DATE: 08/19/2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Planning and Development Department
2026-263
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
ZONE TEXT AMENDMENT 2026-0001 TO CHAPTER 17.70 OF THE CORONA
MUNICIPAL CODE TO UPDATE WATER-EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS
TO REFLECT CHANGES IN STATE LAW AND TO UPDATE OUTDATED FENCING
REGULATIONS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to approve Zone Text Amendment 2026-0001, which amends the water-efficient landscape regulations in Chapter 17.70 of the Corona Municipal Code, to ensure consistency with 2015 and 2025 changes to the State of California’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. The amendment also updates fence and wall standards in Chapter 17.70 to reflect advancements in fencing materials and design, providing greater flexibility for property owners.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Approve Zone Text Amendment 2026-0001, as recommended by the Planning and Housing Commission.
b. Introduce, by title only, and waive full reading of consideration of Ordinance No. 3431, first reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 17.70 of Title 17 (Zoning) of the Corona Municipal Code to update water-efficient landscape requirements to reflect changes in State law, and to update outdated fence regulations, and amending various other sections in Title 17 to update references to Chapter 17.70 (ZTA2026-0001).
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
Chapter 17.70 of the Corona Municipal Code (CMC) establishes the City’s landscape and fencing regulations, which are enforced by the Planning and Development Department.
In accordance with California State law, this chapter was previously amended in 2010 to incorporate water-efficient landscape regulations consistent with the State’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (“MWELO”). The MWELO underwent revisions in 2015 and again in 2025, with the latest update effective January 2, 2025. Updates to the City’s regulations are necessary to ensure consistency with these recent MWELO revisions.
Fence and wall standards are also being updated to accommodate advancements in fencing materials and design, which give property owners more flexibility. These updates are especially important for properties in the City’s Very High Fire Severity Zone, which will be subject to upcoming State restrictions on fencing materials.
On June 8, 2026, the Planning and Housing Commission recommended approval of the amendments to Chapter 17.70, and adopted Resolution No. 2687 to merge the City’s residential and commercial/industrial landscape guidelines into one Landscape Design Manual (Manual). The Manual provides technical guidance to supplement zoning requirements in Chapter 17.70.
PROPOSED ZONE TEXT AMENDMENT:
Amendments To Chapter 17.70
ZTA2026-0001 amends various provisions of Chapter 17.70 for consistency with the State’s MWELO. The new standards will apply to new landscape installation following the adoption of this amendment, and are as follows:
1. Lower Threshold for Required Landscape Permits. Currently, property owners must submit landscape plans to the City and obtain a landscape permit prior to construction if the project is:
a. Developer-installed landscaping in a new construction or landscape renovation project with at least 2,500 square feet of landscaping; or b. Homeowner-installed landscaping in a new construction or landscape renovation project with a landscape area of at least 5,000 square feet.
These projects are currently subject to the City’s water-efficient landscape requirements. The proposed amendment lowers the applicability thresholds from 2,500 to 500 square feet for new construction projects, and from 5,000 to 2,500 square feet for existing sites undergoing landscape renovations, regardless of whether the installation is completed by a developer or homeowner.
2. Addition of Prescriptive Compliance Option. The existing landscape permit process, used to demonstrate compliance with the City’s water-efficient landscape requirements, is being expanded to include a streamlined compliance option for projects with landscape areas ranging from 500 to 2,500 square feet. This optional process, referred to as the Prescriptive Compliance Option, is intended to simplify compliance for most homeowners and smaller non-residential developments.
The City’s existing compliance process, referred to as the Performance Compliance Option, remains available and is required for larger or more complex projects that have a landscape area exceeding 2,500 square feet. Table 1 summarizes the key differences between the two options.
Table 1 – Water Efficient Landscape (WELO) Compliance Options Prescriptive
Compliance Option
(Simplified Version)
Performance
Compliance Option
(Comprehensive Version)
Applies To: New construction projects with
a total landscape area
between 500 to 2,500 square
feet.
New construction or landscape
rehabilitation projects with a total
landscape area exceeding 2,500
square feet.
Submittal
Requirement:
A simplified landscape design
plan showing the total square
footage of the landscape area,
and a breakdown of plant
materials (e.g., plant legend).
A professional landscape
documentation package that
includes:
Landscape plan;
Grading plan;
Irrigation plan;
Soil management report;
and
Water usage calculations.
Approval
Process:
Property owner obtains
landscape plan approval and
permit, installs the
landscaping, and passes City
inspection.
Property owner obtains
landscape plan approval and
permit, installs the landscaping,
and passes City inspection.
3. Prohibited Use of Turf in all Non-Residential Development. The City currently prohibits the use of turf in commercial and industrial developments. The proposed amendment simplifies this provision by replacing references to commercial and industrial development with the broader term, “non-residential development.” As a result, the turf prohibition would apply to all non-residential development types, including institutional developments. However, turf may be used in non-residential developments where it serves a recreational or functional purpose. Cemeteries are exempted from this prohibition.
ZTA2026-0001 also amends the standards for residential fencing in Chapter 17.70 as follows:
1. Fencing Standards for Residential Zones. Current standards are being amended to:
a) Increase the maximum height for opaque fences and walls from 3 feet to 4 feet in the front yard for increased privacy, while retaining the 3-foot height limit for fences and walls that are in the corner cut-off area for visibility purposes.
b) Clarify that decorative fixtures (e.g., caps, lights, balls, and similar fixtures) are allowed to be constructed on top of pilasters in the front yard, for a combined maximum height of 6 feet (including the pilaster). Pilasters remain limited to a maximum height of 5 feet.
c) Formally permit wood picket fences in the front yard, which were previously unaddressed, but historically allowed.
d) Expand the range of fencing materials permitted in front, side, and rear yards. Currently, front-yard fencing is limited to decorative block and wrought iron, and side- and rear-yard fencing is limited to block, wrought iron, vinyl, wood, or similar durable materials. The proposed amendment would allow the following additional materials in the front, side, and rear yards:
Decorative or textured masonry (cement, concrete, brick, stone, or other masonry materials);
Wrought iron and tubular steel;
Vinyl and Polyvinyl chloride (PVC);
Metal panels (aluminum and steel);
Fiber cement; and
Other similar durable material, as approved by the Planning Director. e) Existing tennis enclosure regulations for residential properties are being expanded to cover other private outdoor recreation and sport courts, such as pickleball courts, basketball courts, batting cages, and similar facilities.
These regulations will apply only to new installations following the adoption of this amendment.
No other changes are proposed to Chapter 17.70 other than the aforementioned items discussed in this staff report.
Landscape Design Manual
This Zone Text Amendment is associated with the Landscape Design Manual (Manual), which consolidates and replaces two existing Landscape Design Guidelines. The Manual supplements the minimum zoning code requirements in Chapter 17.70 and adopted Specific Plans. The Manual is organized into four chapters (Introduction, Residential Landscape Design, Non-Residential Landscape Design, and Water-Efficient Landscape Design), with an appendix containing definitions, reference materials, worksheets, and forms, which are required to be completed by the project applicant. The Manual is intended to assist landscape professionals, architects, designers, and homeowners in achieving attractive, water-efficient, and functional landscapes that meet City and State requirements. The Manual is attached as Exhibit 3 for reference. The Planning and Housing Commission is responsible for review and approval of the Manual, which occurred on May 27, 2026.
Other Amendments in Title 17 of the CMC
Several chapters in Title 17 (Zoning) of the CMC currently reference provisions in Chapter
17.70. These cross-references are being updated to reflect the reorganized section numbering within Chapter 17.70. The revisions ensure consistency throughout Title 17 and maintain accurate internal citations. The impacted chapters include:
17.24 – R-3 Multiple Family Residential Zone
17.33 – Commercial & Office Zones
17.35 – Quasi-Public (QP) Zone
17.64 – Lots and Yards
17.72 – Supplemental Site Development Standards For Automotive Related Uses
17.74 – Signs
17.76 – Off-Street Parking
17.79 – Trash Enclosures
17.82 – Planned Unit and Condominium Development
ANALYSIS:
The amendments proposed under ZTA2026-0001 ensure that the City’s local regulations, governing landscaping and irrigation for both residential and non-residential development, comply with State law. The amendments support water conservation by updating compliance thresholds and offering a simplified, less costly option for homeowners and small developments to meet water efficiency standards.
In addition, the updated fencing standards provide greater flexibility for residential property owners to select fencing materials and styles that reflect current market trends and advancements in available products and technologies. These new materials include non-combustible materials, such as concrete and metal, which would help properties located in the City’s Very High Fire Severity Zone meet upcoming Statewide restrictions regarding “Zone Zero,” which regulates fencing material within 5 feet of a residential structure.
PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION ACTION:
At its June 8, 2026 meeting, the Planning and Housing Commission considered the subject matter and took the following action:
Motion was made by Commissioner Woody, seconded by Commissioner Siqueland, and carried with Commissioners Longwell and Vernon absent, that the Planning and Housing Commission recommend approval of ZTA2026-0001 to the City Council, based on the findings and conditions contained in the staff report. The draft minutes of the Planning and Housing Commission meeting are included as Exhibit 5.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
ZTA2026-0001 is a City-initiated amendment; therefore, no application fees were paid for the processing of this application.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
Per Section 15061(b)(3) of the State Guidelines for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Section 3.06 of the City’s Local CEQA Guidelines, a Notice of Exemption has been prepared for this project because a project is exempted from CEQA if the activity is covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. The proposed amendment involves text revisions to the landscape and fencing regulations in Chapter
17.70 of the Corona Municipal Code. The proposed text revisions will have no significant environmental impact.
PREPARED BY: SANDRA VANIAN, PLANNING MANAGER
SUBMITTED BY: DANNY CASTRO, PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Ordinance No. 3431
2. Exhibit 2 – Amendment to Chapter 17.70 of the Corona Municipal Code (redline version)
3. Exhibit 3 – City of Corona Landscape Design Manual
4. Exhibit 4 – Planning and Housing Commission Staff Report
5. Exhibit 5 – Minutes of the Planning and Housing Commission Meeting of June 8, 2026
6. Exhibit 6 – PowerPoint Presentation