(a) The following projects in the unincorporated area of the County for which the County issues a building permit or a discretionary permit after the chapter's effective date shall be required to obtain an outdoor water use authorization as part of the permitting process:
(1) Any new construction where the aggregate landscaped area is 500 square feet or more.
(2) Any modified landscape that in the aggregate totals 2,500 square feet or more.
(3) A new single family residence served by a public water purveyor within the San Diego County Water Authority or the Borrego Water District. A new single family residence served by an on-site well shall require landscape review to be compliant with the landscape regulations but does not need to provide water budget calculations to a water purveyor per Section 86.711. As used in this subsection, a new single family residence does not include a single family residence that is being rebuilt after it was destroyed due to a declared natural disaster, such as a fire, earthquake, hurricane or tornado.
(4) A model home that includes a landscaped area, where the home is served by a public water purveyor within the San Diego County Water Authority or by the Borrego Water District.
(5) A project not included in categories (a)(1) through (a)(4) that requires a new minor or major grading permit and contains an area served by temporary or permanent irrigation.
(6) A cemetery.
(b) The following projects for which the County issues a building permit or a discretionary permit may comply with the performance requirements of this ordinance, or conform to the Prescriptive Compliance Option set forth in this chapter, unless otherwise required through discretionary review to submit a Landscape Documentation Package:
(1) Any project, including single-family lots within a residential subdivision, with an aggregate landscaped area from 500 square feet to less than 2,500 square feet.
(2) Any lot or parcel within a project with less than 2,500 square feet of an aggregate landscaped area that meets the Estimated Total Water Use (ETWU) requirements, found in Section 86.713 entirely with treated or untreated graywater, or through stored rainwater captured on site. These projects need only comply with the requirements of Section 86.722(a)(5) & (6).
(c) The following projects shall be exempt from the requirements of this chapter:
(1) A registered local, State or federal historical site, based on a determination by the Director of Planning & Development Services (Director of PDS) in consultation with the County Archeologist.
(2) An ecological restoration project that does not require a permanent irrigation system.
(3) A mined land reclamation project that does not require a permanent irrigation system.
(4) Existing plant collections included in a botanical garden or arboretum that is open to the public.
(5) All projects containing under 500 square feet of aggregate landscaped area.
(d) Sections 86.728(a) and 86.729 shall apply to the owners and occupants of all property in the unincorporated area of the County, whether or not the property is subject to a water use allocation. Existing landscape projects that were installed before the effective date of this chapter where the landscape area is greater than one acre shall also be subject to section 86.730(b).