7-16-103. COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, AND CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
(1) Applicability. The provisions of this section shall apply to all new and rehabilitated Landscaping for public agency projects, private Development projects, developer-installed Landscaping in multi-unit residential projects, and developer-installed Landscaping in single-unit residential projects that require a review process.
(2) Documentation. Landscape Plan Documentation Package. A copy of a Landscape Plan Documentation Package shall be submitted to and approved by the City prior to the issuance of any permits. A copy of the approved Landscape Plan Documentation Package shall be provided to the property Owner or site manager and to the local retail water purveyor. The Landscape Plan Documentation Package shall be prepared by a Designer who certifies that the package satisfies the requirements of this Chapter and its contents have been prepared or reviewed by individuals meeting State Code regulations. The Landscape Plan Documentation Package shall consist of the following items:
a. Water Efficient Landscape Worksheets. The Water Efficient Landscape Worksheets shall contain the following:
i. Project name and address;
ii. Applicant or Applicant’s agent’s name, address, phone and fax number;
iii. Designer’s name, address, phone and fax number; and
iv. Landscape contractor’s name, address, phone and fax number, if available at this time.
v. The annual Landscape Water Allowance, which shall be calculated using the following equation:
Landscape Water Allowance = ETO x 0.62 x A, where:
Landscape Water Allowance is in gallons per year
ETO = Reference Evapotranspiration in inches per year
0.62 = conversion factor (to gallons per square feet)
A = total Irrigated Landscape Area in square feet
NOTE: refer to the worksheet packet for formula data.
b. Planting Plan. A detailed Planting Plan shall be drawn at a scale that clearly identifies the following:
i. Location of all existing trees and plant materials to be removed and retained and all new plant materials with a planting schedule;
ii. Property lines and Street names;
iii. Existing and proposed Buildings, walls, Fences, utilities, paved areas and other site improvements;
iv. Designation of Landscape Zones; and
v. Details and specifications for tree staking, soil preparation, and other planting work.
c. Irrigation Plan. A detailed Irrigation Plan shall be drawn at the same scale as the planting plan and shall contain the following information:
i. Layout of the irrigation system and a legend summarizing the type and size of all components of the system, including manufacturer name and model numbers;
ii. Static water pressure in pounds per square inch (psi) at the point of connection to the public water supply;
iii. Flow rate in gallons per minute and design operating pressure in psi for each valve and precipitation rate in inches per hour for each valve with sprinklers; and
iv. Installation details for irrigation components.
d. Grading Plan. A Grading Plan shall be drawn at the same scale as the Planting Plan and shall contain the following information:
i. Property lines and Street names, existing and proposed Buildings, walls, Fences, utilities, paved areas and other site improvements; and
ii. Existing and finished contour lines and spot elevations as necessary for the proposed site improvements.
e. Soils Report. A Soils Report will be required where a site’s irrigated landscaped areas exceed 2,500 square feet total. The Soils Report shall describe the depth, composition, and bulk Density of the topsoil and subsoil at the site, and shall include recommendations for soil amendments. The Planting Plan shall incorporate the recommendations of the Soils Report into the planting specifications.
f. Irrigation schedule. A monthly Irrigation Schedule shall be prepared that covers the initial 120-day plant establishment period and the typical long-term use period. This schedule shall consist of a table with the following information for each valve:
i. Plant type (for example, turf, trees, low water use plants);
ii. Irrigation type (for example, sprinklers, drip, bubblers);
iii. Flow rate in gallons per minute;
iv. Precipitation rate in inches per hour (sprinklers only);
v. Run times in minutes per day;
vi. Number of water days per week, and
vii. Cycle time to avoid Runoff.
(3) Landscape Design Standards. Plant Selection. Plants selected for landscape zones shall consist of plants that are well-suited to the microclimate and soil conditions at the project site. Plants with similar water needs shall be grouped together as much as possible.
a. For projects located at the interface between urban areas and natural open space (non-irrigated), Extra-Drought Tolerant Plants shall be selected that will blend with the native vegetation and are fire resistant or fire retardant. Plants with low fuel volume or high moisture content shall be emphasized. Plants that tend to accumulate excessive amount of dead wood or debris shall be avoided.
b. Areas with slopes greater than 33 percent shall be landscaped with deep-rooting, Water Conserving Plants for erosion control and soil stabilization.
c. Mulch. After completion of all planting, all irrigated non-turf areas shall be covered with a minimum four-inch layer of Mulch to retain water, inhibit weed growth, and moderate soil temperature. Non-porous material shall not be placed under the mulch.
d. Soil Preparation. Soil preparation will be suitable to provide healthy growing conditions for the plants and to encourage water infiltration and penetration. Soil preparation shall include scarifying the soil to a minimum depth of six inches and amending the soil with organic material as per specific recommendations of the Landscape Designer/Landscape Architect based on the Soils Report (when applicable).
(4) Irrigation Design Standards. Irrigation design standards for this Chapter shall be as outlined in the latest version of the “Minimum Standards for Efficient Landscape Irrigation System Design and Installation” prepared by the Utah Irrigation Association. In addition, the following portions of this Section shall also be applicable:
a. Pressure Regulation. A pressure regulating valve shall be installed and maintained by the consumer if the static service pressure exceeds 80 pounds per square inch (psi). The pressure-regulating valve shall be located between the meter and the first point of water use, or first point of division in the pipe, and shall be set at the manufacturer’s recommended pressure for the sprinklers.
b. Landscape Water Meter. A water meter which is separate from the water meter installed for indoor use shall be installed for landscape irrigation systems when required by the local retail water purveyor for secondary water systems. The size of the meter shall be determined based on irrigation demand.
c. Automatic Controller. All irrigation systems shall include a WaterSense labeled smart irrigation controller which automatically adjusts the frequency and/or duration of irrigation events in response to changing weather conditions. All controllers shall be equipped with automatic rain delay or rain shut-off capabilities.
d. On slopes exceeding 33 percent, the irrigation system shall consist of Drip Emitters, Bubblers or sprinklers with a maximum Precipitation Rate of 0.85 inches per hour and adjusted sprinkler cycle times to eliminate Runoff.
e. Each valve shall irrigate a landscape zone with similar site, slope and soil conditions and plant materials with similar watering needs. Turf and non-turf areas shall be irrigated on separate valves. Drip Emitters and sprinklers shall be placed on separate valves.
f. Parking strips and other landscaped areas less than eight feet wide shall be landscaped with Water-Conserving Plants. Drip Emitters or a Bubbler shall be provided for each tree. Bubblers shall not exceed one and one-half gallons per minute per device. Bubblers for trees shall be placed on a separate valve unless specifically exempted by the City due to the limited number of trees on the project site.
g. Sprinklers shall have matched Precipitation Rates with each control valve circuit.
h. Check valves shall be required where elevation differences will cause low-head drainage. Pressure compensating valves and sprinklers shall be required where a significant variation in water pressure will occur within the irrigation system due to elevation differences.
i. Drip irrigation lines shall be underground, except for Drip Emitters and where approved as a temporary installation. Filters and end flush valves shall be provided as necessary.
j. Valves with spray or stream sprinklers shall be scheduled to operate between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. to reduce water loss from wind and evaporation.
k. Program valves for multiple repeat cycles shall be required where necessary to reduce runoff, particularly on slopes and soils with slow infiltration rates.
l. When secondary or reuse water is available from the local water purveyor, it shall be used in the irrigation system.
(5) Plan Approval, Construction Inspection and Post-Construction Monitoring. As part of the building permit approval process, a copy of the Landscape Plan Documentation Package shall be submitted to the City for approval before construction begins. With the Landscape Plan Documentation Package, a copy of the Landscape Water Allowance Worksheet shall be completed by the Designer and submitted to the City. Once approved, the Landscape Water Allowance Worksheet will be transmitted to the local water purveyor.
a. All Landscape Plan Documentation Packages submitted must be certified by a Designer.
b. All landscape irrigation systems shall be installed by an IA-certified Irrigation Contractor, or under the direct supervision of the Designer. The certified Person representing the contracting firm shall be a full-time employee of the firm and shall be directly involved with the project including, at least, weekly site visits.
c. All installers, Designers, and auditors shall meet state and local license, insurance, and bonding requirements, and be able to show proof of such.
d. After the Landscaping has been installed, the property Owner is encouraged to contact a certified water auditor and request a Water Audit. The Water Audit will determine the irrigation system efficiency and make recommendations for improvements.
e. The City reserves the right to perform site inspections at any time before, during or after the irrigation system and landscape installation, and to require corrective measures if requirements of this Chapter are not satisfied.