HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso - CC - 089-1988RESOLUTION NO 89-88
RESOLUTION ADOPTING WATER CONSERVATION GUIDELINES
FOR NEW COMMERCIAL AND MULTIPLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENTS
RESOLVED by the CITY COUNCIL of the CITY OF BURLINGAME that
WHEREAS, due to below normal rain and snowfall the San
Francisco Public Utilities Commission has declared a water shortau-
emergency, and this City has also declared a water emergenc-s- and
established rules and regulations therefore, and
WHEREAS, since 1977 the City of Burlingame has required
developers to install low water use and drought resistant land-
scaping, but has not had clear standards and definitions for such
installations, and
WHEREAS, San Francisco has called on all its wholesale
customers, including the City of Burlingame, to adopt water
conservation guidelines and the Parks, Planning and Public Works
Departments of this City have reviewed those proposed by San
Francisco and are recommending that they be adopted to give develoF
ers and landscape architects clear requirements for such low water
use and drought resistant landscaping,
NOW, THEREFORE, the CITY OF BURLINGAME does hereby adopt
the water conservation guidelines for new commercial and multiple -
family residential developments as set forth ' - h" at
hereto. ache
l
r_
I, JUDITH A. MALFATTI, City Clerk`of�-tom Cid of Burlingame
do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was introduced at
a regular meeting of the City Council held on the 6th day of
September 1988, and was adopted thereafter by the following
Ivote:
AYES: COUNCILMEN: AMSTRUP, BARTON, LEMBI, MANGINI, PAGLIARO
NOES: COUNCILMEN: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCILMEPd: NONE ?UA
City Clerk
EXHIBIT A
CITY OF BURLINGAME
WATER CONSERVATION GUIDELINES FOR NEW
COMMERCIAL AND MULTIPLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS
RESOLUTION NO. 89-88
Planting Design
1. The combined turf and water area should be limited to 25% of
planted areas for industrial, commercial, multifamily
residential with common area, and institutions. If turf is
an essential part of a public or quasi -public development,
such as playing fields for schools, a higher percentage can
be allowed. No turf will be allowed in median strips of
roadways and is discouraged in any long, narrow strip. The
perimeter -to -area ratio for all turfgrass areas should be
minimized to improve irrigation efficiency. Ground cover
other than turf will be used on all slopes exceeding 10
percent.
2. The landscape plan should address functional energy,
environmental and aesthetic conditions specific to the site,
as well as water conservation. The organization and
usefulness of the space, through the arrangement of
architectural elements and plans, is important. There
should be a functional relationship between the buildings,
landscaping and their uses, the site itself, and the local
community.
3. Plants and turfgrass should be selected which are best
suited to the climate of the region and which require
minimal water. Up to 5% of the planted area can be used for
annual color plants that are not low water using. Water
intensive landscape elements should be confined to areas of
high visibility and to areas of high use. There should be a
specific reason for each plant selection, based on the
plants function in the design. The areas of turfgrass and
annual color may vary within the total 30% allowed, but turf
may not exceed 25% of the planted area.
Decorative Use of Water
1. Water bodies that are part of the landscaping should be
discouraged for new developments, unless the water body is
an integral part of the operation of the development, such
as a recreation area. The surface area of such a water body
will be counted as turf in the calculations which limit turf
to 25% of the landscaped area.
2
Irrigation
1. All parks, median strips, landscaped public areas,
landscaped areas surrounding residential and commercial
developments and industrial parks will have automatic
irrigation systems designed by a landscape architect or
other competent person. Soils tests should be performed as
part of the design and plant selection process.
2. Specifications for the irrigation system will include a
watering schedule with amendments for seasonal changes.
Water used for irrigation should be minimized to the amount
needed to maintain adequate plant health and growth; and the
schedule should be followed in the subsequent maintenance
program.
3. Low volume irrigation systems shall be required in areas
where it improves efficiency of water use. This includes
low volume sprinkler heads, drip emitters, and bubbler
emitters. Low volume sprinklers are defined as "emitting
less than 0.75 inches per hour of water." Water should be
applied so that it soaks into the soils and is timed to
apply the correct amount of water for each type of plant.
The application rate should not exceed .25" per cycle and
should not exceed .75" per hour.
4. Separate valves will be installed for turf and nonturf
areas. In many cases mature plants require only infrequent
irrigation. Separate valve watering will encourage plants
to extend deeper roots and to become less dependent on
frequent watering.
5. Electric controllers should be set to water between 7:00
P.M. and 10:00 A.M. Drip irrigation systems can operate at
any time.
6. Sprinkler heads should have matched precipitation rates
within each control valve circuit.
7. If a system is found to have overspray resulting in water
wasted on paved or street areas, then system modifications
to prevent overspray will be required before the
installation will be finaled for the building permit.
Soils
1. A layer of mulch (1 inch minimum, 2 inches preferred) should
be added on the soil surface. This will reduce evaporation,
moderate solid temperatures and discourage weeds.
2. Top soil tests should be performed to determine the type of
soil, soil depth and uniformity. Soils can vary widely in
their water -holding capacity, and these tests will determine
how much water should be applied and how much runoff is
likely to occur.
3. Decomposed organic matter or polymer products should be
incorporated into the soil. This improves infiltration,
water retention and soil structure.
Grading should be minimized to avoid soil disturbance and
wind erosion. Topsoil should be stockpiled for backfill
where practical; stockpiled material will be covered to
avoid wind erosion.
Miscellaneous
Inert material should be used as appropriate for landscaping
needs. Inert material or pavement over a portion of the
site with the remainder in drought tolerant groundcover
offers an alternative to unbroken expanses of turf. Inert
material or paving may be necessary where continual or heavy
foot or vehicular traffic occurs.
2. Use of porous paving
improves the percolatio
Wood decking is a very
It allows infiltration
table. Loose aggregate
drainage channels and
infiltration of runoff
eliminate the need for
materials is preferred since this
n of rain water into the water table.
water conserving landscape treatment.
of rainwater into the soil and water
paving, mortarless tile pavers, open
gravel or bark paving will permit
water into the water table and may
costly subsurface drainage systems.
Adopted by City Council September 6, 1988