Water Efficient Landscaping Standards
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WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPING STANDARDS The Water Efficient Landscaping Standards provide policies, guidelines, and minimum criteria to governmental agencies, design professionals, private developers, community groups, and homeowners for all new development. These standards promote efficient development and use of water within the City of Aspen’s water service area. AUGUST 14, 2020 City of Aspen Water Efficient Landscaping Standards Page 0 of 37 Contents 1. OBJECTIVE AND PURPOSE ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Objective.................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Purpose.................................................................................................................................... 1 2. APPLICABILITY AND GENERAL PROVISIONS....................................................................................... 1 2.1 Applicability ............................................................................................................................. 1 2.2 Exceptions................................................................................................................................ 1 2.3 Pilot Phase ............................................................................................................................... 2 2.4 Variances and Existing Compliance ........................................................................................... 2 2.5 Appeals .................................................................................................................................... 3 3. DOCUMENTATION ........................................................................................................................... 3 3.1 Landscape and Irrigation Documentation Package .................................................................... 3 3.2 Compliance with the Landscape and Irrigation Documentation Package ................................... 4 4. LANDSCAPE CRITERIA ....................................................................................................................... 4 4.1 Soil Criteria .............................................................................................................................. 5 4.2 Mulch Criteria .......................................................................................................................... 6 4.3 Landscape Criteria .................................................................................................................... 7 4.4 Landscape Plan......................................................................................................................... 9 5. IRRIGATION SYSTEM CRITERIA ....................................................................................................... 10 5.1 Irrigation System Requirements ............................................................................................. 10 5.2 Hydrozone Requirements ....................................................................................................... 12 5.3 Irrigation Design Plan ............................................................................................................. 12 5.4 Irrigation System Maintenance Schedule ................................................................................ 13 5.5 Irrigation Scheduling .............................................................................................................. 13 5.6 Irrigation Management .......................................................................................................... 14 5.7 Irrigation Audit ....................................................................................................................... 14 5.8 Irrigation Approval Letter ....................................................................................................... 15 6. INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................................... 16 6.1 Landscape Inspection ............................................................................................................. 16 6.2 Irrigation Inspection ............................................................................................................... 16 APPENDIX A – WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE WORKSHEET ...................................................................... 1 APPENDIX B – GREENCO PLANT LIST ........................................................................................................ 1 APPENDIX C – COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY FIREWISE PLANT LIST & LANDSCAPE DESIGN FACT SHEET . 1 City of Aspen Water Efficient Landscaping Standards August 14, 2020 APPENDIX D – CITY OF ASPEN AND PITKIN COUNTY WILDFIRE HAZARD ASSESSMENT MAPS .................... 1 APPENDIX E – CO DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES RAINWATER COLLECTION INFORMATION TABLE ....... 1 APPENDIX F – TREE SOIL INFORMATION CHARTS ..................................................................................... 1 Appendices APPENDIX A – WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE WORKSHEET APPENDIX B – GREENCO PLANT LIST APPENDIX C – COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY FIREWISE PLANT LIST & LANDSCAPE DESIGN FACT SHEET APPENDIX D – CITY OF ASPEN AND PITKIN COUNTY WILDFIRE HAZARD ASSESSMENT MAPS APPENDIX E – CO DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES RAINWATER COLLECTION INFORMATION TABLE APPENDIX F – TREE SOIL INFORMATION CHARTS City of Aspen Water Efficient Landscaping Standards August 14, 2020 DEFINITIONS Applied water: the portion of water supplied by the irrigation system to the landscape (supplemental to precipitation). Approval Letter: the document showing the project has been installed and inspected per the approved irrigation design plan. Automatic controller: a mechanical or solid-state timer, capable of operating landscape irrigation stations and setting the schedule (days and length of time) for water application. Backflow prevention device: a safety device used to prevent pollution or contamination of the water supply due to the reverse flow of water from the irrigation system. Check valve or anti-drain valve: a valve located under, or incorporated within, a sprinkler head or other location within the irrigation system, to hold water in the system so it minimizes drainage from the lower elevation sprinkler heads when the system is off. Certified Irrigation Designer: a person certified to design irrigation systems by an accredited academic institution, Irrigation Association’s Certified Irrigation Designer program, or other irrigation designer program labeled by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program. Certified/Licensed Landscape Contractor: Colorado State law governs the sizes and types of projects that unlicensed individuals can design independent of City requirements. For those projects that are exempt from State licensure, one of the following certifications are required: GreenCO Best Management Practices Certification, Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado Landscape Industry Certified Technician, Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) program, or another program labeled by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program. Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor: a person certified to perform landscape irrigation audits by an accredited academic institution, the Irrigation Association’s Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor program, the Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) program, a professional trade organization or other program labeled by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program. Distribution uniformity: the measure of the uniformity of irrigation water over a defined area. Disturbance area: disturbance is defined by the external area of the building where the ground is disturbed which includes but is not limited to soil grading, landscaping, removing impervious area, adding impervious area, replacing impervious area, layback areas, and stock pile areas. This includes areas disturbed within Right-of-Ways. Ecological restoration project: a project where the site is intentionally altered to establish a defined, indigenous, historic ecosystem. Emission device: a component of the system that disperses water to the landscape and includes sprinklers, bubblers, emitters, micro sprays, etc. City of Aspen Water Efficient Landscaping Standards i Established landscape: the point at which plants in the landscape have developed roots into the soil adjacent to the root ball. Typically, most plants are established after one or two years of growth. Establishment irrigation: permanent irrigation intended to water plants only during the establishment period. Irrigation remains in the area for future drought protection. Establishment period: a length of time after installing plant where the plants are given one (1) to three (3) years of irrigation, dependent on the plant type. During this period, plants must slowly be weaned from water supply to optimize tolerance of natural precipitation rates. Native habitat mitigation areas and trees may need three to five years for establishment. Note: Temporary water taps and reimbursable utility connection permit fees may be required by Aspen Water Department. Evapotranspiration: the quantity of water evaporated from adjacent soil and other surfaces and transpired by plants during a specified time. See below for “reference ET”. Equivalent Capacity Unit