The purpose of this ordinance is to:

A.

Enhance the appearance of the developments within the City by providing and maintaining landscaping for aesthetic and screening purposes, and to provide for areas of improved open space.

B.

Promote the values and benefits of landscapes and recognize the need to utilize water and other resources as efficiently as possible;

C.

Establish provisions for preserving established landscapes.

(Ord. No. 129, Amended, 12/09/92; Ord. No. 185-03, Amended, 07/23/03)

A.

Plans and specifications for landscaping, irrigation systems, tree preservation and slope planting for erosion control shall reflect use of the following:

1.

Planting materials of a type, size and placement compatible with the project and surrounding land uses;

2.

Sound soil preparation and planting practices; and,

3.

Proper irrigation for healthy plant growth and maturation and the avoidance of unsafe watering of buildings, public ways and pedestrian access.

B.

All landscaping and planting within paved areas shall be contained within a brick or masonry planter box or concrete curb not less than six (6) inches high.

C.

All required landscaping and planting areas shall have a minimum dimension of four (4) feet in any direction.

D.

All landscaping and planter areas shall be installed consistent with the approved landscaping plan, prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

E.

Landscaped areas shall be continually maintained in good condition and kept clean and weeded. Dead or dying plant material shall be replaced consistent with the approved landscape plan.

F.

All landscaped areas shall be served by an adequate irrigation system.

G.

Slopes shall be planted with hardy, well-adapted and drought-resistant plants. Rooted cuttings of permanent ground cover plants shall be planted or hydroseeded.

H.

Landscape plans for open space areas containing significant natural vegetation shall preserve existing vegetation to the greatest extent feasible and integrate it with new landscaping.

I.

Artificial turf meeting the standards prescribed by Section 4.8.010(B)(16) may be used in any yard area that is visible from a public street, sidewalk or any other public right-of-way, or that is within the front yard area of a flag lot.

(Ord. No. 51, Amended 04/10/84; Ord. 129, Amended, 12/09/92)

(Ord. No. 238-15, § 3, 7-22-2015)

A.

Applicability.

1.

This section shall apply to:

a.

All new commercial and industrial development projects,

b.

Developer-installed landscaping in single-family and multifamily projects.

2.

Projects subject to this section shall conform to the provisions in Sections 9.16.030(B) and 9.16.030(C).

3.

This section shall not apply to:

a.

Athletic fields and other recreational playing fields;

b.

Community gardens;

c.

Arboreta and botanic gardens;

d.

Prescribed burns (but revegetation projects after fire are subject to this section);

e.

Cemeteries;

f.

Homeowner-provided landscaping at single-family and multi-family projects;

g.

Ecological restoration projects that do not require a permanent irrigation system.

B.

Requirements. When landscaping is required by ordinance or as a condition of approval for a planned development permit or other entitlement, a landscape documentation package shall be submitted to the City for review and approval prior to the issuance of discretionary and building permits. Where the required landscaped area exceeds one thousand (1,000) square feet, submitted plans shall be prepared by a landscape architect registered by the State of California, except that this requirement shall not apply to single-family dwellings or the private areas of attached dwelling units or mobilehome park lots.

The landscape documentation package shall contain the following elements:

1.

Planting Plan - A planting plan meeting the requirements set forth in the City-approved permit application package shall be submitted as part of the landscape documentation package.

2.

Irrigation Plan - An irrigation plan prepared in compliance with the standards and requirements set forth in the City-approved permit application package shall be submitted as part of the landscape documentation package.

4.

Grading Plan - A grading plan prepared in compliance with the requirements set forth in the City-approved permit application package shall be submitted as part of the landscape documentation package.

C.

Compliance Procedures.

1.

The landscape documentation package shall be submitted to the City for review and approval prior to the issuance of discretionary or building permits, and shall comply with all provisions of this section.

2.

The application fee, established by City Council resolution, shall accompany the landscape documentation package.

3.

A landscape documentation package not meeting the strict provisions of this ordinance may be permitted by the Planning Director pursuant to the issuance of a discretionary permit, provided the Director finds that the permit will not be contrary to the intent of this article, and that the permit is necessary for the project to make reasonable use of the proposed landscaped area.

(Ord. No. 108, Amended, 07/24/90; Ord. No. 129, Amended 12/09/92; Ord. 185-03, Amended, 07-23-03)

Existing landscaping, including but not limited to grass, trees, plantings, and preserved natural vegetation, shall not be removed from any lot until and unless a landscaping plan providing for replacement of such existing landscaping is approved by the Planning Director. Established landscaping shall be maintained properly at all times in accordance with the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance and conditions of an approved permit. This section shall not apply to single-family dwellings or the private areas of multiple dwelling units and mobile home park lots and shall not apply to the immediate replacement of any plantings with plantings of like or similar type.

(Ord. No. 53, Enacted, 06/13/84; Ord. No. 108, Amended, 07/24/90; Ord. No. 129, Amended, 12/09/92)

A.

Runoff and Overspray. All irrigation systems shall be designed to avoid runoff, low head drainage, overspray, or other similar conditions where water flows or drifts onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, walks, roadways, or structures.

B.

Reclaimed Water. For those sites where the installation of recycled water systems are feasible and meet all regulatory requirements, the installation of recycled water irrigation systems (dual distribution systems) shall be required to allow for the current and future use of recycled water and shall be designed and operated in accordance with all local and state codes.

C.

Equipment.

1.

Water meters. Separate landscape water meters or sub-meters, shall be installed for all projects subject to this Section 9.16. Landscape sub-meters, if used, shall be purchased, installed and maintained by the owner.

2.

Controllers. Automatic control systems shall be required for all irrigation systems and must be able to accommodate all aspects of the design. Automatic controllers shall be digital, have multiple programs, multiple cycles (start-times), and have sensor input capabilities.

3.

Valves. Different hydrozones shall be irrigated by separate valves.

4.

Sprinkler heads. Sprinkler heads shall be selected for proper area coverage, application rate, operating pressure, adjustment capability, and ease of maintenance. Sprinklers shall have matched precipitation/application rates within each control valve circuit. All sprinkler heads shall incorporate an integral anti-drain valve.

5.

Rain Sensor Devices. Rain sensing override devices shall be required on all irrigation systems.

(Ord. No. 129, Enacted, 12/09/92)

All graded areas of greater than ten (10) percent slope shall be revegetated according to the following standards:

A.

Manufactured or cleared slopes shall have a mixture of trees and shrubs to provide varied root depths to assure soil stabilization.

B.

There shall be a minimum of one tree for every five hundred (500) square feet of slope area. If permanent plantings are hydroseeded there shall be one shrub for every one hundred twenty-five (125) square feet of slope area. If cuttings are utilized as ground cover, there shall be one shrub for every three hundred (300) square feet of slope area.

C.

Plantings shall be sufficient to provide ninety (90) percent coverage within the first year.

D.

All slopes shall be covered within thirty (30) days of the completion of grading with jute netting, a geotextile, or similar device, installed according to manufacturers instructions. This requirement may be waived if requested in writing by a registered soils engineer.

(Ord. No. 129, Enacted, 12/09/92)

A.

The California State Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, codified at Chapter 2.7 of Title 23 of the California Code of Regulations, and any amendments thereto, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth below, and shall be known and may be cited as the Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance of the City of Westlake Village. One copy of the California State Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance shall be filed in the office of the Planning Department.

B.

The requirements of Chapter 9.16 shall apply in addition to the applicable requirements of the California Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. In the event of any conflict between provisions of the California State Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance and Chapter 9.16, the provision that contains the more stringent landscaping water efficiency requirement(s) shall control.

(Ord. No. 241-15, § 2, 1-13-2016)