The City may delegate to, or enter into a contract with, a local
agency to implement, administer, and/or enforce any of the provisions
of this chapter.
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The following definitions are applicable to this chapter:
"Applied water"
means the portion of water supplied by the irrigation system
to the landscape.
"Budget-based tiered-rate structure"
means tiered or block rates for irrigation accounts charged
by the retail water agency in which the block definition for each
customer is derived from lot size or irrigated area and the evapotranspiration
requirements of landscaping.
"Estimated applied water use"
means the average annual total amount of water estimated
to be necessary to keep plants in a healthy state, calculated as provided
in the guidelines. It is based on the reference evapotranspiration
rate, the size of the landscape area, plant water use factors, and
the relative irrigation efficiency of the irrigation system.
"Evapotranspiration adjustment factor" or "ETAF"
is equal to the plant factor divided by the irrigation efficiency
factor for a landscape project, as described in the guidelines.
The ETAF is calculated in the context of local reference
evapotranspiration, using site-specific plant factors and irrigation
efficiency factors that influence the amount of water that needs to
be applied to the specific landscaped area.
A combined plant mix with a site-wide average plant factor
of 0.5 (indicating a moderate water need) and average irrigation efficiency
of 0.71 produces an ET adjustment factor of (0.7) = (0.5/0.71), which
is the standard of water use efficiency generally required by this
chapter and the guidelines, except that the ETAF for a special landscape
area shall not exceed 1.0.
"Guidelines"
refers to the Guidelines for Implementation of the
Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, as adopted by resolution
of the City Council, which describes procedures, calculations, and
requirements for landscape projects subject to this chapter.
"Hardscapes"
means any durable material or feature (pervious and non-pervious)
installed in or around a landscaped area, such as pavements or walls.
Pools and other water features are considered part of the landscaped
area and not considered hardscapes for purposes of this chapter.
"Homeowner installed landscape"
means any landscaping either installed by a private individual
for a single-family residence or installed by a licensed contractor
hired by a homeowner. A homeowner, for purposes of this chapter, is
a person who occupies the dwelling he or she owns. This definition
excludes speculative homes, which are not owner-occupied dwellings
and which are subject under this chapter to the requirements applicable
to developer-installed residential landscape projects.
"Irrigation efficiency"
means the measurement of the amount of water beneficially
used divided by the amount of water applied. Irrigation efficiency
is derived from measurements and estimates of irrigation system characteristics
and management practices. The minimum average irrigation efficiency
for purposes of this chapter is 0.71. Greater irrigation efficiency
can be expected from well designed and maintained systems.
"Landscaped area"
means all the planting areas, turf areas, and water features
in a landscape design plan subject to the maximum applied water allowance
and estimated applied water use calculations. The landscaped area
does not include footprints of buildings or structures, sidewalks,
driveways, parking lots, decks, patios, gravel or stone walks, other
pervious or non-pervious hardscapes, and other non-irrigated areas
designated for non-development (e.g., open spaces and existing native
vegetation).
"Landscape contractor"
means a person licensed by the State of California to construct,
maintain, repair, install, or subcontract the development of landscape
systems.
"Landscape documentation package"
means the documents required to be provided to the City for
review and approval of landscape design projects, as described in
the Guidelines.
"Landscape project"
means total area of landscape in a project, as provided in the definition of "landscaped area," meeting the applicability requirements under Section
16.131.020 of this chapter.
"Local agency"
means a city or county, including a charter city or charter
county, that is authorized by the City to implement, administer, and/or
enforce any of the provisions of the Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance
on behalf of the City. The local agency may be responsible for the
enforcement or delegation of enforcement of this Water Efficient Landscape
Ordinance including, but not limited to, design review, plan check,
issuance of permits, and inspection of a landscape project.
"Local water purveyor"
means any entity, including a public agency, city, county,
or private water company that provides retail water service.
"Maximum applied water allowance" or "MAWA"
means the upper limit of annual applied water for the established
landscaped area as specified in Section 2.2 of the Guidelines. 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.
"Mined-land reclamation projects"
means any surface mining operation with a reclamation plan
approved in accordance with the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act
of 1975.
"New construction"
means, for the purposes of this Water Efficient Landscape
Ordinance, a new building with a landscape or other new landscape
such as a park, playground, or greenbelt without an associated building.
"Non-pervious"
means any surface or natural material that does not allow
for the passage of water through the material and into the underlying
soil.
"Pervious"
means any surface or material that allows the passage of
water through the material and into the underlying soil.
"Permit"
means an authorizing document issued by local agencies for
new construction or rehabilitated landscape.
"Plant factor" or "plant water use factor"
is a factor, when multiplied by ETo, that estimates the amount
of water needed by plants. For purposes of this Water Efficient Landscape
Ordinance, the plant factor range for low water use plants is 0 to
0.3; the plant factor range for moderate water use plants is 0.4 to
0.6; and the plant factor range for high water use plants is 0.7 to
1.0. Plant factors cited in this Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance
are derived from the Department of Water Resources 2000 publication
"Water Use Classification of Landscape Species."
"Recycled water" or "reclaimed water"
means treated or recycled waste water of a quality suitable
for nonpotable uses such as landscape irrigation and water features.
This water is not intended for human consumption.
"Reference evapotranspiration" or "ETo"
means a standard measurement of environmental parameters
which affect the water use of plants. ETo is given expressed in inches
per day, month, or year as represented in Appendix A of the Guidelines, and is an estimate of the evapotranspiration
of a large field of four-to-seven-inch tall, cool-season grass that
is well watered. Reference evapotranspiration is used as the basis
of determining the maximum applied water allowances.
"Rehabilitated landscape"
means any re-landscaping project that meets the applicability
criteria of Section 16.131.020.A, where the modified landscape area
is greater than 2,500 square feet, is 50% of the total landscape area,
and the modifications are planned to occur within one year.
"Smart automatic irrigation controller"
means an automatic timing device used to remotely control
valves that operate an irrigation system and which schedules irrigation
events using either evapotranspiration (weather-based) or soil moisture
data.
"Special landscape area"
means an area of the landscape dedicated solely to edible
plants such as orchards and vegetable gardens, area irrigated with
recycled water, water features using recycled water, and areas dedicated
to active play such as parks, sports fields, golf courses, and where
turf provides a playing surface.
"Turf"
means a ground cover surface of mowed grass. Annual bluegrass,
Kentucky bluegrass, Perennial ryegrass, Red fescue, and Tall fescue
are cool-season grasses. Bermuda grass, Kikuyu grass, Seashore Paspalum,
St. Augustine grass, Zoysia grass, and Buffalo grass are warm-season
grasses.
"Valve"
means a device used to control the flow of water in an irrigation
system.
"Water feature"
means a design element where open water performs an aesthetic
or recreational function. Water features include ponds, lakes, waterfalls,
fountains, artificial streams, spas, and swimming pools (where water
is artificially supplied). The surface area of water features is included
in the high water use hydrozone of the landscaped area. Constructed
wetlands used for on-site wastewater treatment, habitat protection
or stormwater best management practices that are not irrigated and
used solely for water treatment or stormwater retention are not water
features and, therefore, are not subject to the water budget calculation.
[Note: Authority cited: Section 65595,
Government Code. Reference:
Sections 65592, 65596,
Government Code.]
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