In order to encourage efficient water use, the following standards shall be applied to all landscaping and development governed by this chapter including office, commercial, industrial, institutional, parks and greenways, developer installed landscaping in multiple-family residential projects, and commonly owned and/or maintained areas of single-family residential projects. These guidelines do not apply to landscaping in private areas of single-family or two-family projects. Parks, playgrounds, sports fields, golf courses, schools, and cemeteries are exempt from turf area limits of these standards where a functional need for turf is established. All other requirements are applicable.
A. Plant Selection And Use Limitation:
1. Grass which is not generally resistant to drought conditions (such as Kentucky bluegrass), high water use plantings (e.g., annuals, container plants) and water features (e.g., fountains, pools) shall be considered high water uses and shall be limited to not more than forty percent (40%) of the project's landscaped area if nondrought resistant grass is used, and no more than fifty percent (50%) of the landscaped area if drought resistant grass is used.
2. Plants selected in all areas not identified for nondrought resistant grass or high water use plantings shall be well suited to the climate, soils, and topographic conditions of the site, and shall be low water use plants, once established.
3. No nondrought resistant grass or high water use plants shall be allowed on slopes exceeding twenty five percent (25%). Such slopes shall be planted or reseeded with native and/or drought tolerant introduced species as recommended by the Natural Resource Conservation Service. The city maintains the "recommended species and seed mixes for critical area stabilization" developed by the NRCS. (Ord. 3044, 2020: Ord. 2846 § 1, 2008)