75A - PH - WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPING

Home Browse Search

REQUEST FOR Planning Commission Action ,n,; PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DATE: PLANNING COMMISSION SECRETARY NOVEMBER 9, 2009 APPROVED TITLE: ? As Recommended PUBLIC HEARING - ZONING ORDINANCE ? As Amended AMENDMENT NO. 2009-07 TO AMEND THE ? Set Public Hearing For PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 41 PERTAINING DENIED TO WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPING AND ? Applicant's Request ADOPT NEW REGULATIONS FOR WATER ? Staff Recommendation EFFICIENT LANDSCAPING CONTINUED TO Vince Fregoso/ Prepared by Lucy Linnaus Executive Dir cto Planning Ma ger RECOMMENDED ACTION Recommend that the City Council adopt an ordinance approving Zoning Ordinance Amendment No. 2009-07. DISCUSSION Request of Applicant The City of Santa Ana is requesting approval to amend various provisions of Chapter 41 of the Municipal Code pertaining to water efficient landscaping. Analysis of the issues In 1992, the State of California enacted the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act (AB 325), requiring the adoption of water efficient landscape ordinances by jurisdictions throughout the state. In response, the City adopted its own Water Efficient Landscape Standards ordinance in October 1993. In 2004, the State passed Assembly Bill 2717 establishing a Landscape Taskforce charged with formulating recommendations to improve irrigation efficiency in new and existing landscapes. The Task Force's final report contained recommendations to achieve greater landscape water use efficiency, which resulted in AB 1881. In 2006, Assembly Bill 1881 was passed, amending the Water Conservation i:~ Landscaping Act. The bill requires two new actions: 1) An update to the original (1992) Water Efficient Landscape Model Ordinance created by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR); and 2) An update by local jurisdictions of their local Landscape Ordinances by January 1, EXHIBIT A 75A-3