Soil conditioning notes should be included on the plans. The soil analysis must include a description of: soil texture, water holding capacity, infiltration rate determined by laboratory test or soil infiltration rate table, pH, total soluble salts, sodium, percentage of organic material, and implementation of recommended amendments to the soil. The recommended amendments for the soil must be appropriate for the plants selected. In order to reduce runoff and encourage healthy plant growth, a soil management report must be completed by the project applicant, or his/her designee, as follows:
A. Submit soil samples to a laboratory for analysis and recommendations.
1. Soil sampling must be conducted in accordance with laboratory protocol, including protocols regarding adequate sampling depth for the intended plants.
2. The soil analysis must include:
a. Soil texture;
b. Infiltration rate determined by laboratory test or soil texture infiltration rate table;
c. pH;
d. Total soluble salts;
e. Sodium;
f. Percent of organic matter; and
g. Recommendations.
B. In projects with multiple landscape installations (i.e., production home developments) a soil sampling rate of one in seven (7) lots or approximately fifteen percent (15%) will satisfy this requirement. Large landscape projects must sample at a rate equivalent to one in seven (7) lots.
C. The project applicant, or his/her designee, must comply with one of the following:
1. If significant mass grading is not planned, the soil analysis report must be submitted to the local agency as part of the landscape documentation package; or
2. If significant mass grading is planned, the soil analysis report must be submitted to the local agency as part of the landscape certificate of completion.
D. The soil analysis report must be made available, in a timely manner, to the professionals preparing the landscape design plans and irrigation design plans to make any necessary adjustments to the design plans.
E. The project applicant, or his/her designee, must submit documentation verifying implementation of soil analysis report recommendations to the local agency with certificate of completion. (Ord. 1515, 12-15-2015)