All new landscaping shall be irrigated with an irrigation system. The Director may waive this requirement based on plant water needs and site characteristics.
(A) The irrigation system and its related components shall be planned and designed to allow for proper installation, management and maintenance. An irrigation system shall meet or exceed 0.75 efficiency for overhead spray devices, and 0.81 for drip system devices, and be installed in compliance with the manufacturers' recommendations.
(B) All irrigation systems shall be designed to avoid runoff, low head drainage, overspray, or other similar conditions where water flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, walks, roadways, or structures.
(C) Automatic irrigation controllers and sensors are required. Controllers may either be able to self-adjust and schedule irrigation events using either evapotranspiration (weather-based) or soil moisture-based controllers that automatically adjust irrigation in response to changes in plants' needs as weather conditions change.
(D) Proper irrigation equipment and schedules, including features such as repeat cycles, shall be used to closely match application rates to infiltration rates determined by a soil percolation test, therefore minimizing runoff.
(E) Low-volume irrigation shall be required in mulched areas, in areas with slope greater than 25%, and in any narrow or irregularly shaped areas that are less than ten feet in width in any direction.
(F) Overhead irrigation is prohibited within 24 inches of any non-permeable surface. Overhead irrigation shall be scheduled between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. unless weather conditions prevent it.
(G) Irrigation systems and decorative water features may be designed to allow for the current and future use of recycled water, if water providers serving the city make it available.
(H) Recirculating water shall be used for decorative water features.
(I) All irrigation shall be subject to restrictions put forth by the City of San Gabriel or local water purveyor during periods of drought.
(J) Irrigation systems shall consist of low-volume emitters (i.e. drip emitters) or the following:
(1) Low volume rotary type heads, with check valves and pressure regulation for turf areas;
(2) Sprinkler heads and other emission devices with matched precipitation rates, unless otherwise directed by manufacturer's recommendations; and
(3) Separate valves for each plant hydrozone.
(K) 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.
(Ord. 601-C.S., passed 3-4-14; Am. Ord. 622-C.S., passed 11-17-15)