HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-11-10 - ORDINANCES - WATER CONSERVATION (2)1
ORDINANCE NO. 92-12
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AMENDING CHAPTER 9.38 OF TITLE 9
OF THE SANTA CLARITA MUNICIPAL CODE
REGARDING WATER CONSERVATION
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Santa Clarita Municipal Code is amended at Chapter 9.38 to
Title 9 relating to rater conservation to read as follows:
CHAPTER 9.38
WATER CONSERVATION
Sections:
9.38.010 Water Regulation Authority
9.38.015 Water Conservation Action Plan
9.38.020 Notification
9.38.025 Water Rationing/Conservation Stages
9.38.030 Emergency Water Shortage Response
9.38.035 Water Conservation Measures
9.38.040 Penalties
9.38.045 Hardship and Appeals Process Guidelines
9.38.050 Termination of Ordinance
9.38.010 Water Regulation Authority
A. The State of California Water Code requires urban water suppliers to
establish a means to review current and anticipated water demands in
order to guarantee water availability. The Upper Santa Clara Water
Committee (U.S.C.W.C.), being the representative body for this area's
water purveyors, reviews and reports on water supply and demand in the
Santa Clarita Valley. This body meets (annually) on a regular basis
and more frequently when water availability reaches critical levels.
In accordance with the State Water Code, the U.S.C.W.C. and the Castaic
Lake Water Agency (C.L.W.A.) have adopted a Water Shortage Contingency
Plan, a part of which is a four -stage rationing plan. This plan
establishes water conservation measure responses to current and
anticipated levels of deficiencies in State and/or local water supplies.
B. In response to this plan, it is the City's intent to establish
eater -use guidelines and restrictions which will reinforce the
water -use reduction goals established in the Water Shortage Contingency
Plan.
ORDINANCE NO. 92-12
Page 2
9.38.015 Yater Conservation Action Plan
A. The City of Santa Clarita, through the City Manager's office, shall
establish contact with the State of California, C.L.W.A. and individual
water purveyors for the purpose of receiving their recommendations and
reports. Based on the information received from these sources, the
City Manager's office shall provide to Council, for their consent,
recommendations as to the proper drought stage response. The drought
stage response shall be determined by the level of water deficiency.
In order to remain consistent with regional or State-wide water
conservation measures, the City Manager's Office will also report to
Council, State and Regional water use restriction measures being
imposed for the particular drought stage. The City Manager's office
may also recommend to Council relief from any restrictions prescribed
by the drought stage if deemed appropriate and beneficial to the City.
9.38.020 Water Conservation Notification
A. Upon the establishment of a drought stage by the City Council, a public
notice period of seven days shall commence. Public notice shall be by
public posting at all City facilities, all City -vide County facilities,
and all City-wide water purveyor's facilities. The public notice shall
be advertised in the local newspaper(s), radio, and other available
media, for the same period of time.
B. All mandatory measures will be enforceable after the seventh day of
public notice.
9.38.025 Water Rationing/Conservation Stages
A. water Deficiency - Defined
A water deficiency occurs when the current or projected water demand
exceeds the current or projected water supply, based on a yearly
assessment.
Percent of deficiency - (1 - water supply/water demand) X 100.
B. Water Rationing/Conservation Stages
Stage 1: A Stage 1 drought condition will occur when water
deficiencies range between 1 and 15 percent. At this stage of drought
severity, the public is encouraged to practice prudent water use.
Stage 2: A Stage 2 drought condition will occur when water
deficiencies range from more than 15 and up to 25 percent. At this
stage of drought severity, prudent water use, along with restrictions
on new water demand, are mandated.
Staee 3: A Stage 3 drought condition will occur when water
deficiencies range from more than 25 and up to 35 percent.
ORDINANCE NO. 92-12
Page 3
Stage 4: A Stage 4 drought condition will occur when water
deficiencies are more than 35 percent.
9.38.030 FEmereeenw Yater Shortage Responn
A. In the event that an immediate shortage of water occurs due to
disaster, the City Manager, upon receiving information from the
individual water purveyors and the C.L.W.A., shall declare the stage of
water shortage emergency and implement the appropriate drought stage
regulations. The City Manager shall report such water shortage
condition and level of response to City Council at a time which is
reasonable and practicable.
9.38.035 Water Conservation Covenant
A. Continual Yater -Use Practices
More severe effects of a water shortage are often brought about due to
wasteful use of water in times of sufficient supply. The use of water
shall be done so in an efficient manner, in order to eliminate
unnecessary water use where possible. For this reason, certain
water -use practices shall be prescribed.
a. The Parks and Recreation Department shall establish and
maintain a program which would encourage future landscape
installations to be drought -tolerant, utilizing
drought -tolerant plant materials and vater-efficient
irrigation systems. It is determined that at this time,
general rater -efficient landscape guidelines as set forth by
the City will be followed to comply with AB -325 until such
time in the future that the City is prepared to adopt
comprehensive landscape and irrigation standards.
a. The use of low -floe shover head and faucet fixtures is
encouraged.
OEM=-,,.
S. Where practical, the voluntary restrictions for a Stage 1
drought should be used as a guideline for prudent rater use.
B. Water conservation shall be achieved through mandatory and voluntary
restrictions and/or prohibitions of various types of water use. Water
supply deficiencies are set at four stages of urgency, for which
conservation measures are mandated in order to create rater -usage
reduction. These measures are cumulative through each stage.
ORDINANCE NO. 92-12
Page 4
Stage 1
The following are voluntary water -use restrictions or prohibitions:
1. Hose Water Prohibition
a. No person shall hose -water or wash down any sidewalk,
walkways, driveways, parking areas or other paved surface,
except for health and safety purposes.
2. Watering Lawns and Landscaping
a. No person shall water or cause to be watered any lawn or
landscaping between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.,
except as provided in Section 9.38.035.B.2.e.
b. Lawns and landscaping shall be watered no more than 10
minutes per watering station or cycle per day.
C. No person shall water or cause to be watered any lawn or
landscaping to such an extent that runoff into adjoining
streets, parking lots or alleys occurs due to incorrectly
directed or maintained sprinklers or to excessive watering. _
d. It shall be the duty of all persons to inspect all hoses,
faucets and sprinkling systems for leaks and to cause all
leaks to be repaired as soon as is reasonably practicable.
e. Commercial gardeners and landscapers, municipal water uses,
commercial nurseries, golf courses, publicly -owned and
maintained land and facilities, and other vater-dependent
industries shall not rater or cause to be watered any lawn or
landscaping between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.,
and no more than 10 minutes per watering station or cycle per
day unless reclaimed rater is used as permitted by the
Los Angeles County Department of Health. This subsection
does not apply to residential lawns which are subject to the
time limitations indicated in the other subsections of this
Ordinance.
f. The maintenance and testing of irrigation systems may be
performed without the restrictions specified in Subsections
2.a and 2.e in Stage 1.
g. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsections 2.a and 2.e in
Stage 1, the time for watering shall not be enforced during
the period between November 15 and March 15, inclusive, to
allow watering during the warmer portions of the day during
these winter months.
ORDINANCE NO. 92-12
Page 5
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a. It shall be the duty of all persons to inspect all accessible
indoor plumbing for leaks and cause them to be repaired as
soon as reasonably practicable.
a. Vehicles should be washed by hand-held bucket or with a hose
equipped with automatic shutoff nozzle. Hoses may not be
left running.
b. These restrictions shall not be applied to commercial vehicle
washing facilities and operations.
5. Public Eatine Places
a. Yater may be served only upon request by the customer.
The following are mandatory water -use restriction and/or prohibitions:
1. All restrictions, prohibitions and time exemptions listed under
Stage 1 become mandatory requirements.
a. Permits for grading and pool/spa projects will still be
processed through the building department. Permits will not
be issued until such a time (such water -use restrictions)
when Stage 2 restrictions are deemed no longer to be in
effect. Affected projects will be exempt from permit process
expirations due to lapse in time and/or new code adoption.
b. Restrictions on permits, stated in Subsections 2.a. and 2.b.
of Stage 2, will become effective at the time when these
measures are approved by Council or, in the event of
immediate emergency, when the City Manager's Office has
deemed the measures to be in effect.
C. No one shall cause the emptying or refilling of existing
pools or spas for cleaning purposes. Water levels may be
maintained.
f 4
ORDINANCE NO. 92-12
Page 6
3. Landscapine
a. All new landscaping
plantings (vegetation
requirements).
shall be limited to drought -tolerant
using one-third the normal water
b. No new lawns, whether by seed or sod, shall be installed.
C. No person or entity shall be required to implement any
landscaping requirements of any association, developer or
governing agency until the termination of this stage.
Stage 3
The following are mandatory water -use restrictions and/or
prohibitions.
1. All restrictions and/or prohibitions listed in Stage 2.
2. Pool and Spa Permits
a. No new pool or spa permits shall be issued.
3. Building and Grading Permits
a. Permits for new residential construction which would result
in additional dwelling units) shall not be issued.
Residential additions which are over 50 percent of the
existing residence's habitable floor area will be considered
an additional dwelling unit.
b. Building permits for new non-residential construction and
non-residential additions which are over 50 percent of the
existing habitable floor area shall not be issued.
C. Permits for building projects, restricted in Subsections 2.a.
and 2.b of Stage 3 will still be processed through the
building department. Permits will not be issued until such
time when Stage 3 restrictions are deemed no longer to be in
effect. Affected projects will be exempt from permit process
expirations due to lapse in time and/or new code adoption.
d. All grading under permits issued prior to the effective date,
per Subsection 2.c. in Stage 2, shall be limited to the use
of reclaimed water, as approved by the Los Angeles County
Department of Health.
4. Landscaping
a. All new landscaping and irrigation improvements shall be
approved by the City of Santa Clarita Director of Parks and
Recreation prior to construction.
ORDINANCE NO. 92-12
Page 7
The following are mandatory rater -use restrictions,
1. All restrictions and/or prohibitions listed in Stage 3.
NEFT."MT-T,.
a. No new landscaping shall be permitted.
b. Existing landscaping shall be maintained with reclaimed water
only, as approved by the Los Angeles County Department of
Health. Existing trees and larger shrubs will be exempt.
9.38.040 Penalties
A. Willful violations of the terms of this Ordinance shall be subject to
written warnings and/or citations. A written warning shall be issued
upon the first violation of any part of this Ordinance. The second
violation shall result in a fine of $50.00. The third violation shall
result in a fine of $100.00, and subsequent violations shall result in
a fine of $300.00 for each violation.
9.38.045 Hardship and Appeals Process Guidelines
A. The City Manager's Office shall establish guidelines by which water
users may file claims of hardship due to imposed water restriction
regulations. An appeals process shall be established for water users
who have been cited for lack of compliance to these imposed water -use
restrictions.
9.38.050 Termination of Ordinance
A. This Ordinance shall terminate only upon consent by the City Council.
Section 1. The City Council hereby declares that the provisions of
this Ordinance are severable and if for any reason a court or competent
jurisdiction shall hold any sentence, paragraph or section of this Ordinance to
be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining parts
of this Ordinance.
Section 2. This Ordinance is effective immediately pursuant to
California Yater Code Section 376.
Section 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage of this
Ordinance and shall cause it to be published in the manner prescribed by lay.
ORDINANCE NO. 92-12
Page 8
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 10th day of Naveflb* , 1992.
Jill I ajic, Mayor
ATTEST:
onna M. Grindey, Cit yltlerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES) as
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA)
I, Donna M. Grindey, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the above and foregoing
Resolution was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarity at
a regular meeting thereof, held on the 10th day of Novenber 1992 by the
following vote of Council:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Boyer, Darcy, Heidt, Pederson, Rlajic
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
i
onna M. Grindey, City qtZfk
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