65596.
The updated model ordinance adopted pursuant to Sections 65595 and 65596.5 shall do all of the following in order to reduce water use:(a) Include provisions for water conservation and the appropriate use and groupings of plants that are well-adapted to particular sites and to particular climatic, soil, or topographic conditions.
(b) Include provisions that require that plants included in a landscape design plan be selected based on their adaptability to climatic, geological, and topographical conditions of the project site, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) A
scientific climate zone system that considers temperatures, humidity, elevation, terrain, and other factors affecting local climate.
(2) The horticultural attributes of plants, including mature plant size, invasive characteristics of plants, soil needs for healthy root growth, and other qualities.
(3)Local native plants that evolved in and can be found naturally within the Jepson region, where the landscape site or project is located, as defined and updated by the University of California, Berkeley Jepson eFlora, and found in the California Native
Plant Society’s Calscape database.
(3) California native plants found in the California Native Plant Society’s Calscape database or comparable horticulture and science-based resources.
(c) Include a landscape water budget component in the design that establishes the maximum amount of water to be applied through the irrigation system, based on climate, landscape size, irrigation efficiency, and plant needs.
(d) Promote the benefits of consistent local ordinances in neighboring areas.
(e) Encourage the capture and retention of stormwater onsite to improve water use
efficiency or water quality.
(f) Include provisions for the use of automatic irrigation systems and irrigation schedules based on climatic conditions, specific terrains and soil types, and other environmental conditions. The model ordinance shall include references to local, state, and federal laws and regulations regarding standards for water-conserving irrigation equipment. The model ordinance may include climate
information for irrigation scheduling based on the California Irrigation Management Information System (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 10015) of Part 1.5 of Division 6 of the Water Code).
(g) Include provisions for onsite soil assessment and soil management plans that include grading and drainage to promote healthy plant growth and to prevent excessive erosion and runoff, and the use of mulches in shrub areas, garden beds, and landscaped areas where appropriate.
(h) Promote the use of recycled water consistent with Article 4 (commencing with Section 13520) of Chapter 7 of Division 7 of the Water Code.
(i) Seek to educate water users on the efficient use of water and the benefits of doing so.
(j) Address regional differences, including fire prevention needs.
(k) Exempt all of the following:
(1) Landscaping that is part of a registered historic site.
(2) Ecological restoration projects that do not require a permanent irrigation system.
(3) Mined-land reclamation projects that do not require a permanent irrigation system.
(4) Existing plant collections, as part of botanical gardens and arboretums open to the public.
(l) Encourage the use of economic incentives to promote the efficient
use of water.
(m) Include provisions for property owners and managers to implement landscape maintenance practices that foster long-term landscape water conservation. Landscape maintenance practices may include, but are not limited to, performing routine irrigation system repair and adjustments, conducting water audits, and estimating the amount of water that should reasonably be applied per landscaped acre, considering actual performance and other factors.
(n) Include provisions to minimize landscape irrigation overspray and runoff.
(o) Include provisions that do each of the following:
(1) Require that each plant or a representative number of each type
of plant, as determined by the director, installed in a new or rehabilitated landscape open to the public be identifiable at the time of inspection as to its correct name as specified in Section 53481 of the Food and Agricultural Code.
(2) Prohibit the use of traditional overhead sprinklers on all new and rehabilitated landscapes and require that new and rehabilitated landscapes use only water efficient irrigation devices.
(3) Require that, beginning January 1, 2026, all new or renovated nonresidential areas install in the plant area project footprint not less than 25 percent local
California
native plants, excluding edibles and areas using recycled water.
(4)Require that, beginning January 1, 2030, all new and renovated nonresidential areas install in the plant area not less than 50 percent local native plants, excluding edibles and areas using recycled water.
(5)Require that, beginning January 1, 2035, all new and renovated nonresidential areas install in the plant area not less than 75 percent local native plants, excluding edibles and areas using recycled water.
(6)
(4) Prohibit the inclusion of nonfunctional turf in nonresidential landscape projects after January 1, 2026.
(7)
(5) For purposes of this subdivision, “WUCOLS” refers to the fourth edition of “WUCOLS IV: Water Use Classification of Landscape Species.”