(A) Consistency With Specific Plans, Other Design Guidelines And Design Criteria: Other regulations and design criteria affecting landscape design and maintenance practices are potentially applicable and should be consulted for additional requirements. These regulations include, but may not be limited to:
1. Zoning code, including projects subject to section 10-4-9 of this title;
2. The "City Of Placerville Development Guide";
3. The city's "Design And Construction Standards Manual";
4. El Dorado County fire protection district regulations for fire hazard reduction and fuel modification zones;
5. Any conditions of approval for a specific project;
6. California building code;
7. El Dorado irrigation district design and construction standards.
Where any inconsistencies arise between this chapter and other adopted policy documents, the more restrictive requirement shall govern.
(B) Designing And Planning Of Landscape: For the efficient use of water, a landscape shall be carefully designed and planned for the intended function of the project. A landscape design plan meeting the following design criteria shall be submitted as part of the landscape documentation package.
1. Plant Material:
(a) Any plant 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 shall include one or more of the following:
(1) Protection and preservation of native species and natural vegetation;
(2) Selection of water conserving plant, tree and turf species, especially local native plants;
(3) Selection of plants based on local climate suitability, disease and pest resistance;
(4) Selection of trees based on applicable local tree regulations or tree shading guidelines, and size at maturity as appropriate for the planting area;
(5) Selection of plants from city and local landscape program plant lists; and
(6) Selection of plants from local fuel modification plan guidelines.
(b) Each hydrozone shall have plant materials with similar water use, with the exception of hydrozones with plants of mixed water use, as specified in subsection 10-6-6(A) of this chapter.
(c) Plants shall 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 shall include one or more of the following:
(1) 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;
(2) 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; and
(3) Consider the solar orientation for plant placement to maximize summer shade and winter solar gain.
(d) 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).
(e) High water use plants, characterized by a plant factor of 0.7 to 1.0, are prohibited in street medians.
(f) A landscape design plan for projects in fire prone areas shall 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.
(g) The use of invasive plant species, such as those listed by the California invasive plant council, is strongly discouraged.
(h) The architectural guidelines of a common interest development, which include community apartment projects, condominiums, planned developments, and stock cooperatives, shall not prohibit or include conditions that have the effect of prohibiting the use of low water use plants as a group.
2. Water Features:
(a) Recirculating water systems shall be used for water features.
(b) Where available, recycled water shall be used as a source for decorative water features.
(c) Surface area of a water feature shall be included in the high water use hydrozone area of the water budget calculation.
(d) Pool and spa covers are highly recommended.
3. Soil Preparation, Mulch And Amendments:
(a) Prior to the planting of any materials, compacted soils shall be transformed to a friable condition. On engineered slopes, only amended planting holes need meet this requirement.
(b) Soil amendments shall be incorporated according to recommendations of the soil report and what is appropriate for the plants selected (see subsection (F) of this section).
(c) 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 shall 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.
(d) A minimum three inch (3") layer of mulch shall 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.
(e) Stabilizing mulching products shall be used on slopes that meet current engineering standards.
(f) The mulching portion of the seed/mulch slurry in hydroseeded applications shall meet the mulching requirement.
(g) Organic mulch materials made from recycled or postconsumer products shall 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 regulations.
(C) Landscape Design Plan: The landscape design plan, at a minimum, shall:
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 shall 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 and 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 shall refer to the city 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 10-6-14 of this chapter;
11. Identify any applicable rain harvesting or catchment technologies as discussed in 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 regulations 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 Agricultural Code).
(D) Elements Of The Landscape Documentation Package:
1. The landscape documentation package shall include the following six (6) elements:
(a) Project information:
(1) Date.
(2) Project applicant.
(3) Project address (if available, parcel and/or lot number(s)).
(4) Total landscape area (square feet).
(5) Project type (e.g., new, rehabilitated, public, private, cemetery, homeowner installed).
(6) 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.
(7) Checklist of all documents in landscape documentation package.
(8) Project contacts to include contact information for the project applicant and property owner.
(9) Applicant signature and date with statement, "I agree to comply with the requirements of the water efficient landscape regulations and submit a complete Landscape Documentation Package".
(b) Water efficient landscape worksheet:
(1) Hydrozone information table.
(2) Water budget calculations:
A.Maximum applied water allowance (MAWA).
B.Estimated total water use (ETWU).
(c) Soil management report;
(d) Landscape design plan;
(e) Irrigation design plan; and
(f) Grading design plan.
(E) Water Efficient Landscape Worksheet:
1. A project applicant shall complete the water efficient landscape worksheet which contains information on the plant factor, irrigation method, irrigation efficiency, and area associated with each hydrozone. Calculations are then made to show that the evapotranspiration adjustment factor (ETAF) for the landscape project does not exceed a factor of 0.55 for residential areas and 0.45 for nonresidential areas, exclusive of special landscape areas. The ETAF for a landscape project is based on the plant factors and irrigation methods selected. The maximum applied water allowance is calculated based on the maximum ETAF allowed (0.55 for residential areas and 0.45 for nonresidential areas) and expressed as annual gallons required. The estimated total water use (ETWU) is calculated based on the plants used and irrigation method selected for the landscape design. ETWU must be below the MAWA.
(a) In calculating the maximum applied water allowance and estimated total water use, a project applicant shall use the ETo values from the reference evapotranspiration table in section 10-6-18, appendix A of this chapter.
2. Water budget calculations shall adhere to the following requirements:
(a) The plant factor used shall be from WUCOLS or from horticultural researchers with academic institutions or professional associations as approved by the California department of water resources (DWR). The plant factor ranges from 0 to 0.1 for very low water using plants, 0.1 to 0.3 for low water use plants, from 0.4 to 0.6 for moderate water use plants, and from 0.7 to 1.0 for high water use plants.
(b) All water features shall be included in the high water use hydrozone and temporarily irrigated areas shall be included in the low water use hydrozone.
(c) All special landscape areas shall be identified and their water use calculated as shown in section 10-6-18, appendix B of this chapter.
(d) ETAF for new and existing (nonrehabilitated) special landscape areas shall not exceed 1.0.
(F) Soil Management Report:
1. In order to reduce runoff and encourage healthy plant growth, a soil management report shall 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 shall be conducted in accordance with laboratory protocol, including protocols regarding adequate sampling depth for the intended plants.
(2) The soil analysis shall 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 organic matter; and
G.Recommendations.
(3) 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 shall sample at a rate equivalent to one in seven (7) lots.
2. The project applicant, or his/her designee, shall comply with one of the following:
(a) If significant mass grading is not planned, the soil analysis report shall be submitted to the city as part of the landscape documentation package; or
(b) If significant mass grading is planned, the soil analysis report shall be submitted to the city as part of the certificate of completion.
3. The soil analysis report shall 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.
4. The project applicant, or his/her designee, shall submit documentation verifying implementation of soil analysis report recommendations to the city with certificate of completion. (Ord. 1675, 11-24-2015)