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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06261990 - 1.18 • SE_.L ?n: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Harvey E. Bragdon Director of Community Development DATE: June 26, 1990 SUBJECT: Proposed Water Conservation Landscape Ordinanc STq'COUP' SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION Accept request/report from the Community Development Department and set a hearing date of July 31, 1990 at 2:00 PM to receive any public comments on the Water Committee's proposed Water Conservation Landscape Ordinance. FISCAL IMPACT None. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION ,On May 23 , 1989, the Board requested the Water Committee to consider methods such as an ordinance or resolution by which consistent implementation of water conservation landscape guidelines could be achieved. During the course of several Water Committee meetings, a draft ordinance was developed, which incorporated the Committee for Water Policy Consensus/Association of Bay Area Governments (CWPC/ABAG) Model Landscape Guidelines with the County's existing landscape guidelines. The CWPC/ABAG Water Conservation Landscape guidelines have been accepted by a large majority of the cities within the County. County Counsel has reviewed this ordinance and revised the draft into final ordinance form. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATU RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATIO O CARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER - SIGNATURE(S.): ACTION OF BOARD ON June--26, 1990 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED ',X OTHER - VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. cc: Community Development (Orig. Dept. ) ATTESTED June 26, 1990 County Counsel PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF County Administrator SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR M382/7-83 BY DEPUTY I ORDINANCE NO. 90- (Water Conservation Landscaping in New Developments) The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors ordains as follows (omitting the parenthetical footnotes from the official text of the enacted or amended provisions of the County Ordinance Code): SECTION I. SUMMARY. This ordinance provides for water conservation landscape requirements in new developments. SECTION II. Chapter 82-26 is added to the County Ordinance Code to read: CHAPTER 82-26 WATER CONSERVATION LANDSCAPING IN NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARTICLE 82-26.2 GENERAL 82-26.202 Water Conservation Landscaping. All land within the unincorporated area of Contra Costa County shall be subject to the provisions in this chapter. (Ord. 90- ). 82-26.204 Intent and Findings. (1) Landscaping irrigation accounts for approximately fifty percent of all water used in urban areas. Water conserving landscapes use only about one-third of the water of a traditional non-water conserving landscape. (2) Water in the County is of limited supply. The County is growing in population. In order to meet the growing demand for water supply, water conservation measures need to be implemented. (3) Water, as a valuable and limited resource, should not be wasted. The County has played a lead role in protecting Bay and Delta water quality, and in advocating water conservation before considering new water supply projects. (4) Water conservation measures will save money and can be accomplished without degradation of aesthetic values of developments. (5) For all of these reasons, it is in the interest of the public health, safety and welfare of the County to require water conservation methods for landscaping of new developments by regulating turf areas, planting materials, and irrigation practices. (Ord.90- ). 82-26.206 Regulations. The Board of Supervisors may issue regulations for the administration of this chapter, including procedures and policies. (Ord. 90- ). ARTICLE 82-26.4 APPLICATION AND REQUIREMENTS 82-26-402 Ayvlication to New Developments. (1) Water conservation landscape requirements shall apply to all new single family residential developments having common areas, including landscaped front yards, or model homes, and to all other new developments. (2) If a single family residential development has common areas, the water conservation landscape regulations shall apply to all common areas. The landscaping of front yards as part of new development will be considered as common area, and will be subject to the requirements outlined in this chapter. (3) If a single family residential development has one or more model homes, at least one model home in the development must be planted in accordance with water conservation requirements. 1 ORD. NO. 90- I (4) Conditions of approval for new development subject to the provisions of this chapter shall require landscape plans to be submitted to the Community Development Department for final review and approval prior to the issuance of a building permit. (Ord. 90- ). 82-26.404 Requirements. (1) Turf Maximums. Turf areas shall not exceed twenty-five (25) percent of planted area in all developments subject to this chapter. Where turf is an essential part of the development, as in school playing fields or in public parks, a higher percentage may be allowed. No turf shall be allowed in median strips or in areas less than eight (8) feet wide. (2) Drought-Tolerant Plants. At least ninety (90) percent of the plants in non-turf area shall be low-water-requiring, drought-tolerant plants approved by the Community Development Department. A low-water-using, drought-tolerant plant includes species suited to local climate and requires little or no irrigation in order to thrive. The remaining planted area (up to ten (10) percent) can be used for non-drought-tolerant varieties if they are grouped together and can be irrigated separately. (3) Mulch. A minimum of two inches of mulch shall be added to the soil surface after planting. Non-porous material shall not be placed under the mulch. (4) Irrigation. (a) Sprinklers and sprays shall not be used in areas less than eight (8) feet wide. Drip and bubbler systems shall not exceed one and one-half(1.5) gallons per minute per device. (b) Sprinkler heads with a precipitation rate of .85" per hour or less shall be used in slopes exceeding fifteen percent or slopes exceeding ten percent within ten feet of hardscape to minimize runoff. (c) Valves and circuits shall be separated based on amounts of water required for each area. (d) Drip or bubbler irrigation systems shall be required for trees that cannot be sustained by ground or rain water. (e) Sprinkler heads shall have matched precipitation rates within each control valve circuit. (f) Serviceable check valves shall be required where elevation differential may cause low head drainage. (g) Sprinkler head spacing shall be designed for head-to-head coverage. The system shall be designed to provide minimum runoff and overspray onto non-irrigated areas. (h) All irrigation systems shall be equipped with a controller capable of dual or multiple programming. Controllers shall have multiple cycle start capacity and a flexible calendar program. (5) Ornamental Ponds. Fountains, ponds or other water bodies that are part of the landscaping for new developments are discouraged and shall be restricted as set forth in this sub- section. Unless the water body is an integral part of the operation of the new development, the surface area of the water body shall be counted as turf in calculating maximum allowable turf for the landscaped area. Where well water or untreated water is used and the water supply is recirculated, the Community Development Department may make allowances consistent with the other provisions of this chapter. 2 ORD. NO. 90- (6) Landscape Plans. Landscape plans shall indicate the total landscape area, the area and percentage of drought-tolerant planting and the area and percentage of ornamental non- drought-tolerant plantings. The plans shall be certified as being in compliance with this chapter by a licensed landscape contractor, architect or other landscape professional whose qualifications have been approved by the Community Development Department. Landscape plans shall include the following: (a) A water budget which includes estimated annual water use (in gallons) and the area (in square feet) to be irrigated; (b) Precipitation rates for each valve circuit; (c) A monthly irrigation schedule for the plant establishment period and the following year. (7) Additional Requirements in Residential Developments. (a) In residential developments with one or more model homes, at least one model home in the development must be planted with drought-tolerant plans with a maximum of twenty-five (25) percent turf and/or water area. (b) The developers shall provide each buyer with sample landscape plans using drought-tolerant plants with a maximum of twenty-five (25) percent turf area. (c) Subject to Community Development Department approval, the developer shall distribute outdoor water conservation pamphlets to each buyer at the time property is sold. Such pamphlets may be obtained from local water districts, from the State Department of Water Resources, or from the Community Development Department. (Ord. 90- ). SECTION III. Chapter 916-2 of the County Ordinance Code is amended by adding Section 916- 2.004: 916-2.004. Water Conservation Landscaping. Landscaping of property subject to this title shall conform to the water conservation requirements of Chapter 82-26 of this Code. (Ord. 90- ). SECTION IV. EFFECTIVE DATE. This ordinance becomes effective 30 days after passage, and within 15 days of passage shall be published once with the names of supervisors voting for and against it in the Contra Costa Times, a.newspaper published in the County. PASSED ON by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTEST: Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator By Deputy Board Chair 3 ORD. NO. 90-