Water is an increasingly limited and costly resource. It is the intent of this chapter to establish a water conservation plan to reduce water consumption in the landscape environment using conservation principles.
(Ord. CS 509, 1992)
Whenever landscaping or a landscape plan is required by this code or as a condition of any action authorized by this code, the following standards of planting and irrigation system design and landscape and irrigation specifications shall apply. This code shall not be construed to require landscaping of single-family homes, excluding model homes as contained in Section 21.102.100 and tree planting requirements contained in Section 21.202.040(h).
(Ord. CS 509, 1992)
A. 
"Landscape area" means the total area of the site not covered by buildings, parking lots, drive-ways or streets, and shall include patios, plazas, sidewalks, hard courts, swimming pools, spas and parkway areas.
B. 
"Turf' means a single-bladed grass or sod.
C. 
"Water conserving plant" means any plant which exhibits drought tolerant characteristics, that is to say, will, in designed location, survive with limited supplemental water. Hybrid dwarf type fescues and warm season grasses shall be considered water conserving. A suggested listing of these plants shall be made available by the planning and community development department and may be added to at the discretion of the director upon the recommendation of certified nurserymen, landscape architects or others knowledgeable in the field.
D. 
"Friable condition" means returning the soil to an easily crumbled or loosely compacted condition down to a minimum depth per planting material requirement, whereby the root structure of newly planted water conserving plants will be allowed to spread unimpeded.
(Ord. CS 509, 1992)
A. 
Plan Preparation. It is required that a licensed landscape architect, landscape contractor, architect, engineer or certified irrigation designer be employed in preparing the landscape and irrigation plans. In addition to plants, the use of structural elements like pools, fountains, raised planters, benches and sunshades are encouraged in the landscape plan.
B. 
Plant Materials. The selection of plant materials should include both evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs and attractive erosion-preventing ground cover. It is required that at least ninety percent of the plants selected in non-turf areas be well-suited to the climate of the region and require minimal water once established in the landscape. Up to ten percent of the plants may be of a nondrought-tolerant variety as long as they are grouped together and can be irrigated separately. Attention shall be given to appearance, height, spread, growth rate, moisture requirements, potential root damage, disease and pest susceptibility, climatic adaptability, soil type, slope, function and degree of maintenance required.
C. 
Plant Coverage. Plants shall be so spaced and sized that, when mature, they will fill the planter area. Although a reasonable number of growing seasons will be allowed for full plant coverage to develop, interim ground cover shall be provided during this period. Interim cover of surfacing materials shall consist of wood mulch or chips, or any other approved material. Mulches must be a minimum of three inches thick when used as an interim measure.
D. 
Plant Maintenance. Underground automated irrigation systems shall be provided to assure efficient water use with a minimum of labor and water waste. Irrigation controllers must have multiple cycle capabilities. Plant material must be maintained in a healthy condition. Unhealthy plants shall be replaced. Planters shall be kept free of all weeds, debris and trash.
E. 
Planter Construction. All planter areas should have a permanent border to prevent cars and pedestrians from damaging plant materials. All planters constructed adjacent to buildings or structures shall be so designed to avoid irrigation water intrusion into or on that adjacent building or structure. The minimum width of a planter bed shall be forty inches measured from the inside of curbing or acceptable permanent border.
F. 
Commercial Landscaping. Landscaping within commercial zoning districts should provide a minimum of three percent of the total lot area as planted areas within the front yard area. Total planted areas should not be less than five percent of the lot area for existing buildings and ten percent for new construction.
G. 
Compacted Soils. Prior to the planting of any materials, the compacted soils within the planting area shall be returned to a friable condition. Friable condition shall mean returning the soil to an easily crumbled or loosely compacted condition down to a minimum depth per planting material requirements, whereby the root structure of newly planted material will be allowed to spread unimpeded.
H. 
Tree Planting Plan. In new residential subdivisions, a tree planting plan shall be submitted as part of the subdivision application. Prior to final inspection of the homes within an approved subdivision, the specified trees of the tree planting plan shall be planted for the particular lot.
(Ord. CS 509, 1992)
A. 
Three copies of the planting plan shall be submitted for review and approval by the director of planning in accordance with the standards of landscape design set forth in this chapter.
B. 
One copy of all building elevations and site grading plans or one copy of all building plans shall be submitted together with the landscape plan. The building elevation and site grading plans shall be in sufficient detail to permit determination of the location, width and height of all doors and windows and roof overhangs on all proposed buildings within or adjacent to proposed landscape areas.
C. 
The landscape plans shall be legible and drawn to a scale no smaller than one inch equals twenty feet. Maximum sheet size on all drawings shall be twenty-four inches by thirty-six inches ("D" size).
D. 
The landscape plans shall indicate property lines, important dimension lines, setback lines, walls and fences, driveways, adjacent streets, outline of all structures and adjacent land uses.
E. 
The landscape plans shall indicate planting details, pre-emergent soil treatment rates and materials, and soil preparation.
The results of soil tests for horticultural suitability, if any, shall be submitted with the landscape plan. Soils shall be prepared and/or amended as appropriate. At a minimum the acid/alkaline levels (pH) need to be indicated.
A minimum of three inches of mulch shall be added in non-turf areas to the soil surface after planting. Plant types that are intolerant of mulch shall be excluded from this requirement.
Sheet plastic and other nonporous material shall not be placed under mulch.
F. 
The use of turf as a plant material will not be permitted in narrow planter areas (less than ten feet in width), in traffic median strips, parking strips, between curbs and sidewalks, on slopes that are in excess of three to one (3:1), or in nonactivity areas.
On slopes exceeding fifteen percent, a level buffer zone of eighteen inches is required between bermed turf areas and any hardscape (i.e. streets, walkways, etc.).
G. 
The landscape plans shall include a plant list giving the common and botanical names of plants to be used. This plant list shall be arranged in legend form with a key number assigned to each plant. On the plan, each plant shall be identified by a key number or other reference. The size of the plant, its spacing and the quantity to be used shall follow in the legend, as the example in Table 21.102.050 below illustrates.
Table 21.102.050
No.
Botanical Name
Common Name
Size
Space
Quantity
1.
Campanula isophylla
Italian bellflower
Flat
6"
6
2.
Eucalyptus polyanthemos
Silver dollar gum
5 gal.
20"
10
3.
Pinus mugo mughus
Mugho pine
1 gal.
10"
14
4.
Ajuga reptans
Carpet bugle
Flat
6"
5
(Ord. CS 509, 1992)
A. 
Three copies of the irrigation plans shall be submitted for review and approval by the director of planning for backflow prevention and minimum depth of soil coverage. The irrigation system shall be designed with water conservation in mind. Wind direction, surface drainage, soil type and application method shall be considered.
B. 
1. 
The irrigation plan shall indicate potable water system point of connection and size, water pressure available and maximum demand of the system in gallons per minute or gallons per hour if appropriate.
2. 
Reclaimed water may also be used as an alternate irrigation water source if it is supplied through a dual distribution system that conforms to Stanislaus County environmental resources department standards.
C. 
Irrigation equipment specified must be identified by manufacturer's name and equipment identification number.
D. 
Performance data for irrigation heads and emitters including discharge rates, effective diameter and operating pressure shall be listed in the irrigation legend.
E. 
All locations of irrigation valves, controllers, hose bibs, quick coupler valves, sprinkler heads and backflow prevention devices, valves, filters, pressure regulators, emitters, rain switches and moisture sensors must be indicated.
F. 
Irrigation details must be used to clarify particular situations. Typical details should include backflow prevention devices, valves, irrigation heads, emitters, filters, pressure regulators, moisture sensors, rain switches, check valves and irrigation controllers.
G. 
All irrigation lines must be sized.
H. 
Schedule 40 PVC pipe is required under all paved areas. Piping must be installed a minimum of twelve inches under-ground for nonpressure irrigation lines and eighteen inches underground for constant pressure irrigation lines. Emitter distribution tubing may be located at grade.
I. 
Irrigation watering schedules for the entire year must be provided on irrigation drawings. These schedules will include an establishment (first twelve months) and. post-establishment period. Post-establishment schedules will be divided into four quarters. Those quarters are winter, spring, summer and fall.
J. 
1. 
Pop-up sprinklers in turf areas shall have a minimum four inch pop-up height. Sprinkler coverage shall be one hundred percent. Heads shall be placed at a maximum of fifty percent of the diameter of throw (head to head) unless specific justification is provided for greater spacing Sprinkler heads must have matched precipitation rates within each control valve circuit.
2. 
Sprinklers and sprays shall not be used in areas less than five feet wide. Drip and bubblers shall be used that do not exceed 1.5 gallons per minute per device.
3. 
Serviceable check valves are required where elevation differential may cause low head drainage.
4. 
Irrigation controllers must be capable of multiple programming. Controllers must have multiple cycle start capacity and a flexible calendar program. Controllers shall not be set to operate between the hours of ten a.m. and eight p.m.
5. 
Water application rates shall be less than .25 inches per cycle on slopes greater than three percent. A minimum of a one-hour period shall be allowed prior to the application of additional water on such slopes.
K. 
Copies of pressure/flow calculations for the valve circuit with the highest demand shall accompany the irrigation plans.
(Ord. CS 509, 1992)
Upon installation of landscaping and irrigation systems, the installer must contact the planning department and request an inspection. The planting and irrigation installation must conform to the approved plans before a certificate of occupancy will be issued by the chief building official.
(Ord. CS 509, 1992)
Whenever landscaping or a planting and irrigation plan is required by the code, or as a condition of and action authorized by this code, the planting and irrigation system shall be maintained in accordance with the approved planting and irrigation plan. Maintenance includes removal of weeds, litter or other debris and replacement of dead plant materials.
(Ord. CS 509, 1992)
A landscaping and irrigation plan review fee shall be paid to the planning department. The amount of the fee will be set by resolution of the board of supervisors.
(Ord. CS 509, 1992)
To promote landscape water conservation through education, all single-family residential developments with two or more model homes to be constructed by a developer, shall provide for landscaping of at least fifty percent of the models consistent with the requirements of this chapter.
A. 
Signs. Each development with "water-saving" model homes may provide information to potential buyers regarding the water-saving design by means of a front yard sign up to four square feet in area. The sign should indicate that the model features a water-saving planting and irrigation design and may list the designer and supplier of the plants.
B. 
If the optional sign is not used or it does not provide details on the design, an interior display including a drawing, or combination of drawings, shall be displayed inside each "water-saving" model which provides a schematic of the landscape. These drawings shall include a key identifying the common name of the plants used in the "water-saving" model yards. A brochure with the same information may be distributed with the sales information to potential buyers to satisfy this requirement.
(Ord. CS 509, 1992)