All landscape projects subject to the provisions of this chapter shall comply with the following landscaping standards:
(a) Plant selection and grouping.
(1) Any plant may be selected for the landscape, providing the Estimated Total Water Use (ETWU) in the landscape area does not exceed the Maximum Applied Water Allowance (MAWA), and that the plants meet the specifications set forth in (2), (3), (4), and (5) below.
(2) With the exception of Special Landscape Areas, a minimum 25% of landscape area shall be comprised of native plants.
(3) Plants having similar water needs shall be grouped together in distinct hydrozones. Within distinct hydrozones, plants of moderate and low water use, or moderate and high water use can be mixed, so long as the plant factor of the higher water using plant is used for calculations. High water use plants shall not be mixed with low water use plants.
(4) Plants shall be selected appropriately based on their adaptability to the climate, geologic, and topographical conditions of the site. Protection and preservation of existing native California species and natural areas is encouraged.
(5) The use of invasive plant species, as listed in the California Invasive Plant Inventory produced by the California Invasive Plant Council, or as determined by the Director of Planning, Public Works and Environmental Services, is prohibited.
(6) Fire prevention needs shall be addressed in fire-prone areas. A defensible space or zone around a building or structure is required per Public Resources Code Section 4291(a) and (b).
(7) High water use plants, characterized by a plant factor of 0.7 to 1.0, are prohibited in street medians.
(b) Turf requirements.
(1) Turf shall be used wisely and in response to functional needs and shall not be planted if the ETWU exceeds the MAWA.
(2) Turf shall not comprise greater than twenty-five percent (25%) of the front yard landscape area of developer-installed single-family landscaping.
(3) With the exception of Special Landscape Areas, turf shall not comprise greater than thirty percent (30%) of non-residential landscaped area.
(4) Turf shall not be planted on slopes exceeding twenty-five percent (25%) where the toe of the slope is adjacent to or within four (4) feet of an impermeable hardscape (rise divided by run x 100 = slope percent).
(c) Soil Amendments, conditioning, and mulching.
(1) 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.
(2) A minimum three (3) inch layer of mulch shall be applied on all exposed soil surfaces of planting areas except in turf areas, creeping or rooting groundcovers, or direct seeding applications.
(3) Stabilizing mulching products shall be used on slopes that meet current engineering standards.
(4) Soil amendments shall be incorporated according to recommendations of the soil management report and what is appropriate for the plants selected.
(5) 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 (6) inches into the soil. Soils with greater than six percent (6%) organic matter in the top six (6) inches of soil are exempt from adding compost and tilling.
(d) Water features.
(1) Recirculating water systems shall be used for all water features.
(2) The surface area of a water feature shall be indicated on the landscape plans and included in the high water use hydrozone area of the water budget calculation.
(3) Recycled water shall be used for decorative water features when available on site.
(e) Stormwater Management.
(1) The landscape project area shall be graded so that all irrigation and normal rainfall remains within the property lines and does not drain on to non-permeable hardscapes.
(2) Rain gardens, cisterns, and other landscape features and practices that increase rainwater capture and create opportunities for infiltration and/or onsite storage are recommended.
(3) Soil compaction in landscape areas is prohibited unless required by the geotechnical or engineering report.
(Ord. 1445, eff. August 14, 2014; as amended by § 15, Ord. 1466, eff. March 24, 2016)