A. Landscape Documentation Package Elements: Each landscape package must include the following six (6) elements:
1. Project information:
a. Date;
b. Project applicant;
c. Project address (if available, parcel and/or lot number(s));
d. Total landscape area (square feet);
e. Project type (e.g., new, rehabilitated, public, private, cemetery, homeowner installed);
f. Water supply type (e.g., potable, recycled, well) and identify the local retail water purveyor if the applicant is not served by a private well;
g. Checklist of all documents in landscape documentation package;
h. Project contacts to include contact information for the project applicant and property owner;
i. Applicant signature and date with statement:
I agree to comply with the requirements of the water efficient landscape ordinance and submit a complete Landscape Documentation Package.
2. Water efficient landscape worksheet describing water budget calculations for the:
a. Maximum applied water allowance (MAWA);
b. Estimated total water use (ETWU);
3. Soil management report;
4. Landscape design plan;
5. Irrigation design plan; and
6. Grading design plan.
B. Landscaping Design Plan Requirements: The landscaping plan must identify the location, spacing, numbers, container sizes of all plant materials including common and botanical names, for the project in a clear and legible fashion in accordance with the policies established to implement the provisions of this chapter. The landscape design plan must:
1. Delineate and label each hydrozone by number, letter, or other method;
2. Identify each hydrozone as low, moderate, high water, or mixed water use. Temporarily irrigated areas of the landscape must be included in the low water use hydrozone for the water budget calculation;
3. Identify recreational areas;
4. Identify areas permanently and solely dedicated to edible plants;
5. Identify areas irrigated with recycled water;
6. Identify type of mulch and application depth;
7. Identify soil amendments, type, and quantity;
8. Identify type and surface area of water features;
9. Identify hardscapes (pervious and nonpervious);
10. Identify location, installation details, and twenty four (24) hour retention or infiltration capacity of any applicable stormwater best management practices that encourage on site retention and infiltration of stormwater. Project applicants must refer to the local agency or regional water quality control board for information on any applicable stormwater technical requirements. Stormwater best management practices are encouraged in the landscape design plan and examples are provided in section 15-15A-9 of this chapter.
11. Identify any applicable rain harvesting or catchment technologies as discussed in section 15-15A-9 of this chapter and their twenty four (24) hour retention or infiltration capacity;
12. Identify any applicable gray water discharge piping, system components and area(s) of distribution;
13. Contain the following statement: "I have complied with the criteria of the water efficient landscape ordinance and applied them for the efficient use of water in the landscape design plan"; and
14. Bear the signature of a licensed landscape architect, licensed landscape contractor, or any other person authorized to design a landscape. (See sections 5500.1, 5615, 5641, 5641.1, 5641.2, 5641.3, 5641.4, 5641.5, 5641.6, 6701, 7027.5 of the Business And Professions Code, section 832.27 of title 16 of the California code of regulations, and section 6721 of the Food And Agriculture Code.)
C. Landscaping Design Plan Criteria: The landscape design plan must address the following design criteria as part of the landscape documentation package:
1. Plant Material: Plant material may be selected for the landscape providing the estimated total water use in the landscape area does not exceed the maximum applied water allowance. Methods to achieve water efficiency must include one or more of the following:
a. Protection and preservation of native species and natural vegetation;
b. Selection of water conserving plant, tree and turf species, especially local native plants;
c. Selection of plants based on local climate suitability, disease and pest resistance;
d. Selection of trees based on applicable local tree ordinances or tree shading guidelines, and size at maturity as appropriate for the planting area;
e. Selection of plants from local and regional landscape program plant lists; and
f. Selection of plants from local fuel modification plan guidelines.
2. Similar Water Requirements: Plants having similar water use requirements should be grouped together in distinct hydrozones, with the exception of hydrozones with plants of mixed water use, as specified in subsection E2d of this section.
3. Plant Adaptability: Plants must be selected and planted appropriately based upon their adaptability to the climatic, geologic, and topographical conditions of the project site. Methods to achieve water efficiency must include one or more of the following:
a. Use the Sunset Western climate zone system which takes into account temperature, humidity, elevation, terrain, latitude, and varying degrees of continental and marine influence on local climate;
b. Recognize the horticultural attributes of plants (i.e., mature plant size, invasive surface roots) to minimize damage to property or infrastructure (e.g., buildings, sidewalks, power lines); allow for adequate soil volume for healthy root growth;
c. Consider the solar orientation for plant placement to maximize summer shade and winter solar gain;
d. Where possible, landscaping should be installed in the fall, in order to establish plant materials when they will benefit most from winter rains;
e. The use of invasive plant species, such as those listed by the California invasive plant council, is strongly discouraged.
4. Turf: Turf is not allowed on slopes greater than twenty five percent (25%) where the toe of the slope is adjacent to an impermeable hardscape and where "twenty five percent (25%)" means one foot (1') of vertical elevation change for every four feet (4') of horizontal length (rise divided by run x 100 = slope percent).
5. High Water Use Plants: The planting of high water use plants is limited to nonturf landscape area. The remaining landscape must be planted with low and moderate water use plant materials. High water use plants, characterized by a plant factor of 0.7 to 1.0, are prohibited in street medians.
6. Fire Prone Areas: A landscape design plan for projects in fire prone areas must address fire safety and prevention. A defensible space or zone around a building or structure is required per Public Resources Code sections 4291(a) and (b). Avoid fire prone plant materials and highly flammable mulches (refer to the local fuel modification plan guidelines).
D. Soil Preparation, Mulch And Amendments:
1. Prior to the planting of any materials, compacted soils must be transformed to a friable condition. On engineered slopes, only amended planting holes need meet this requirement.
2. Soil amendments must be incorporated according to recommendations of the soil report and what is appropriate for the plants selected (see section 15-15A-7 of this chapter).
3. For landscape installations, compost at a rate of a minimum of four (4) cubic yards per one thousand (1,000) square feet of permeable area must be incorporated to a depth of six inches (6") into the soil. Soils with greater than six percent (6%) organic matter in the top six inches (6") of soil are exempt from adding compost and tilling.
4. A minimum three inch (3") layer of mulch must be applied on all exposed soil surfaces of planting areas except in turf areas, creeping or rooting ground covers, or direct seeding applications where mulch is contraindicated. To provide habitat for beneficial insects and other wildlife, up to five percent (5%) of the landscape area may be left without mulch. Designated insect habitat must be included in the landscape design plan as such.
5. Stabilizing mulching products must be used on slopes that meet current engineering standards.
6. The mulching portion of the seed/mulch slurry in hydroseeded applications must meet the mulching requirement.
7. Organic mulch materials made from recycled or postconsumer products must take precedence over inorganic materials or virgin forest products unless the recycled postconsumer organic products are not locally available. Organic mulches are not required where prohibited by local fuel modification plan guidelines or other applicable local ordinances.
E. Irrigation System Design Plan: The irrigation plan must identify all components of the irrigation system drawn on project base sheets in a clear and legible fashion in accordance with the policies established to implement the provisions of this chapter. For the efficient use of water, an irrigation system must meet all the requirements listed in this section and the manufacturers' recommendations. The irrigation system and its related components must be planned and designed to allow for proper installation, management, and maintenance. An irrigation design plan meeting the following design criteria must be submitted as part of the landscape documentation package.
1. Irrigation System:
a. Landscape water meters, defined as either a dedicated water service meter or private submeter, must be installed for all nonresidential irrigated landscapes of one thousand (1,000) square feet but not more than five thousand (5,000) square feet (the level at which Water Code 535 applies) and residential irrigated landscapes of five thousand (5,000) square feet or greater. A landscape water meter may be either:
(1) A customer service meter dedicated to landscape use provided by the local water purveyor; or
(2) A privately owned meter or submeter.
b. Automatic irrigation controllers utilizing either evapotranspiration or soil moisture sensor data utilizing nonvolatile memory must be required for irrigation scheduling in all irrigation systems.
c. If the water pressure is below or exceeds the recommended pressure of the specified irrigation devices, the installation of a pressure regulating device is required to ensure that the dynamic pressure at each emission device is within the manufacturer's recommended pressure range for optimal performance.
d. If the static pressure is above or below the required dynamic pressure of the irrigation system, pressure regulating devices such as in-line pressure regulators, booster pumps, or other devices must be installed to meet the required dynamic pressure of the irrigation system.
e. Static water pressure, dynamic or operating pressure and flow reading of the water supply must be measured at the point of connection. These pressure and flow measurements must be conducted at the design stage. If the measurements are not available at the design stage, the measurements must be conducted at installation.
f. Sensors (rain, freeze, wind, etc.), either integral or auxiliary, that suspend or alter irrigation operation during unfavorable weather conditions must be required on all irrigation systems, as appropriate for local climatic conditions. Irrigation should be avoided during windy or freezing weather or during rain.
g. Manual shutoff valves (such as a gate valve, ball valve, or butterfly valve) must be required, as close as possible to the point of connection of the water supply, to minimize water loss in case of an emergency (such as a main line break) or routine repair.
h. Backflow prevention devices must be required to protect the water supply from contamination by the irrigation system. A project applicant must refer to the applicable local agency code (i.e., public health) for additional backflow prevention requirements.
i. Flow sensors that detect high flow conditions created by system damage or malfunction are required for all on nonresidential landscapes and residential landscapes of five thousand (5,000) square feet or larger.
j. Master shutoff valves are required on all projects except landscapes that make use of technologies that allow for the individual control of sprinklers that are individually pressurized in a system equipped with low pressure shutdown features.
k. The irrigation system must be designed to prevent runoff, low head drainage, overspray, or other similar conditions where irrigation water flows onto nontargeted areas, such as adjacent property, nonirrigated areas, hardscapes, roadways, or structures.
l. Relevant information from the soil management plan, such as soil type and infiltration rate, must be utilized when designing irrigation systems.
m. The design of the irrigation system must conform to the hydrozones of the landscape design plan.
n. The irrigation system must be designed and installed to meet, at a minimum, the irrigation efficiency criteria as described in section 15-15A-6 of this chapter regarding the maximum applied water allowance (MAWA).
o. All irrigation emission devices must meet the requirements set in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard, American Society Of Agricultural And Biological Engineers'/International Code Council's (ASABE/ICC) 802-2014 "Landscape Irrigation Sprinkler And Emitter Standard". All sprinkler heads installed in the landscape must document a distribution uniformity low quarter of 0.65 or higher using the protocol defined in ASABE/ICC 802-2014.
p. It is highly recommended that the project applicant or local agency inquire with the local water purveyor about peak water operating demands (on the water supply system) or water restrictions that may impact the effectiveness of the irrigation system.
q. In mulched planting areas, the use of low volume irrigation is required to maximize water infiltration into the root zone.
r. Sprinkler heads and other emission devices must have matched precipitation rates, unless otherwise directed by the manufacturer's recommendations.
s. Head to head coverage is recommended, however, sprinkler spacing must be designed to achieve the highest possible distribution uniformity using the manufacturer's recommendations.
t. Swing joints or other riser protection components are required on all risers subject to damage that are adjacent to hardscapes or in high traffic areas of turf or grass.
u. Check valves or antidrain valves are required on all sprinkler heads where low point drainage could occur.
v. Areas less than ten feet (10') in width in any direction must be irrigated with subsurface irrigation or other means that produces no runoff or overspray.
w. Overhead irrigation must not be permitted within twenty four inches (24") of any nonpermeable surface. Allowable irrigation within the setback from nonpermeable surfaces may include drip, drip line, or other low flow nonspray technology. The setback area may be planted or unplanted. The surfacing of the setback may be mulch, gravel, or other porous material. These restrictions may be modified if:
(1) The landscape area is adjacent to permeable surfacing and no runoff occurs; or the adjacent nonpermeable surfaces are designed and constructed to drain entirely to landscaping; or
(2) The irrigation designer specifies an alternative design or technology, as part of the landscape documentation package and clearly demonstrates strict adherence to irrigation system design criteria in subsection E1k of this section. Prevention of overspray and runoff must be confirmed during the irrigation audit.
x. Slopes greater than twenty five percent (25%) must not be irrigated with an irrigation system with an application rate exceeding 0.75 inches per hour. This restriction may be modified if the landscape designer specifies an alternative design or technology, as part of the landscape documentation package, and clearly demonstrates no runoff or erosion will occur. Prevention of runoff and erosion must be confirmed during the irrigation audit.
2. Hydrozone Criteria:
a. Each valve must irrigate a hydrozone with similar site, slope, sun exposure, soil conditions, and plant materials with similar water use.
b. Sprinkler heads and other emission devices must be selected based on what is appropriate for the plant type within that hydrozone.
c. Where feasible, trees must be placed on separate valves from shrubs, ground covers, and turf to facilitate the appropriate irrigation of trees. The mature size and extent of the root zone must be considered when designing irrigation for the tree.
d. Individual hydrozones that mix plants of moderate and low water use, or moderate and high water use, may be allowed if:
(1) Plant factor calculation is based on the proportions of the respective plant water uses and their plant factor; or
(2) The plant factor of the higher water using plant is used for calculations.
e. Individual hydrozones that mix high and low water use plants will not be permitted.
f. On the landscape design plan and irrigation design plan, hydrozone areas must be designated by number, letter, or other designation. On the irrigation design plan, designate the areas irrigated by each valve, and assign a number to each valve. Use this valve number in the hydrozone information table (see water efficient worksheet) provided by staff. This table can also assist with the irrigation audit and programming the controller.
3. Irrigation Design Plan: The irrigation design plan must contain:
a. Location and size of separate water meters for landscape;
b. Location, type and size of all components of the irrigation system, including controllers, main and lateral lines, valves, sprinkler heads, moisture sensing devices, rain switches, quick couplers, pressure regulators, and backflow prevention devices;
c. Static water pressure at the point of connection to the public water supply;
d. Flow rate (gallons per minute), application rate (inches per hour), and design operating pressure (pressure per square inch) for each station;
e. Recycled or reclaimed water irrigation systems must be utilized if such lines are readily available adjacent to the site, as specified in subsection F of this section;
f. The following statement: "I have complied with the criteria of the water efficient landscape ordinance and applied them accordingly for the efficient use of water in the irrigation design plan;" and
g. The signature of a licensed landscape architect, certified irrigation designer, licensed landscape contractor, or any other person authorized to design an irrigation system. (See sections 5500.1, 5615, 5641, 5641.1, 5641.2, 5641.3, 5641.4, 5641.5, 5641.6, 6701, 7027.5 of the Business And Professions Code, section 832.27 of title 16 of the California code of regulations, and section 6721 of the Food And Agricultural Code.)
F. Recycled Water:
1. The installation of recycled water irrigation systems must allow for the current and future use of recycled water.
2. All recycled water irrigation systems must be designed and operated in accordance with all applicable local and state laws.
3. Landscapes using recycled water are considered special landscape areas. The ET adjustment factor for new and existing (nonrehabilitated) special landscape areas must not exceed 1.0.
G. Gray Water Systems: Gray water systems promote the efficient use of water and are encouraged to assist in on site landscape irrigation. All gray water systems must conform to the California plumbing code (California code of regulations title 24, part 5, chapter 16) and any applicable local ordinance standards. Refer to subsection 15-15A-3A4 of this chapter for the applicability of this chapter to landscape areas less than two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet with the estimated total water use is met entirely by gray water.
H. Irrigation Scheduling: For the efficient use of water, all irrigation schedules must be developed, managed, and evaluated to utilize the minimum amount of water required to maintain plant health. Irrigation schedules must meet the following criteria:
1. Irrigation scheduling must be regulated by automatic irrigation controllers.
2. Overhead irrigation must be scheduled between eight o'clock (8:00) P.M. and nine o'clock (9:00) A.M. unless weather conditions prevent it. If allowable hours of irrigation differ from the local water purveyor, the stricter of the two (2) must apply. Operation of the irrigation system outside the normal watering window is allowed for auditing and system maintenance.
3. For implementation of the irrigation schedule, particular attention must be paid to irrigation run times, emission device, flow rate, and current reference evapotranspiration, so that applied water meets the estimated total water use. Total annual applied water must be less than or equal to maximum applied water allowance (MAWA). Actual irrigation schedules must be regulated by automatic irrigation controllers using current reference evapotranspiration data (e.g., CIMIS) or soil moisture sensor data.
4. Parameters used to set the automatic controller must be developed and submitted for each of the following:
a. The plant establishment period;
b. The established landscape; and
c. Temporarily irrigated areas.
5. Each irrigation schedule must consider for each station all of the following that apply:
a. Irrigation interval (days between irrigation);
b. Irrigation run times (hours or minutes per irrigation event to avoid runoff);
c. Number of cycle starts required for each irrigation event to avoid runoff;
d. Amount of applied water scheduled to be applied on a monthly basis;
e. Application rate setting;
f. Root depth setting;
g. Plant type setting;
h. Soil type;
i. Slope factor setting;
j. Shade factor setting; and
k. Irrigation uniformity or efficiency setting.
I. Landscape And Irrigation Maintenance Schedule:
1. Landscapes must be maintained to ensure water use efficiency. A regular maintenance schedule must be submitted with the certificate of completion.
2. A regular maintenance schedule must include, but not be limited to, routine inspection; auditing, adjustment and repair of the irrigation system and its components; aerating and dethatching turf areas; top dressing with compost, replenishing mulch; fertilizing; pruning; weeding in all landscape areas, and removing obstructions to emission devices. Operation of the irrigation system outside the normal watering window is allowed for auditing and system maintenance.
3. Repair of all irrigation equipment must be done with the originally installed components or their equivalents or with components with greater efficiency.
4. A project applicant is encouraged to implement established landscape industry sustainable best practices for all landscape maintenance activities.
J. Effective Precipitation: A local agency may consider effective precipitation (25 percent of annual precipitation) in tracking water use and may use the following equation to calculate maximum applied water allowance: MAWA = (ETo - Eppt) (0.62) [(0.55 x LA) + (0.45 x SLA)] for residential areas. MAWA = (ETo - Eppt) (0.62) [(0.45 x LA) + (0.55 x SLA)] for nonresidential areas. (Ord. 1515, 12-15-2015)