Lawndale City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 17
88 WATER-EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE
§ 17.88.010 Purpose.
A.
The city council finds and declares that it is in the interest of public health, safety, and welfare to promote water-efficient landscape design, installation, and management while ensuring that the aesthetic, recreational, functional, economic, environmental, and social benefits are achieved. The purpose of the regulations set forth in this chapter is to establish standards for designing, installing, and maintaining water efficient landscapes in new and substantially altered or expanded existing development projects.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)
§ 17.88.020 Applicability.
This chapter shall apply to all new and substantially altered or expanded existing development projects, except that the following projects shall be exempt from this chapter:
A.
Development projects containing less than five hundred square feet of new or less than two thousand five hundred square feet of renovated irrigated landscaped area;
B.
Homeowner-provided landscaping for a single-family lot or for a private yard within a multifamily development;
C.
Cemeteries;
D.
Registered or city-designated historic districts, sites, and structures;
E.
Ecological restoration projects that do not require a permanent irrigation system;
F.
Landscaping that is irrigated solely with reclaimed water or well water, where an irrigation connection to the city water is not proposed;
G.
Public parks and recreation areas, golf courses, and school playgrounds.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1; Ord. 1185-21 § 2)
§ 17.88.030 Definitions.
means a valve located under a sprinkler head to hold water in the system so it minimizes drainage from the lower elevation sprinkler heads.
means the depth of water applied to a given area, usually measured in inches per hour.
means the portion of water supplied by the irrigation system to the landscape.
means a safety device used to prevent pollution or contamination of the water supply due to the reverse flow of water from the irrigation system.
means an irrigation head that delivers water to the root zone by flooding the planted area, usually measured in gallons per minute. Bubblers exhibit a trickle, umbrella, or short stream pattern.
is as defined in 14 CCR Section 17896.2(a)(4), and includes product resulting from the controlled biological decomposition of organic solid wastes that are source separated from the municipal solid waste stream, or which are separated at a centralized facility.
means a number that converts the landscape water allowance and estimated water use from acre-inches per acre to gallons per square foot per year.
means drip irrigation fittings that deliver water slowly at the root zone of the plant, usually measured in gallons per hour.
means a plant that can survive without irrigation throughout the year once established, although supplemental water may be desirable during drought periods for improved appearance and disease resistance.
means the annual total amount of water estimated to be needed to keep the plants in the landscape area healthy. It is based upon the local reference evapotranspiration rate, the size of the landscape area, the types of plants, and the efficiency of the irrigation system, as described in Section 17.88.070.
means a factor applied to reference evapotranspiration, that adjusts for plant factors and irrigation efficiency, two major influences upon the amount of water that needs to be applied to the landscape. For the purpose of this chapter, the plant factor shall be 0.5 and irrigation efficiency shall be 0.625. Therefore, ET Adjustment Factor (0.5/0.625) = 0.8.
means the quantity of water evaporated from adjacent soil surfaces and transpired by plants during a specific time, expressed in inches per day, month, or year.
means the rate at which water flows through pipes and valves (gallons per minute or cubic feet per second).
means a portion of the landscaped area having plants with similar water needs that are served by a valve or set of valves with the same schedule. A hydrozone may be irrigated or nonirrigated. For example, a naturalized area planted with native vegetation that will not need supplemental irrigation once established is a nonirrigated hydrozone.
means all portions of a development site to be improved with planting and irrigation. Natural open space areas shall not be included in the irrigated landscaped area.
means the measurement of the amount of water beneficially used by plants divided by the amount of water applied. Irrigation efficiency is derived from measurements and estimates of irrigation system characteristics and management practices. The minimum irrigation efficiency for purposes of this chapter is 0.625. Greater irrigation efficiency can be expected from well designed and maintained systems.
means the parcel minus building pad(s), driveways, parking areas, impervious hardscapes such as decks and patios, and other nonporous walkways and natural areas. A natural area is one occupied by mature plants, native or acclimated plants growing on undisturbed grades, and which is not irrigated.
means, for design purposes, the upper limit of annual applied water for the established landscaped area as specified in Section 17.88.070. It is based upon the area's reference evapotranspiration, the ET adjustment factor, and the size of the landscaped area. The estimated applied water use shall not exceed the maximum applied water allowance.
means any material such as leaves, bark, straw or other materials left loose and applied to the soil surface to reduce evaporation.
means a plant which will require regular irrigation for adequate appearance, growth, and disease resistance.
means a factor that, when multiplied by reference evapotranspiration, estimates the amount of water used by plants. For purposes of this chapter, the average plant factor of low water using plants is 0.3, for moderate water using plants is 0.5, and for high water using plants is 0.7.
means the depth of water applied to a given area, usually measured in inches per hour.
means a device wired to the automatic controller that shuts off the irrigation system when it rains.
means treated or recycled waste water of a quality suitable for nonpotable uses such as landscape irrigation, not intended for human consumption.
means a standard measurement of environmental parameters which affect the water use of plants. ET is measured in inches per day, month, or year and is derived from measurements of evapotranspiration from a test plot of four to seven-inch tall turf in an open field that is well-watered. The historic ET for the Lawndale area is approximately forty-three inches per year.
means an irrigation head that sprays water through a nozzle.
means an irrigation head that projects water through a gear rotor in single or multiple streams.
means a surface layer of earth containing mowed grass with its roots.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1; Ord. 1185-21 § 3)
§ 17.88.040 Review and approval requirements.
A.
Prior to issuance of a building permit for a project, the following landscaping documents shall be submitted for review and approval by the director of community development/case planner:
B.
Prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy for a development project, an irrigation schedule, and a certificate of substantial completion shall be submitted to the director of community development/case planner for review and approval.
C.
The documents listed in subsection A above, shall be prepared by a landscape architect, or certified irrigation designer, except that the soils report shall be prepared by a qualified soil and plant laboratory. The documents listed in subsection B of this section may be prepared by a licensed landscape contractor.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)
§ 17.88.050 Landscape planting plan.
A detailed planting plan shall be drawn at a scale that clearly identifies the following:
A.
Designation of all hydrozones;
B.
Landscape materials, trees, shrubs, ground- cover, turf, and other vegetation. Planting symbols shall be clearly drawn and plants labeled by botanical name, common name, container size, spacing, and quantities of each group of plants indicated;
C.
Property lines and street names;
D.
Streets, driveways, and other paved areas;
E.
Pools, ponds, water features, fences, and retaining walls;
F.
Existing and proposed buildings, structures including elevation, if possible;
G.
Existing trees and plant materials to be removed or retained;
H.
Natural features including, but not limited to, rock outcroppings, existing trees, and shrubs that will remain;
I.
Details and specifications for tree staking, soil preparation, and other applicable planting work;
J.
Where landscaped areas exceed ten percent slope, contour lines and/or spot elevations as necessary for the proposed finished grade;
K.
A calculation of the total landscaped area in square feet.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)
§ 17.88.060 Irrigation design plan.
A detailed irrigation plan shall be drawn at the same scale as the landscape planting plan and shall contain the following information:
A.
Layout of the irrigation system and a legend summarizing the type and size of all components of the irrigation system, including manufacturer name and model numbers;
B.
All irrigation systems shall be designed to avoid runoff, low head drainage, overspray, or other similar conditions where water flows onto adjacent property, nonirrigated areas, walks, roadways, or structures. Proper irrigation equipment shall be used to closely match application rates to infiltration rates therefore minimizing runoff;
C.
A maximum water allowance shall be established. For the purpose of determining the maximum water allowance, irrigation efficiency is assumed to be 0.625. Irrigation systems shall be designed, maintained, and managed to meet or exceed 0.625 efficiency;
D.
A separate water meter shall be installed to irrigate each approved landscape. This meter shall be designated as an irrigation account and no other utilities will be billed on such accounts.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)
§ 17.88.070 Landscape water use statement.
The landscape water use statement shall contain the following information:
A.
Maximum Applied Water Allowance:
MAWA | = | (ET) (0.8) (LA) (0.62) where |
MAWA | = | Maximum applied water allowance (gallons per year) |
ET | = | Reference evapotranspiration rate (ET) for the Lawndale area (in inches per year) is 42 |
0.8 | = | ET adjustment factor |
0.62 | = | Conversion factor (to gallons per square feet) |
LA | = | Total irrigated landscaped area (square feet) |
B.
Estimated Landscape Water Use.
1.
The estimated landscaped water use (ELWU) for the site shall be based on the landscape planting and irrigation design plans prepared for the development project.
2.
The total ELWU for a site shall consist of summing the ELWU for all landscape zones within the irrigated landscape area. The ELWU for each hydrozone shall be calculated using the following formula:
ELWU | = | (ET) (PF) (HA) (0.62), where (IE) |
ELWU | = | Estimated landscape water use (gallons per year) |
ET | = | Reference evapotranspiration (inches per year) |
PF | = | Plant factor |
HA | = | Hydrozone area (square feet) |
0.62 | = | Conversion factor |
IE | = | Irrigation efficiency |
C.
For the purpose of this chapter, the average plant factor (PF) shall be the following for each type of plant material, which are based on an average density planting and average microclimate conditions:
Plant Type | Water Use Category | Plant Factor |
|---|---|---|
Turf | High | 0.7 |
Nondrought-tolerant trees, shrubs, and groundcover | High | 0.7 |
Drought-tolerant trees, shrubs, and groundcover | Moderate | 0.5 |
Extra drought-tolerant trees, shrubs and groundcover | Low | 0.3 |
D.
For the purpose of this chapter, the irrigation efficiency (EI) shall be the following for the irrigation type:
Irrigation Type | Irrigation Efficiency (IF) |
|---|---|
Bubblers | 0.9 |
Drip emitters | 0.9 |
Stream sprinklers in planter | 0.80 |
Spray sprinklers in planter | 0.75 |
Sprinklers in planter strips less than 8 feet wide | 0.625 |
E.
The estimated applied water use shall not exceed the maximum applied water allowance.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)
§ 17.88.080 Soils report.
A soils report may be required where irrigated landscaped areas exceed ten thousand square feet or where difficult soil or landscaping conditions exist at the project site. The soils report shall describe the depth, composition, fertility, and landscaping suitability of the soil at the project site, and shall include recommendations for soil amendment, fertilizer, and other items as needed. The landscape planting plan shall incorporate the recommendations of the soils report into the planting specifications.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)
§ 17.88.090 Certificate of compliance.
A certificate of compliance, stating full compliance with the landscape design standards, and the irrigation design standards as in Section 17.88.050 and Section 17.88.060 of the Municipal Code, shall be signed by a landscape architect and submitted to the city prior to issuance of a building permit.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)
§ 17.88.100 Irrigation schedule.
A.
A monthly irrigation schedule shall be prepared that covers the initial ninety-day plant-establishment period and the following one-year period. This irrigation schedule shall consist of a table with the following information for each valve:
1.
Plant type (i.e., turf, trees, water-conserving plants, nondrought-tolerant plants, etc.);
2.
Irrigation type (i.e., sprinklers, drip, or bubblers);
3.
Flow rate in gallons per minute;
4.
Precipitation rate in inches per hour (for valves with sprinklers only);
5.
Run times in minutes per day;
6.
Number of watering days per week;
B.
The irrigation schedule shall rely on the estimated landscape water use (ELWU) determined in Section 17.88.070 and the monthly ET data for the Lawndale area. The amount of water applied per valve shall be adjusted as necessary for irrigation efficiency, local rainfall, microclimate conditions, depth of root zone, soil conditions, and slope.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)
§ 17.88.110 Certificate of substantial completion.
Upon completing the installation of the landscaping and the irrigation system, a licensed landscape architect, or a certified irrigation designer shall conduct a final field observation and shall provide a certificate of substantial completion to the city. The certificate of substantial completion shall indicate that:
A.
The landscaping has been installed in substantial conformance to the approved landscape planting and irrigation plans and specifications;
B.
The irrigation system has been adjusted to maximize irrigation efficiency and minimize over-spray and runoff; and
C.
A copy of the irrigation schedule has been given to the property owner.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)
§ 17.88.120 Landscape design standards.
B.
Plant Selection. Plants selected for nonturf areas shall consist of plants that are well-suited to the microclimate and soil conditions at the project site. Plants with similar water needs shall be grouped together as much as possible.
C.
Turf Limitation and Type. Turf shall be a variety with a water requirement less than or equal to tall fescue. Exceptions may be granted where turf will be added contiguous to an existing turf area. Turf shall not be installed on slopes exceeding fifteen percent, unless justified to match existing conditions or surrounding development. Developer-installed front yard landscaping on single-family lots shall be limited to fifty percent turf.
D.
Mulch. After completion of all planting, all irrigated nonturf areas shall be covered with a minimum two-inch layer of wood chip or bark to retain water, inhibit weed growth, and moderate soil temperature. Nonporous material shall not be placed under the mulch.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)
§ 17.88.125 Compost and mulch.
A.
Property owners or their building or landscape designers, including anyone requiring a building or planning permit, plan check, or landscape design review from the city, who are constructing a new (residential, public, institutional, or commercial) project with a landscape area greater than five hundred square feet, or rehabilitating an existing landscape with a total landscape area greater than two thousand five hundred square feet, shall comply with 23 CCR, Division 2, Chapter 2.7, Sections 492.6(a)(3)(B), (C), (D), and (G) of the Model Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance (MWELO), including sections related to use of compost and mulch as delineated in this section.
B.
The following compost and mulch use requirements that are part of the MWELO are now also included as requirements of this section. Other requirements of the MWELO are in effect and can be found in 23 CCR, Division 2, Chapter 2.7.
C.
Property owners or their building or landscape designers that meet the threshold for MWELO compliance outlined in subsection A above shall:
1.
Comply with 23 CCR, Division 2, Chapter 2.7, Sections 492.6(G) and (D), (C), (a)(3)(B) of the MWELO, which requires the submittal of a landscape design plan with a soil preparation, mulch, and amendments section to include the following:
a.
For landscape installations, compost at a rate of a minimum of four cubic yards per one thousand square feet of permeable area shall be incorporated to a depth of six inches into the soil. Soils with greater than six percent organic matter in the top six inches of soil are exempt from adding compost and tilling.
b.
For landscape installations, a minimum three-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 where mulch is contraindicated. To provide habitat for beneficial insects and other wildlife up to five percent of the landscape area may be left without mulch. Designated insect habitat must be included in the landscape design plan as such.
c.
Organic mulch materials made from recycled or post-consumer 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 local fuel modification plan guidelines or other applicable local ordinances.
2.
The MWELO compliance items listed in this section are not an inclusive list of MWELO requirements; therefore, property owners or their building or landscape designers that meet the threshold for MWELO compliance outlined in shall consult the full MWELO for all requirements.
D.
If, after the adoption of the ordinance codified in this section, the California Department of Water Resources, or its successor agency, amends 23 CCR, Division 2, Chapter 2.7, Sections 492.6(a)(3)(B), (C), (D), and (G) of the MWELO September 15, 2015 requirements in a manner that requires city to incorporate the requirements of an updated MWELO in a local ordinance, and the amended requirements include provisions more stringent than those required in this section, the revised requirements of 23 CCR, Division 2, Chapter 2.7 shall govern and be enforced. .
(Ord. 1185-21 § 5)
§ 17.88.130 Irrigation design standards.
A.
All irrigation systems shall include an electric automatic controller with multiple program and multiple repeat cycle capabilities and a flexible calendar program.
B.
On slopes exceeding fifteen percent, the irrigation system shall consist of drip emitters, bubblers, or sprinklers with a maximum precipitation rate of 0.85 inches per hour.
C.
Each valve shall irrigate a hydrozone with similar site, slope and soil conditions and plant materials with similar watering needs. Turf and nonturf areas shall be irrigated on separate valves. Drip emitters and sprinklers shall be placed on separate valves.
D.
Drip emitters or a bubbler shall be provided to each tree. Bubblers shall not exceed 1.5 gallons per minute per device.
E.
Sprinklers shall have matched precipitation rates within each control valve circuit.
F.
Sprinklers located next to paving shall be pop-up heads. Pop-up heads shall have a minimum four-inch height in turf areas and a minimum six-inch height in ground cover areas.
G.
Check valves shall be required where elevation differences will cause low-head drainage. Pressure compensating valves and sprinklers shall be required where a significant variation in water pressure will occur within the irrigation system due to elevation differences.
H.
Sprinkler spacing shall be designed for head-to-head coverage (i.e., maximum spacing of heads shall be equal to design radius of heads). The irrigation system shall be designed for minimum runoff and overspray onto nonirrigated areas.
I.
A rain shutoff device shall be installed to prevent irrigation during rainy weather.
J.
A pressure regulator shall be provided when the static water pressure exceeds the maximum recommended operating pressure of the irrigation system.
K.
Drip irrigation lines shall be undergrounded, except for emitters and where approved as a temporary installation.
L.
Valves with sprinklers shall be scheduled to operate between seven p.m. and ten a.m. to reduce water loss from wind and evaporation.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)
§ 17.88.140 Exceptions to design standards.
Exceptions to the landscaping and irrigation standards contained in Section 17.88.110 and Section 17.88.120 may be granted by the community development director where:
A.
Unique soil, site conditions, or design constraints render compliance with certain standards infeasible;
B.
The functional or recreational purpose of the landscaping warrants exceptions to specific standards; or
C.
Alternative water-efficient design techniques or materials are proposed to justify exceptions to specific standards.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)
§ 17.88.150 Administration and appeal process.
The director of community development shall have the duty and authority to administer and enforce this chapter. The director's action to approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove landscaping documents required under this section may be appealed to the planning commission by the property owner or applicant by filing written request with the planning department within thirty days of the date of notification of such action. The planning commission shall hear an appeal as a nonpublic hearing item within thirty days of the receipt of the appeal application.
(Ord. 709-92 § 1)