Rio Vista City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 17
68 WATER CONSERVATION AND LANDSCAPING
§ 17.68.010 State model water efficient landscaping ordinance adopted by reference.
The city adopts by reference the California State Model Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance (AB 1881), and any amendments thereto, as the law of the city. One copy of the California State Model Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance has been, and is now, filed in the office of the community development director, and the ordinance is adopted by reference as if incorporated and set out in full in this chapter.
A.
Applications required to be submitted to the city pursuant to the California State Model Water Efficiency Landscaping Ordinance shall be submitted to and reviewed by the community development director or designee.
B.
In the event that an applicant disagrees with an administrative decision made by the city pursuant to this section and/or the California State Model Water Efficiency Landscaping Ordinance, the applicant may appeal the decision to the planning commission in accordance with Chapter 17.60.
C.
Any person or entity that is in violation of this section and/or the California State Model Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance shall be given a written notification of their noncompliance. If the violation is not satisfactorily resolved following the issuance of the notice, such violation shall become an infraction punishable pursuant to Chapter 1.16.
D.
The city may impose fees to offset its costs in processing applications submitted pursuant to the State Model Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance. Such fees shall be nonrefundable and paid by the applicant at the time the application is submitted.
(Ord. 008-2015 § 3; Ord. 007-2016 § 3)
§ 17.68.200 Water and resource conservation.
A.
The penalties for the waste of water and the procedures to impose such penalties are specified in Section 13.04.190. Acts constituting a waste of water are as follows:
1.
Failure to comply with the following schedule when watering lawns, plants, or gardens, or using outdoor water for other irrigation purposes.
a.
No lawn/garden watering, or other outdoor water use, will be allowed between ten a.m. and six p.m. on any day;
b.
Subject to the limitations set forth in subsection (A)(1)(a), users with even-numbered street addresses shall use outdoor water only on Tuesdays and Saturdays;
c.
Subject to the limitations set forth in subsection (A)(1)(a), users with odd-numbered street addresses shall use outdoor water only on Sundays and Wednesdays; and
d.
The director of public works or designee may waive the requirements of subsections (A)(1)(a) through (c) if such waiver is necessary for health or safety reasons, as evidenced by the water user, and to the director's satisfaction. In no case shall any user water more than two days a week.
2.
Watering lawns or gardens such that excess water leaves the property or area being watered.
3.
Watering outdoor landscaping while raining, or within 48 hours after measurable rainfall.
4.
Washing vehicles, equipment or boats on days that do not coincide with irrigation days for the address where the vehicle is being washed or using an open hose which is not equipped with a shut-off nozzle; provided, however, that the washing of cars may only occur at facilities using recycled or recirculated water.
5.
Hosing down driveways, streets, parking lots, and building exteriors without the consent of the director of public works or designee except for valid health or safety reasons.
6.
Having leaky faucets or plumbing fixtures on the premises.
7.
Having improper connections to the city water system or on site faucets or hose bibs without a properly installed and maintained reduced pressure backflow device to prevent contamination of the potable water supply (i.e., an RV may not connect to a residential faucet without a certified reduced pressure backflow device that is properly installed, maintained and annually inspected).
8.
Operating evaporated coolers which are not equipped with a recirculating pump.
9.
The use of potable water in a fountain or other decorative water feature, except where the water is part of a recirculating system.
10.
The irrigation with potable water of ornamental turf on public street medians.
11.
The irrigation with potable water of landscapes outside of newly constructed homes and buildings in a manner inconsistent with regulations or other requirements established by the California Building Standards Commission and the Department of Housing and Community Development.
12.
The irrigation with potable water of non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, and institutional sites. For the purposes of this subdivision, "non-functional turf" means ground cover surface of mowed grass that is ornamental and not regularly used for human recreational purposes. Non-functional turf does not include school fields, sports fields, and areas regularly used for civic or community events. "Commercial, industrial and institutional" refers to commercial water users, industrial water users, and institutional water users as respectively defined in Water Code Section 10608.12 subdivisions (e), (i), and (j), and includes homeowners' associations, common interest developments, community service organizations, and other similar entities but does not include the residences of these entities' members or separate interests.
B.
To ensure all water use is paid for by the user in a timely manner, and is therefore, not wasted, the city may hold the property owner of record liable for all unpaid water fees. This requirement is in addition to the joint and several liability requirements outlined in Section 13.04.135. In a form provided by the city, the property owner of record may provide that it is the tenant's responsibility to pay for water use. However, the property owner of record would remain liable for any unpaid water fees in the event that the tenant fails to pay for water use.
(Ord. 006-2016 § 2; Ord. 007-2016 § 4; Ord. 017-2016 § 3; Ord. 007-2022 § 4)