Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance
Amendment
Jeffrey Provenzano
Deputy Director, Water Resources Division,
Environmental Services Department
San Jose City Council
May 3, 2022
Agenda Item 6.1
Water
Efficient
Landscape
Ordinance
▪ Half of CA water used for landscape irrigation
▪ Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance
▪ Enacted 1993
▪ Amended 2010, 2015
▪ City of San Jose Water Efficient Landscape
Ordinance
▪ Adopted 1994
▪ Amended 2013, 2016
2 https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Water-Use-And-
Efficiency/Urban-Water-Use-Efficiency/Model-Water-
Efficient-Landscape-Ordinance
Motivations
10/13/2021 Rules &
Open Government
Committee 21-778
▪ Water Shortage
Declaration
▪ Directed staff to revise
WELO to “require
only planting drought-
tolerant landscapes in
new developments”
3 *Map data 10/19/2021
Motivations (cont’d)
Supports Climate Smart San José goals
to:
▪ Reduce total citywide, and specifically
residential, water consumption
▪ Amendment will help lower water
use for irrigation for both residents
and businesses
▪ Reduce household energy use
▪ Amendment can help to reduce
urban heat island effects by limiting
hardscape and thereby reducing
building cooling needs.
4 Benefits to Residents and Community
▪ Drought resilience through water-efficient design
▪ Carbon sequestration in urban landscapes
▪ Reduced urban heat island effects
▪ Cost Savings
5 BEFORE AFTER
https://www.ccwater.com/160/Lawn-to-Garden-Rebate
Plant Selection
Plant Type Plant Common Name Watering Needs
(as %ET0)
Native to
California?
Turfgrass
(cool season)
Kentucky bluegrass 80 High Not native,
invasive
Turfgrass
(warm
season)
Common
bermudagrass
60 Moderate Not native,
invasive
Tree California buckeye <10 Very low Yes
Groundcover
/shrub
Prostrate acacia <10 Very low Yes
*WUCOLS
6 Plant Selection – Water Savings
Valley Water Sustainable Landscape Guidelines
7 Native Plants
USDA: “A plant that is a part of the balance of nature that has developed over hundreds or thousands of years in a particular region or ecosystem.”
https://www.sare.org/publications/building-
soils-for-better-crops/soil-health-plant-health-
and-pests/
https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/issues-
and-priorities/carbon-sequestration/
https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-
organic/organic-farming-
practices/soil-health/ 8
Urban Heat Island Effect
https://dozr.com/blog/urban-heat-island
How to combat?
▪ Reduce hardscape
▪ Both pervious &
impervious increase heat
island effect
▪ Plant selection
▪ Native trees and
groundcover provide
shade & increase urban
tree canopy
9 Irrigation Design
Valley Water Sustainable Landscape Guidelines Bubbler Irrigation https://golfstore.rainbird.com/rwsbc1404-
rain-bird-rws-root-watering-system-36-in-
tube-1-0-gpm-bubbler-4-in-grate.html
10 Key Amendments Summary
Category Current Ordinance Proposed Amendment
Applicability
New construction requiring
building/development permit(s) with
landscape area of 500+ square feet
New construction requiring
building/development permit(s) with any
landscape area
Exemption: SFR backyard projects
Compliance
options
Three compliance pathways:
• Plant-type restriction
• Water budget
• Recycled water
All applicable projects must comply with all
design requirements
Allowable
plant types
High-water use plants permitted in up to
25% of landscape area
• High-water use plants prohibited
• Native, non-invasive, or very low to
moderate water needing plants only
Turf
restrictions
Turf permitted in up to 25% of landscape
area
Turf prohibited
Exemptions: -Areas for active play, recreation or
public assembly for MFR & commercial projects
-Backyard SFR projects
Hardscape
limitation
No hardscape limitation
*Existing blight & paved surface limitations
No more than 50% of the area available for
landscaping may be hardscape
Exemptions: -Areas required by law
-Areas for tax credits for affordable housing -
Residential backyard projects
Irrigation
system design
Spray & overhead spray sprinkler systems
permitted
Must use drip/bubbler
Exemption: Areas where turf is permitted
11 Stakeholder Engagement & Conclusion
• Building Industry Association
• Developers Roundtable (333 contacts)
• Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP) • Office of Economic Development
• Charities Housing
• Department of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement • Chamber of Commerce Water and Energy Policy Committee • Climate Smart external stakeholders
• Waterfluence
• Gachina Landscape Management
• Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter
• San Francisco Baykeeper
• Sustainable Silicon Valley