0.45 (forty-five (45) percent) for nonresidential areas

evapotranspiration, adjusts for plant factors and irrigation efficiency, two major influences upon the amount of water that needs to be applied to the landscape. The ETAF for new and existing (nonrehabilitated) special landscape area shall not exceed 1.0 (one hundred (100) percent). The ETAF for existing nonrehabilitated landscapes is 0.8 (eighty (80) percent).

H. “Hardscapes” means any durable material or feature (pervious and nonpervious) installed
in or around a landscape area, such as pavements or walls. Surface area of pools and other
water features is considered part of the landscape area and not considered hardscape for
purposes of this chapter.

I. “Irrigation efficiency” means the measurement of the amount of water beneficially used
divided by the amount of water applied. Irrigation efficiency is derived from measurements
and estimates of irrigation system characteristics and management practices. The minimum
average irrigation efficiency for purposes of this chapter is 0.75 (seventy-five (75) percent)
for overhead spray devices and 0.81 (eighty-one (81) percent) for drip systems with an
overall irrigation efficiency of 0.71 (seventy-one (71) percent). Greater irrigation efficiency
can be expected from well designed and maintained systems.

J. “Landscape area” means all the planting areas, turf areas, and water features in a landscape
design plan subject to the maximum applied water allowance and estimated applied water
use calculations. The landscape area does not include footprints of buildings or structures,
sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, decks, patios, gravel or stone walks, other pervious or
nonpervious hardscapes, and other nonirrigated areas designated for nondevelopment (e.g.,
open spaces and existing native vegetation).

K. “Landscape documentation package” means the documents required to be provided to the
City for review and approval of landscape design projects, as described in the design
standards.

L. “Landscape project” means the total area of landscape in a project, as provided in the
definition of “landscape area.”

M. “Landscape rehabilitation project” means any relandscaping project that meets the
applicability criteria of Section 14.17.020, where the modified landscape area is greater
than two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet.

N. “Licensed professional” means a licensed landscape architect, California licensed
landscape contractor, civil engineer, architect, or any other person authorized to design or
construct a landscape pursuant to California Business and Professions Code Sections

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City of Newport Beach, CA § 14.17.010 WATER AND SEWERS § 14.17.010

5500.1, 5615, 5641, 5641.1, 5641.2, 5641.3, 5641.4, 5641.5, 5641.6, 6701, and 7027.5, 16 CCR Section 832.27, and California Food and Agricultural Code Section 6721.

O. “Local water supplier” means any entity, including, but not limited to, a public agency,
city, county, or private water company that provides retail water service.

P. “Maximum applied water allowance” or “MAWA” is the upper limit of annual applied
water for the established landscape area as specified in Section 2.2 of the design standards.
It is based upon the area’s reference evapotranspiration, the ET adjustment factor, and the
size of the landscape area. The estimated applied water use shall not exceed the maximum
applied water allowance. MAWA = (ETo) (0.62) [(ETAF × LA) + ((1 - ETAF) × SLA)]

Q. “Ministerial permit” means an authorizing document issued by the City’s Community
Development Department in conjunction with a landscape project which may include, but
is not limited to: grading, pools, spas, fountains, ponds, retaining walls, fences and walls,
shade structures, trellis structures, barbecues, outdoor fireplaces, etc.

R. “MWELO” means the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance as set forth in 23 CCR
Section 490 et seq.

S. “New landscape installation project” means a landscape installed in conjunction with any
type of new development, whether or not the new development includes construction of
new building(s) (e.g., parks, playgrounds, greenbelts, etc.).

T. “Nonpervious” means any surface or natural material that does not allow for the passage of
water through the material and into the underlying soil.

U. “Pervious” means any surface or material that allows the passage of water through the
material and into the underlying soil.

V. “Plant factor” or “plant water use factor” is a factor, when multiplied by ETo, which
estimates the amount of water needed by plants. For purposes of this chapter, the plant
factor range for very low water use plants is zero (0) to 0.1 (ten (10) percent); the plant
factor for low water use plants is 0.1 (ten (10) percent) to 0.3 (thirty (30) percent); the plant
factor range for moderate water use plants is 0.4 (forty (40) percent) to 0.6 (sixty (60)
percent); and the plant factor range for high water use plants is 0.7 (seventy (70) percent)
to 1.0 (one hundred (100) percent). Plant factors cited in this chapter are derived from the
Department of Water Resources publication “Water Use Classification of Landscape
Species.” Plant factors may also be obtained from horticultural researchers from academic
institutions or professional associations as approved by the California Department of Water
Resources (DWR).

W. “Recycled water” or “reclaimed water” means a wastewater which, as a result of treatment,
is suitable for nonpotable uses not intended for human consumption such as landscape
irrigation and water features.

X. “Reference evapotranspiration” or “ETo” means a standard measurement of environmental
parameters which affect the water use of plants. ETo is given expressed in inches per day,
month, or year as represented in Appendix D of the design standards and is an estimate of
the evapotranspiration of a large field of four-to seven-inch-tall, cool-season grass that is
well watered. Reference evapotranspiration is used as the basis of determining the
maximum applied water allowance.

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City of Newport Beach, CA § 14.17.010 NEWPORT BEACH CODE § 14.17.020

Y. “Smart automatic irrigation controller” means an automatic timing device used to remotely
control valves that operate an irrigation system and which schedules irrigation events using
either evapotranspiration (weather-based) or soil moisture data with nonvolatile memory
shall be required for irrigation scheduling in all irrigation systems, recommending U.S.
EPA WaterSense labeled devices as applicable.

Z. “Special landscape area” or “SLA” means an area of the landscape dedicated solely to
edible plants such as orchards and vegetable gardens, areas irrigated with recycled water,
water features using recycled water, or areas dedicated to active play such as community
pools and spas, parks, sports fields, golf courses, or areas where turf provides a playing
surface. These areas may have an ET adjustment factor (ETAF) up to 1.0 (one hundred
(100) percent).

AA. “Turf” means a ground cover surface of mowed grass. Annual bluegrass, Kentucky
bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, red fescue, and tall fescue are cool-season grasses. Bermuda
grass, Kikuyu grass, seashore paspalum, St. Augustine grass, zoysia grass, and Buffalo
grass are warm-season grasses.

BB. “Valve” means a device used to control the flow of water in an irrigation system.

CC. “Water feature” means a design element where open water performs an aesthetic or recreational function. Water features include ponds, lakes, waterfalls, fountains, artificial streams, spas, and swimming pools (where water is artificially supplied). The surface area of water features is included in the high water use hydrozone of the landscape area. Constructed wetlands used for on-site wastewater treatment, habitat protection or storm water best management practices that are not irrigated and used solely for water treatment or storm water retention are not water features and, therefore, are not subject to the water budget calculation. (Ord. 2010-1 § 1 (part), 2010; Ord. 2013-11 § 84, 2013; Ord. 2015-34 § 1 (part), 2016; Ord. 2021-25 § 3 (Exh. C), 2021; Ord. 2023-22 § 662, 2023)