Water-wise landscaping requires special attention to specific details of installation and maintenance to be an effective means to reduce water consumption used for outdoor landscaping. New construction of residential development larger than a single family detached dwelling unit and all commercial and manufacturing uses are subject to the regulations of their individual zoning designations in which they are located as well as the provision of this chapter and other appropriate chapters in this title. (Ord. 2022-34, 7-5-2022)
The following terms shall apply to this chapter as written unless context indicates or requires a different meaning:
BUBBLER: | An irrigation head that delivers water to the root zone by flooding the planted area; the output usually measured in gallons per minute. Bubblers are limited to a trickle or umbrella pattern. Stream pattern bubblers are not included in meeting this definition. |
CHECK VALVE: | A device used in a sprinkler head or pipes to prevent water from draining out of the pipe through gravity flow. Used to prevent pollution or contamination to the water supply due to reverse flow of water from the irrigation system. |
DRIP EMITTER: | Drip irrigation fittings that deliver water slowly to the root zone of the plant, usually measured in gallons per hour. |
DRIP LINE: | The area directly located under the outer circumference of the outermost branches of a tree. |
ESTABLISHMENT PERIOD: | The first year after installing the plant in the landscape. |
HYDRO-ZONES: | Plants with similar water needs grouped together and irrigated from a dedicated zone valve. |
POP-UP SPRAY HEAD: | A sprinkler head that sprays water through a nozzle in a fixed pattern with no rotation. |
PRECIPITATION RATE: | The depth of water applied to a given area, usually measured in inches per hour. |
SMART AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION CONTROLLER WATER SENSE LABELED: | An automatic timing device used to remotely control valves in the operation of an irrigation system using internet to connect a real time weather source or soil moisture sensor and labeled as Water Sense controllers. Smart Automatic Irrigation Controllers schedule irrigation events using either evapotranspiration or soil moisture data to control when and how long sprinklers or drip systems operate and will vary based on time of year and weather/soil conditions. |
STREAM SPRINKLER: | An irrigation head that projects water through a gear rotor or impact arm in single or multiple streams. (Ord. 2022-34, 7-5-2022) |
A. Turf grass limitations: Turf grass shall not be allowed on:
1. Slopes greater than twenty-five percent (25%);
2. Under the drip line of an evergreen tree or shrub;
3. In areas that are shaded from direct sunlight for more than six (6) hours a day during the growing season.
B. Planting design: The landscape planting design shall:
1. Have at least eighty percent (80%) of the plantings being water-wise shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses planted as a minimum in groups of three (3) plants spaced no further apart from each other than the general growth width of the plant in order to increase the microclimate shade area of the root zones of the plants;
2. Group plantings into hydro zones so they can be efficiently irrigated.
3. Select and installed plants which are appropriate for the physical condition of site specific locations;
4. Allow the use of pots, raised containers or other means of containing plantings provided this type of planting does not exceed more than ten percent (10%) of the landscaped area.
5. Locate plants with thorns or spines a minimum of ten feet (10') from any public walkway;
6. Plant species that are a public nuisance, invasive to neighboring properties, cause excess litter, or are considered weeds shall not be planted.
C. Soil Preparation: The soil during construction in new developments and expansion projects is compacted and needs to be prepared to allow the water and air exchange to take place in the planting areas. The soil in the landscaped areas shall be broken up by tilling or fracturing to a minimum depth of six inches (6") and mixed with organic soil amendments.
D. Landscape Maintenance:
1. Landscaped areas shall be kept free of litter, weeds, and debris.
2. Landscaped areas shall be weeded on a regular basis. Perennial plants shall be trimmed, cutting back dead growth and seed heads after seeds have dropped.
3. Trees and shrubs shall be pruned to avoid damage to other improvements, structures, or utility lines.
4. Dead branches or dead trees, shrubs, or other plant materials must be removed from the property.
5. Required trees, shrubs, or other plant materials that have died and been removed shall be replaced. (Ord. 2022-34, 7-5-2022)
A. All landscaping, excluding single family detached dwellings, shall have an automatic controlled irrigation system to water the landscaping, including the park strip area fronting the property. Single family detached dwellings are encouraged to have a similar system and certain programs may require the installation of such a system.
B. Individual hydro-zones shall be implemented to assure efficient irrigation relative to the layout and requirements of the vegetation. When a drip system shares a zone with spray heads, the spray heads must have appropriately sized nozzles that provide a matched precipitation rate to that of the drip emitters where equal precipitation values are desired.
C. Drip irrigation or bubblers shall be used to irrigate plants in all non-turf grass planting areas.
D. The following are drip irrigation requirements:
1. Each zone will have an automatic zone valve.
2. A strainer will be placed downstream of the zone valve.
3. A pressure regulator will be placed downstream of the strainer and upstream of the emitters.
4. A flush cap will be placed downstream of the emitters.
5. Irrigation systems supplied by culinary water shall adhere to current backflow requirements as outlined within Ogden City Municipal Code.
E. The properties of the system including line size, pressure, number, and placement of emitters, and number of zones shall provide adequate irrigation to soak the root zone of each plant without creating excessive runoff or saturation that extends below the effective root zone.
F. All valves in the irrigation system shall be controlled by a Water Sense labeled Smart Automatic Irrigation controller.
G. All trees located in the park strip shall be irrigated. When using a drip system, the drip lines shall be placed in increasing circumference sizes of not less than eighteen inches (18") apart extending from the tree trunk to the drip line of the tree. (Ord. 2022-34, 7-5-2022)