in the city and subject to city approval.
(H) “Drip/micro spray/subterranean/point-to-point drip/bubbler” means an irrigation delivery device/system designed to convey water to plant material in a quantity measured in gallons per hour (GPH) or designed to flood irrigate a single plant. Bubblers are considered only appropriate for trees on nearly level ground.
(I) “Ecological restoration project” means a project where the site is intentionally altered to establish a defined, indigenous, historic ecosystem.
(J) “Enforcement officer” means any individual employed or otherwise charged by the city to inspect or enforce codes, ordinances, mandates, regulations, resolutions, rules or other laws adopted by the City Council or other regulatory bodies, employee or agent of the city authorized to enforce the provisions of the Municipal Code as designated in writing by the city.
(K) “Evapotranspiration” means the rate at which plant material utilizes water through evaporation and transpiration (plant consumption of water and vaporization through plant leaves).
(L) “Guidelines” mean, collectively, the Landscape Design Guidelines for Residential Development and the Landscape Design Guidelines for Commercial and industrial Development, which describe procedures, calculations, and requirements for landscaping projects subject to § 17.70.070.
(M) “Hardscape” means any non-irrigated, inorganic and generally impermeable surface used in landscape design. Driveways and walkways are not considered as hardscape.
(N) “Homeowner installed” means any landscaping project either installed by a private individual for a single-family residence or duplex or installed by a landscape professional or other person hired by a homeowner. A “homeowner”, for purposes of this Chapter 17.70, is a person who occupies the dwelling he or she owns or rents. This definition excludes speculative homes, which are not owner-occupied dwellings and which are subject under § 17.70.070(A)(3)(a) to the requirements applicable to developer installed landscaping for new construction projects.
(O) “Hydrozone” means a group or collection of plant material with similar water and aspect requirements.
(P) “Landscaped area” means all the planting areas, turf areas, and water features in a landscape design plan subject to the Maximum Annual Water Allowance and Estimated Annual Water Use calculations of § 17.70.070 and the Guidelines. The landscaped area does not include footprints of buildings or structures, sidewalks, driveways, narking lots, decks, patios, gravel or stone walks, other permeable or impermeable hardscape. and other non-irrigated areas designated for non-development (e.g.. open spaces and existing native vegetation).
(Q) “Landscape Certification Form” means the form required to be submitted by the project applicant and which contains a water conservation certification statement by a landscape architect or landscape professional.
(R) “Landscape professional” means a licensed landscape architect, licensed landscape professional, or any other person authorized to design a landscape pursuant to §§ 5500.1, 5635, 5641, 5641.1, 5641.2, 5641.3, 5641.4, 5641.5, 5641.6, 6701, 7027.5 of the Cal. Business and Professions Code. Section 832.27 of Title 16 of the Cal. Code of Regulations, and § 6721 of the Cal. Food and Agriculture Code.
(S) “Landscape project” means the installation of any plant material for visual enhancement, shade, glare reduction, fuel modification (to control the spread of fire) or erosion control purposes and subject to the review and approval of the city.
(T) “Low precipitation irrigation” means an irrigation system designed to convey water to plant material in a quantity measured in gallons per hour (GPH) as opposed to gallons per minute (GPM) and includes drip, point-to-point drip, subterranean, micro-spray, and matched precipitation rotators (for residential warm season turf only) technologies.
(U) “Maximum annual water allowance” or “MAWA” means the upper limit of annual applied water for the established landscaped area as specified in the Guidelines. The estimated annual water use shall not exceed the maximum annual water allowance.
(V) “Mined-land reclamation projects” means any surface mining operation with a reclamation plan approved in accordance with the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975.
(W) “Model ordinance” means the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance adopted by the California Department of Water Resources in accordance with Cal. Gov’t Code §§ 65591 et seq.
(X) “Mulch” means a minimum layer of protective covering of various organic materials (including wood, decomposed granite, and rock) placed around plants to prevent evaporation of moisture and to control weeds.
(Y) “New construction” means a new building with landscaping or a landscape-dominated project, such as a park, playground, playing field, or greenbelt or other new landscape, which may or may not have an associated building or structure.
(Z) “Person” means any natural person, firm, joint venture. Joint stock company, partnership, public or private association, club, company, corporation, business trust, organization, public or private agency, government agency or institution, school district, college, university, any other user of water provided by the city, or the manager, lessee, agent, servant, officer or employee of any of them or any other entity which is recognized by law as the subject of rights or duties.
(AA) “Pressure regulating device” means a manufactured mechanical device designed to lower the downstream operating pressure of an irrigation system.
(BB) “Project applicant” means the person submitting a landscape design plan to the city pursuant to § 17.70.070 and the Guidelines, to request a permit, plan check or design review from the city for the installation of a landscaping project.
(CC) “Recycled water” means water which, as a result of treatment of wastewater, is suitable for direct beneficial use or controlled use that would not otherwise occur.
(DD) “Reference evapotranspiration” or “ETo” is the quantity of water evaporated from adjacent soil surfaces and transpired by plants in terms of inches for a particular climate zone. The reference evapotranspiration for Corona is 56.37 which comes from the agricultural research station at UC Riverside.
(EE) “Rehabilitation project” means a landscaping project that results in the substantial removal and replacement of and/or modifications to existing landscaping and meets the requirements under § 17.70.070(A)(3) and (5).
(FF) “Sub-shrub” means a shrub that does not grow to a mature size of more than 18 inches in diameter and height, is typically specified in one gallon cans, and is typically specified as a foreground plant.
(GG) “Smart irrigation controller” or “Smart controller” means an irrigation controller that is climate or sensor based that automatically adjusts for local weather and site conditions.
(HH) “Standard landscape plans” refers to pre-existing plan templates for commercial/industrial, model homes, slopes, and homeowner's association landscape projects. The templates contain a title sheet and all required notes, specifications, and details specifically relating to the project type. The templates are available at discovercorona.com/City Departments/Community Development/Standard Landscape Plans or from the Community Development counter at Corona City Hall for no fee.
(II) “Turf” means any grass, as listed below, which is applied by sod, stolons, or hydroseed.
(1) Cool-season grasses refers to Festuca arundinacea-Tall Fescues and Poa genius (Bluegrass).
(2) Warm-season grasses refers to all Bermuda, Kikuyu and other rhizominous grasses.
(JJ) “Water budget” determines how much water a particular landscape needs over a specific period of time. The Maximum Annual Water Allowance (MAWA) is calculated and compared to the Estimated Annual Water Use (EAWU) on the plans to verify that the project landscaping is not exceeding the allowed water use.
(KK) “Water conservation certification statement” means a written declaration by a California registered landscape architect or landscape contractor, a certified irrigation designer or other licensed or certified professional in a related field, which certifies that the plans, specifications, and details comply with the Municipal Code and landscape design guidelines. The signed statement would read as follows: I hereby certify, as the landscape architect/other licensed professional of record that the information provided herein meets the minimum standards as outlined in the Corona Municipal Code Chapter 17.70 and the adopted design guidelines for the development of this project. This statement must be signed and dated with the appropriate license stamp on the title sheet of the project plans subject to review and approval by the city.
(LL) “Water conserving plants” means any live, plant material which exhibits drought tolerant characteristics, such as, will survive and grow in a designated location with limited supplemental water. For the purpose of this chapter, the terms “water efficient plants” and “drought tolerant plants” are synonymous.
(MM) “Water feature'' means a design element where water is artificially supplied and where open water performs an aesthetic or recreational function. “Water features” include artificial ponds, lakes, waterfalls, fountains, artificial streams, spas, and swimming pools. The surface area of water features is included in the high water use hydrozone of the landscaped area. Constructed wetlands used for on-site wastewater treatment, habitat protection or storm water best management practices that are not irrigated and used solely for water treatment or storm water retention are not water features and, therefore, are not subject to the water budget calculation.
(NN) “Water Use Classifications of Landscape Species (WUCOLS (Most Current Edition))” refers to “A Guide to Estimating Irrigation Water Needs of Landscape Plants in California.” The Guide is two-part manual with the first part consisting of “Estimating the Irrigation Water Needs of Landscape Plants in California” using the Landscape Coefficient Method and part two contains a listing of plants and their calculated water needs.
(OO) “Watering window” means the time of day irrigation is allowed pursuant to any applicable city, regional, state, or local water purveyor water conservation or drought response laws, rules, policies, or regulations applicable within the city.
(`78 Code, § 17.70.015.) (Ord. 3027 (part), 2010; Ord. 2949 § 1 (part), 2008; Ord. 2169, § 1, 1993.)