(a) The landscaping and irrigation plan shall be prepared by a landscape architect, civil engineer or architect licensed by the State of California. A homeowner of a single family residence required to submit a landscape and irrigation plan may prepare their own plans, or have a licensed landscape contractor prepare the landscaping and irrigation plan if the homeowner has contracted with that contractor to install the landscaping and irrigation pursuant to the plan. Property owners may also prepare plans and specifications for any property owned by that person.
(b) The landscaping and irrigation plan shall contain the following information in addition to any other information required to be shown by 23 California Code of Regulations sections 492.6 and 492.7:
(1) A list of all vegetation by common and botanical plant name which exists in the proposed landscaped area. The plan shall state what vegetation will be retained and what will be removed.
(2) A list of all vegetation by common and botanical plant name which will be added to each landscaped area. The plan shall include the total quantities by container size and species. Provide the plant factor for each species on the list as per WUCOLS. If the applicant intends to plant seeds, the plan shall describe the seed mixes and applicable germination specifications.
(3) A detailed description of each water feature that will be included in the landscaped area.
(4) The plan shall be accompanied by a drawing showing on a page or pages, delineating each hydrozone and specifying each as very low, low, moderate, high water or mixed water use; the specific location of all vegetation, retained or planted; the plant spacing and plant size; natural features that were created by natural processes; water features and hardscape areas. The drawing shall include a legend listing the common and botanical plant name of each plant shown on the drawing, including the species' plant factor.
(5) The location, type and size of all components of the irrigation system that will provide water to the landscaped area, including the controller, water lines, valves, sprinkler heads, moisture sensing devices, rain switches, quick couplers, pressure regulators, landscape water meters, and backflow prevention devices.
(6) The static water pressure at the point of connection to the public water supply and the flow rate in gallons, the application rate in inches per hour and the design operating pressure in pressure per square inch for each station. If the water pressure is below or exceeds the recommended pressure of the specified irrigation devices, the installation of a pressure regulating device is required.
(7) The MAWA for the plan, including the calculations used to determine the MAWA. The calculations shall be based on the formula in section 86.712 and the Water Efficient Landscape Worksheet.
(8) The ETWU for the plan, including the calculations used to determine the ETWU. The calculations shall be based on the formula in section 86.713 and the Water Efficient Landscape Worksheet.
(9) A statement signed under penalty of perjury by the person who prepared the plan that provides, "I am familiar with the requirements for landscape and irrigation plans contained in the County Landscape Water Conservation Regulations, in Title 8, Division 6, Chapter 7 of the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances. I have prepared this plan in compliance with those regulations. I certify that the plan implements those regulations to provide efficient use of water."
(10) To increase carbon sequestration in the unincorporated county, each new single-family residential project shall include two trees per dwelling unit in the Plan. Trees shall be located on private land outside of the public right-of-way. See the County's Water Efficient Landscape Design Manual for tree planting guidelines and a definition of which single-family residential projects must comply with this requirement.
(11) The location, type, and size of vegetated structural BMPs, or any other vegetated BMPs, that will be installed on the property to meet stormwater requirements to reduce pollutant load.
(c) The landscape and irrigation plan shall be designed to include all mandatory elements specified by 23 Code of California Regulations sections 492.6 and 492.7 and such additional or alternative requirements as follows:
(1) All plants shall be grouped in hydrozones and the irrigation system shall be designed to deliver water to hydrozones based on the moisture requirements of the plant grouping. A hydrozone may mix plants of moderate and low water use, and mix plants of high water use with plants of moderate water use, but no high water use plants shall be allowed in a low water use hydrozone. A high water use hydrozone may, however, provide for some low water use plants if the low water use plants are of a type that are likely to thrive and flourish with the additional water. The plan shall also demonstrate how the plant groupings, based on site location, slope, sun exposure, soil conditions, and plant types, accomplish the most efficient use of water.
(2) The irrigation system shall be designed to prevent standing water and any condition such as runoff, overspray and low-head drainage where irrigation water flows or sprays onto areas not intended for irrigation. The plan shall also demonstrate how grading and drainage techniques, such as avoidance of soil compaction in landscape areas, avoidance of disrupting natural drainage patterns and undisturbed soil, and grading to allow all irrigation and normal rainfall to remain within the property lines will promote healthy plant growth and prevent standing water, erosion and runoff.
(3) The plan shall provide for use of mulch as follows:
(A) A minimum three inch layer of mulch shall be applied on all exposed soil surfaces in each landscaped area 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 5 percent of the landscape area may be left without mulch. Designated insect habitat must be included in the landscape design plan as such.
(B) Stabilizing mulch shall be applied on slopes that meet current engineering standards.
(C) The mulching portion of a seed/mulch slurry in hydro-seeded applications shall comply with subsection (B) above.
(D) Highly flammable mulch material, such as straw, leaves, bark, or small or mini size wood chips, shall not be used in a "Fire Hazard Severity Zone," as that term is defined in the County Fire Code. Inorganic mulches such as decomposed granite, gravel, or rocks may be used instead. Non-floating shredded hardwood shall be used in all structural BMP basins.
(E) Organic mulch materials made from recycled or post-consumer products/materials shall take precedence over inorganic materials or virgin forest products unless the recycled post-consumer organic products are not locally available. Organic mulches are not required where prohibited by County Fire Code.
(4) The plan shall identify the type and amount of mulch for each area where mulch is applied.
(5) On a project other than a single family residence, the plan shall identify recreational areas.
(6) The plan shall identify areas permanently and solely dedicated to edible plants.
(7) The plan shall identify each area irrigated with recycled water, gray water and other non-potable water.
(8) The plan shall identify soil amendments and their type and quantity.
(A) Prior to the planting of any materials (unless contraindicated by the soils report or in the case of native vegetation, as approved by the Director of PDS) 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.
(C) To meet the requirements of (A) above, all landscaped areas, except those described in (B) above, shall install compost at a rate of a minimum of four cubic yards per 1,000 square feet of permeable area shall be incorporated to a depth of six inches into the soil. Soils with greater than 6 percent organic matter in the top 6 inches of soil are exempt from adding compost and tilling.
(9) The plan shall demonstrate that landscaping when installed and at maturity will be positioned to avoid obstructing roadway users' (e.g., motorists', bicyclists', pedestrians', and equestrians') views of pedestrian crossings, driveways, roadways and other vehicular travel ways, traffic signs, and traffic signals. Sight distance lines, as provided by a California registered Civil Engineer using the sight distance requirements defined in the County Public Road Standards, shall be shown on the plans. If the landscaping will require maintenance to avoid obstructing roadway users' views, the plan shall describe the maintenance and the frequency of the proposed maintenance. The plan shall demonstrate that landscaping when planted and at full maturity shall not obscure sight distance for all roadway users. The plan shall also be compliant with requirements defined in the Landscape Architecture chapter of the most current Caltrans Highway Design Manual.
(10) The plan shall avoid the use of landscaping with known surface root problems adjacent to a sidewalk and paved area, unless the plan provides for installation of root control barriers or other appropriate devices to control surface roots. Trees shall be planted a minimum of 24 inches from sidewalk. Root barriers are required when used in parkways with landscaped areas less than 3 feet in width and where specified.
(11) The plan shall provide that any slope greater than 25 percent will be irrigated with an irrigation system with an application rate of 0.75 inches per hour or less to prevent runoff and erosion. As used in this chapter, 25 percent grade means one foot of vertical elevation change for every four feet of horizontal length. An applicant may employ an alternative design if the plan demonstrates that no runoff or erosion will occur. Prevention of runoff and erosion must be confirmed during the irrigation audit.
(12) Installation of irrigation mainlines under paved areas within the public right-of-way shall be avoided. When approved, the plan shall provide that all wiring and piping under a paved area that a vehicle may use, such as a parking area, driveway or roadway, will be installed inside a PVC sleeve pipe.
(13) The plan shall provide that irrigation piping and irrigation devices that deliver water, such as sprinkler heads, shall be installed below grade using swing joints or other riser-protection components if they are within 24 inches of a vehicle or pedestrian use area. The Director of PDS may allow on-grade piping where landform constraints make below grade piping infeasible.
(14) The plan shall provide that only drip, drip line, or other low flow non-spray technology shall be used to irrigate any vegetation within 24 inches of an impermeable surface unless the adjacent impermeable surfaces are designed and constructed to cause water to drain entirely into a landscaped area. The setback may be planted or unplanted. The surfacing of the setback may be mulch, gravel, or other porous material.
(15) The plan shall provide that plants in a transitional area consist of a combination of site adaptive and compatible native and non-native species. The plan shall also provide that no invasive plant species shall be introduced or tolerated in a transitional area. The irrigation in a transitional area shall be designed so that no overspray or runoff shall enter an adjacent area that is not irrigated.
(16) The plan shall demonstrate compliance with best management practices required by sections 67.801 et seq. (Watershed Protection, Stormwater Management and Discharge Control regulations), and the County's Best Management Practice's Design Manual.
(17) The plan shall address fire safety issues and demonstrate compliance with Section 4907 of the County's Consolidated Fire Code for defensible space around buildings and structures and shall avoid the use of fire prone vegetation.
(18) The irrigation system shall provide for the installation of an easily accessible manual shutoff valve as close as possible to the water supply. Additional manual shutoff valves shall be installed between each zone of the irrigation system and the water supply.
(19) The irrigation system shall provide that irrigation for any landscaped area will be regulated by an automatic irrigation controller, along with sensors (rain, freeze, wind, etc.), appropriate to local climatic conditions, either integral or auxiliary, that will suspend or alter irrigation operation during unfavorable weather conditions.
(20) For the purpose of determining Estimated Total Water Use, average irrigation efficiency is assumed to be 0.90 for point source drip, 0.85 for in-line emitter tubing or subsurface, 0.85 for bubblers, 0.75 for overhead rotator or precision nozzle spray devices, 0.75 for rotor and 0.60 for all other spray nozzles.
(d) The landscaping and irrigation plan shall describe each automatic irrigation controller the system uses to regulate the irrigation schedule and whether it is an evapotranspiration (weather based) system or moisture detection system, utilizing non-volatile memory. The plan shall depict the location of electrical service for the automatic irrigation controller or describe the use of batteries or solar power that will power valves or an automatic irrigation controller.
(e) Landscape water meters, defined as either a dedicated water service meter or private submeter, shall be installed for all non-residential irrigated landscapes of 1,000 square feet or more and all residential irrigated landscapes of 5,000 square feet or greater. A landscape water meter may be either:
(1) a customer service meter dedicated to landscape use provided by the local water purveyor; or
(2) a privately owned meter or submeter.
(f) Flow sensors that detect high flow conditions created by system damage or malfunction are required for all non-residential landscapes and residential landscapes of 5,000 square feet or larger.
(g) Master shut-off valves are required on all projects except landscapes that make use of technologies that allow for the individual control of sprinklers that are individually pressurized in a system equipped with low pressure shut down features.
(h) Where feasible, trees shall be placed on separate valves from shrubs, groundcovers, and turf to facilitate the appropriate irrigation of trees. The mature size and extent of the root zone shall be considered when designing irrigation for the tree.
(i) Soil moisture probes shall be located in the bottom and the toe of side slopes of all vegetated storm water detention basins to ensure that the irrigation controller does not activate those valves irrigating these areas during periods of inundation.
(j) Areas less than 10 feet in width in any direction shall be irrigated with subsurface irrigation or other means that produces no runoff or overspray.
(Amended by Ord. No. 10224 (N.S.), effective 10-25-12)