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ORD 284 ORDINANCE NO. 284 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES ESTABLISHING REQUIREMENTS FOR WATER CONSERVING LANDSCAPES AND AMENDING THE RANCHO PALOS VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE II/ WHEREAS, the waters of the State of California are of limited supply and are subject to ever increasing demands; and WHEREAS, the continuation of the State of California's economic prosperity is dependent on adequate supplies of water being available for future uses; and WHEREAS, it is the policy of the State of California and the City of Rancho Palos Verdes to promote the conservation and efficient use of water and to prevent the waste of this valuable resource; and WHEREAS, landscapes contribute to the quality of life in the State of California and the City of Rancho Palos Verdes by providing areas for active and passive recreation; by aesthetically enhancing the developed environment; by cleaning air and water; by preventing erosion; by offering fire protection; and by replacing ecosystems lost to development; and WHEREAS, landscape design, installation, and maintenance can and should be water efficient; and THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES HEREBY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Title 15 (Buildings and Construction) of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code is amended by adding Chapter 15.34 to read: Chapter 15.34 WATER CONSERVATION IN LANDSCAPING Sections: 15.34.010 Purpose. 15.34.020 Applicability. 15.34.030 Definitions. 15.34.040 Landscape Plan. 15.34.050 Planting Requirements. 15.34.060 Water Features. 15.34.070 Irrigation System Design Criteria. 15.35.080 Model Home Landscaping. 15.35.090 Landscape Certificate. 15.35.100 Landscape Maintenance. 15.34.110 Landscape Irrigation Audit. 15.34.010 Purpose. The purpose of this Chapter is to establish standards and procedures for the design, installation, and management of water conserving landscapes in order to utilize available plant, water, and land resources to avoid excessive landscape water demands while ensuring high quality landscape design. 15.34.020 Applicability. A. These requirements shall be applicable to new and rehabilitated landscaping for industrial, commercial, office and institutional developments; to parks and other public recreational areas; to common areas of residential planned developments or multiple-family residential developments of five or more units; to landscaping for model home complexes; and to City road medians and corridors. B. These requirements shall not be applicable to: 1. Landscaping at single-family and multiple-family developments which is provided and maintained by individual homeowners; 2. Cemeteries; 3. Registered Historical Sites; 4. Ecological restoration projects that do not require a permanent irrigation system; 5. Mined-land reclamation projects that do not require a permanent irrigation system; or 6. Any project with a landscaped area less than 2,500 square feet, unless the Director determines that a Landscape Plan must be submitted in order to effectuate the purpose of this Chapter. C. The Director may authorize exemptions to any of the design and improvement standards in this Chapter. Such exemptions may be granted if the Director finds that the proposed design or improvement is in substantial compliance with the purpose of this Chapter. 15.34.030 Definitions. Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in this Chapter shall be as defined in this section. "Application Rate" shall mean the rate of irrigation (inches/hour or gallons per minute) at which water is applied by an irrigation system. "Controller" shall mean an automatic timing device with an enclosure, which signals automatic valves to open and close on a pre-set program. "Cycle" shall mean, in irrigation, the complete operation of a controller station. "Designer" shall mean a person qualified to practice landscape architecture and/or irrigation design. "Director" shall mean the Director of Environmental Services of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes. "Estimated applied water use" shall mean the estimated amount of water applied annually which is required to keep the plants in the landscaped area healthy. The estimated applied water use shall be calculated in accordance with the guidelines established to implement the provisions of this Chapter. "Grading" shall mean earthwork performed to alter the natural contours of an area to be planted. "Hydrozone" shall mean a portion of the landscaped area having plants grouped according to water need. "Irrigation system" shall mean a complete connection of system components, including the water distribution network and the necessary irrigation equipment downstream from the backflow prevention device. - 2 - ORD. NO. 284 "Landscaped area" shall mean the area of a parcel less building pads, driveways, patios, decks, walkways and parking areas. Landscaped area includes water features (e.g. , fountains, ponds, lakes, etc. ) and natural areas. "Maximum applied water allowance" shall mean, for design purposes, the upper limit of the water applied annually to the established landscape area. The maximum applied water allowance shall be calculated in accordance with the guidelines established to implement the provisions of this Chapter. "Median" shall mean a planted area which separates two roadways or divides a portion of a road into two or more lanes. "Planting plan" shall mean a plan which identifies the common and botanical name, location, spacing, number, and container size of all plant materials. "P.S.I." shall mean pounds per square inch, a gauge of water pressure. "Rain shutoff" shall mean a feature of an automated irrigation system which interrupts the normal irrigation cycle when it detects a significant amount of rainfall. "Rehabilitated landscape" shall mean any landscaped area in which at least fifty (50) percent of existing landscape materials are replaced or modified within any 12-month period. Examples include a change of plants or ground cover, installation of a new irrigation system, and grading modifications. "Runoff" shall mean water which is not absorbed by the soil to which it is applied. Runoff usually occurs when water is applied at too great a rate or when water is applied to a steep slope. "Soil infiltration rate" shall mean the rate (inches per hour) at which water moves through soil under natural conditions. The soil infiltration rate is affected by the type of soil, its texture, and the slope of the landscaped area. "Soil moisture sensing device" shall mean an instrument (tensiometer) for measuring the moisture content of the soil and capable of interrupting the irrigation cycle when excessive or adequate moisture is detected. "Station" shall mean a position on an automatic irrigation controller which indicates the control point of automatic irrigation valves. "Turf" shall mean a surface layer of earth containing grass with its roots. 15.34.040 Landscape Plan. A. Required. A landscape plan shall be prepared in accordance with the standards set forth herein and with any guidelines developed by the City to help implement the provisions of this Chapter. Such plan shall be submitted and approved prior to the issuance of a building permit. B. Application. An application for Landscape Plan approval shall be filed by the owner of the affected property or the owner's agent, or by a public entity to which the provisions of this Chapter apply, on forms furnished by the Director. C. Approval. No Landscape Plan Application shall be approved unless the Director finds that the plan complements the design of the project; is _ 3 _ ORD. NO. 284 consistent with the provisions of this Chapter and applicable landscape guidelines; is compatible with adjacent, existing or future public landscaped areas; and is compatible with existing structures located upon lots within the immediate vicinity of the lot which is the subject of such application. D. Content. Each Landscape Plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following elements: 1. Water Conservation Concept Statement. Each landscape plan shall include a cover sheet referred to as the Water Conservation Concept Statement, which serves as a checklist to verify that the elements of the Landscape Plan have been completed and includes a brief narrative summary of the project. Said statement shall be on a form approved by the Director, and shall include calculations of the project's maximum applied water allowance and estimated applied water use. 2. Planting Plan. The planting plan shall identify all plant materials in a clear and legible fashion in accordance with the guidelines established to implement the provisions of this Chapter. The planting plan also shall contain a table of plants listed according to their water use, and a calculation of estimated water use for each hydrozone. 3. Irrigation Plan. The irrigation plan shall identify all components of the irrigation system in a clear and legible fashion in accordance with the guidelines established to implement the provisions of this Chapter. 4. Annual Irrigation Schedule. The annual irrigation schedule shall be prepared, with a separate schedule for each season, for both the plant establishment period and established landscaping. The irrigation schedule shall include run time and frequency of irrigation for each station. 5. Soils Test. The landscape plan shall include the results of a soils test which includes information on soil infiltration rates, soil texture, and agricultural suitability. No soils test shall be required if the soil type can be determined by reference to the City soil map, maintained by the Director, and the soil is amended or altered as required by the Director; provided, however, a soils test shall be required if substantial amounts of soil are imported to the property. 15.34.050 Planting Requirements. A. Timing of planting. Where possible, landscaping shall be installed in the fall, in order to establish plant materials when they will benefit most from winter rains. B. Plant selection. Selection of plants included in a landscape plan shall address the following water use criteria: 1. The planting plan shall include a mix of plant species with varied water use characteristics which result in an overall landscape which promotes water conservation while enhancing the appearance of the community and the individual development project. 2. Plants with similar water use characteristics shall be grouped together into hydrozones of low water use, medium water use, or high water use in order to facilitate efficient irrigation. The Director shall develop a list of plants that are commonly used in landscape designs with water requirement classifications of low, medium, and high to assist landscape designers in choosing species with appropriate water demands. This list shall be included in the landscape guidelines established to implement the provisions of this Chapter. - 4 - ORD. NO. 284 3. Plants selected for use in non-turf areas shall be well-suited or adaptable to the climate of this region. C. Mulch. A minimum of three inches of an organic mulch shall be placed in shrub areas on the soil surface after planting. Non-porous materials shall not be placed under the mulch. D. Turf use. 1. Turf shall not be permitted in areas six feet or less in width or in median strips. 2. Turf shall not be installed on slopes greater than 20 percent. The toe of any sloping section where turf is installed shall be a minimum of 24 inches behind a curb or sidewalk. 3. Turf shall not be installed within ten feet of the dripline of established oak trees. 4. Turf shall be of a variety well suited to the local climate (e.g. , warm season grasses and tall fescue) . 15.34.060 Water Features. Decorative water features such as pools, ponds, and waterfalls used in landscaped areas shall recycle water, shall use reclaimed water where available, and shall be designed and operated to minimize water loss. Pools and spas intended for use shall be provided with covers to minimize evaporation. 15.34.070 Irrigation System Design Criteria. A. Irrigation systems shall be designed so that the application rate does not exceed the soil infiltration rate in order to minimize overspray and runoff. The designer shall refer to the soil infiltration rates in the guidelines established to implement the provisions of this Chapter and the results of the site specific soil tests required by Section 15.34.040.D.5. B. Irrigation stations shall be separated (e.g. drip versus overhead spray systems) . Additional control valves shall be installed to account for different site specific characteristics (e.g., full sun/full shade, level/sloping, shrubs, street trees, etc. ) . C. Maximum sprinkler spacing for both turf and non-turf areas shall be equal to the radius of the throw. Spacing of sprinklers shall take into account prevailing wind conditions. D. All irrigation systems shall be operated by an automatic controller. At a minimum, each controller shall have a rain shutoff device, a seven-day calendar, two independent programs, and a minimum two cycles/day capability. E. The irrigation system shall be designed to allow a complete watering cycle within a seven-hour period. F. All turf areas shall utilize either pop-up rotor or impact heads or spray heads with a minimum riser height of three inches. Turf areas which exceed 2,500 square feet shall use soil moisture sensors and rain shutoff devices as a part of the irrigation system. Device type and installation shall be per manufacturer's recommendations. G. Low volume sprinkler heads, drip emitters and pressure compensation bubblers shall be used throughout the irrigation system. - 5 - ORD. NO. 284 H. The irrigation system shall be metered for irrigation water use, separately from domestic and other non-landscape uses. 15.34.080 Model Home Landscaping. A. For each subdivision with model homes, the developer shall submit a landscape plan and shall install water conserving landscaping for each model home meeting the requirements of this Chapter. B. Signs identifying elements of the water conserving landscape design and irrigation system shall be placed around the model. The location, text, and size of signs shall be clearly shown on the landscape plan and shall be in substantial accordance with the guidelines established to implement the provisions of this Chapter. C. Literature describing water conserving landscapes shall be made available to individuals touring the model. 15.34.090 Landscape Certificate. Upon completion of the installation of landscaping, the designer shall certify that the landscape complies with all requirements of this Chapter. Certification shall be accomplished by completion of a Landscape Certificate on a form approved by the Director. Failure to submit a complete and accurate Landscape Certificate will delay final approval of the project and/or cause the discontinuation of water service to the project. 15.34.100 Landscape Maintenance. Each property owner shall permanently and continuously maintain all landscaping and irrigation in a neat, clean and healthy condition, including removal of litter, proper pruning, mowing of lawns, removal of weeds, fertilizing, watering, and replacement of diseased and/or dead plants and malfunctioning or missing irrigation system components. 15.34.110 Landscape Irrigation Audit. Each landscape irrigation system shall be periodically audited for conformance with the approved landscape plan, in accordance with the State of California Landscape Water Management Program as described in the Landscape Irrigation Auditor Handbook, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Such audits shall be conducted on a regular basis, at intervals of not less than once every five (5) years. Section 2. If any part, section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remainder of this ordinance. The City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes hereby declares that it would have passed each part, section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more parts, sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid or unconstitutional. Section 3. Prior to adopting this ordinance, the City has considered the model water efficient landscape ordinance prepared by the California Department of Water Resources (California Code of Regulations, Title 23, Division 2, Chapter 2.7) which model ordinance was written pursuant to the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act (Government Code Section 65591, et sect. ) The provisions of this ordinance supersede the model ordinance which became effective in the City on January 1, 1993. - 6 - ORD. NO. 284 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOP -• his 2nd day of February, 1993. 0 (S--&->-‘ (qr\A---Cl---- III Mayor ATTEST: 9f) ‘ .1.,011W--(-1-(2--. City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES ) I, JO PURCELL, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, do hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council of said City is five; that the foregoing ordinance, being ordinance No. 284, passed first reading on January 11, 1993, was duly and regularly adopted by the City Council of said City at a regular meeting thereof held on February 2, 1993, and that the same was passed and adopted by the following roll call vote: AYES: KUYKENDALL, RYAN, McTAGGART, BACHARACH, AND MAYOR BROOKS NOES: NONE ABSENT: NONE ABSTAIN: NONE CITY (?) RKCITY RANCHO PALOS VERDES III ' ORD. NO. 284 ORDINANCE NO. 284 RAJCHO PALOS VERDES STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES The undersigned, being first duly sworn, deposes and says: That at all times herein mentioned, she was and now is the appointed City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes; That on February i, , 1993 she caused to be posted the following document entitled: ESTABLISHING REQUIREMENTS FOR WATER CONSERVING LANDSCAPES AND AMENDING THE RANCHO PALOS VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE. a copy of which is attached hereto, in the following locations: City Hall Los Angeles County Fire Station 30940 Hawthorne Blvd. Miraleste Station Rancho Palos Verdes 4000 Miraleste Plaza Rancho Palos Verdes U. S. Post Office 28649 S. Western Ave. Ladera Linda Community Center Rancho Palos Verdes 32201 Forrestal Drive Rancho Palos Verdes . Hesse Park 29301 Hawthorne Blvd. Rancho Palos Verdes Park Rancho Palos Verdes 30359 Hawthorne Blvd. , Rancho Palos Verdes I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is a true and correct affidavit of posting. 1_2(7 CITY CLERK 30940 HAWTHORNE BOULEVARD / RANCHO PALOS VERDES. CA 90274-5391 / (213)377-0360