35.220 Water Efficiency Standards

(New 02/14/23; Amended 03/24/26) A. Purpose. The purpose of these water efficiency standards is to conserve the public's water resources by establishing water conservation standards and recommendations for outdoor landscaping and indoor plumbing fixtures. B. Applicability. 1. The following standards are required for all new developer/contractor installed residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial construction, as applicable. 2. All new landscaping for public agency projects, private development projects, developer-installed landscaping in multi-family and single-family residential projects within the front and side yards shall comply with the landscaping standards in this Chapter. These standards shall also apply to existing ordinances related to City required landscaping. 3. The outdoor landscaping standards in this Chapter are not intended to conflict with other landscaping requirements as defined by Utah law, including storm water retention requirements and low-impact development guidelines. Notwithstanding these outdoor standards, whenever any requirement may conflict with Utah law, such conflicting requirements shall not apply. C. Definitions. The following definitions shall apply to this Chapter: 1. Activity Zones: Portions of the landscape designed for recreation or function, such as storage areas, fire pits, vegetable gardens, playgrounds, and seating areas for leisure or breaks. 2. Active Recreation Areas: Areas of the landscape dedicated to active play where lawn may be used as the playing surface (ex. sports fields and play areas). 3. Central Open Shape: An unobstructed area that functions as the focal point of Localscapes and is designed in a shape that allows efficient watering. 4. Gathering Areas: Portions of the landscape that are dedicated to congregating, such as patios, gazebos, decks, and other seating areas. 5. Hardscape: Durable landscape materials, such as concrete, wood, pavers, stone, or compacted inorganic mulch. 6. Lawn: Ground that is irrigated and covered with grass that is designed to be regularly mowed. 7. Localscapes: A landscaping approach designed to create locally adapted and sustainable landscapes through a basic 5-step approach (central open shape, gathering areas, activity zones, connecting pathways, and planting beds). 8. Mulch: Any material such as rock, bark, compost, wood chips or other materials left loose and applied to the soil. 9. Park Strip: A typically narrow landscaped area located between the back-of-curb and sidewalk. 10. Paths: Designed routes between landscape areas and features. 11. Planting Bed: Areas of the landscape that consist of plants, such as trees, ornamental grasses, shrubs, perennials, and other regionally appropriate plants. 12. Total Landscaped Area: Improved areas of the property that incorporate all the completed features of the landscape. For single-family residential, this only includes the front and side-yard areas. The landscape area Page 35-10 3510-10 Community Forestry Adopted 04/22/08 does not include footprints of buildings or structures, sidewalks along the street (but does include internal walking paths), driveways, and other non-irrigated areas intentionally left undeveloped. D. Landscaping Requirements 1. Lawn shall not be less than 8 feet wide at its narrowest point. 2. Lawn shall not be installed in park strips, parking lot islands, or on slopes greater than 25% or 4:1 (4’ horizontal to 1’ vertical) grade. However, park strips shall conform to all street tree planting requirements including proper irrigation. If existing lawn is being removed from park strips to conform to these requirements, all existing street trees that conform to the City’s Street Tree Selection Guidelines and associated irrigation systems shall remain. All park strips for nonresidential and multi-family residential uses shall contain at least 50% living plant cover. Organic mulch shall be used within three (3) feet of tree trunks to avoid sun scalding of trees. Exceptions to the park strip requirements may be provided for public agencies’ administered transportation projects (including Lehi City). 3. At maturity, landscapes shall have enough plant material (perennials, shrubs) to create at least 50% living plant cover at maturity at the ground plane, not including tree canopies. 4. For newly installed single-family residential landscapes, lawn shall not exceed 35% of the Total Landscaped Area (as defined in this Chapter). i. Small residential lots, which have no back yards, which the total landscaped area is less than 250 square feet, and which the front yard dimensions cannot accommodate the minimum 8 feet wide lawn area requirement are exempt from the 8 feet width requirement and the maximum of 35% lawn requirement. ii. Corner lots that are 8,000 square feet or less are exempt from the maximum of 35% lawn requirement for the side yard area adjacent to the street. 5. For institutional (churches, schools, etc.) and multi-family landscapes and common areas, lawn shall not exceed 20% of the Total Landscaped Area (as defined in this Chapter). 6. For commercial and industrial landscapes, lawn areas shall not be allowed outside of active recreation areas. 7. For multi-family residential, institutional, commercial and industrial required landscape areas (not including public rights of way), rock mulch shall not make up more than 60% of the total required landscaping. Rock mulch shall not be used within three feet of any trees. i. It is recommended to use drought tolerant and native plants for the remaining landscaped areas including but not limited to: grasses, sedges, and wildflowers. Page 35-11 3510-10 Community Forestry E. Prohibition on Restrictive Covenants Requiring Grass Adopted 04/22/08 1. Any Homeowners Association governing documents, such as bylaws, operating rules, covenants, conditions, and restrictions that govern the operation of a common interest development, are void and unenforceable to the degree that they: i. Require the use of grass in landscape areas less than 8 feet wide or require grass in other areas that exceed 35% of the landscaped area; or ii. Prohibit, or include conditions that have the effect of prohibiting, the use of water-conserving plants as a group; or iii. Have the effect of prohibiting or restricting compliance with this Chapter or other water conservation measures. F. Landscaping Recommendations 1. All irrigation should be appropriate for the designated plant material to achieve high water efficiency. Drip irrigation or bubblers should be used except in lawn areas. Drip irrigation systems should be equipped with a pressure regulator, filter, flush-end assembly, and any other appropriate components. Water-efficient sprinkler heads and nozzles should also be used. 2. Each irrigation valve should irrigate landscaping with similar site, slope and soil conditions, and plant materials with similar watering needs. Lawn and planting beds should be irrigated on separate irrigation valves. In addition, drip emitters and sprinklers should be placed on separate irrigation valves. 3. Landscaped areas should be provided with a smart irrigation controller which automatically adjusts the frequency and/or duration of irrigation events in response to changing weather conditions. All controllers should be equipped with automatic rain delay or rain shut-off capabilities. 4. At least 3-4 inches of mulch, permeable to air and water, should be used in planting beds to control weeds and improve the appearance of the landscaping. 5. For single family residential landscaping, park strips should include 50 percent living plant material, and the entire landscape should not include more than 60 percent rock mulch material. G. Landscaping Design Considerations. 1. The landscaped areas of the front yard and back yard should include a designed central open shape created by using lawn, hardscape, groundcover, gravel, or mulch except in cases of small residential lots with no back yards and the total landscaped area is less than 250 square feet. 2. Gathering areas should be constructed of hardscape and placed outside of the central open shape. In a landscape without lawn, gathering areas may function as the central open shape. 3. Activity zones should be located outside of the central open shape and shall be surfaced with materials other than lawn. 4. Paths should be made with materials that do not include lawn, such as hardscape, mulch, or other groundcover. H. Indoor Fixture Recommendations. It is recommended that all new and future construction and future additions, remodels, or refurbishments install water efficient plumbing fixtures that have a water efficient label, including: lavatory faucets, shower heads, sink faucets, water closets (tank and flushometer-valve toilets), and urinals, to the extent Utah law allows. Page 35-12 3510-10