Page 15 - Efficient Irrigation and Landscape Design Standards

4.2 MAINTENANCE
A maintenance schedule should be submitted as part of the required landscape documentation package. Regular maintenance of installed landscapes should include reviewing irrigation systems for water efficiency.

A regular maintenance schedule satisfying the following conditions must be submitted as part of the Irrigation and Landscape Documentation Package:
1. Maintenance must consist of regular watering,
pruning, fertilizing, clearing of debris and weeds, the removal and replacement of dead plants, aerating
and de-thatching turf areas; replenishing mulch in all landscaped areas and the repair of architectural features.
2. Pruning and thinning of foliage should not be done during hot months since it can increase plant water requirements (i.e. shading of the ground creates microclimates and reduces ETO rates.)
3. Landscapes must be maintained to ensure water efficiency, which must include but is not limited to regularly checking, adjusting, repairing and replacing of irrigation equipment. This is particularly important because irrigation scheduling occurs at a time that the system operation is not routinely observed.
» Schedules should include cleaning of filters and strainers, flushing of drip irrigation lines, adjusting sprinkler patterns to maintain uniformity, and calibrating all sensing and recording equipment.
» Repair or replacement of irrigation equipment should be done with the originally specified materials or their equivalents in order to meet the original specifications in the approved Irrigation Design Plan.
4. Monthly irrigation meter reading to check the landscape water use and necessary adjustment of the automatic controller. In addition, the battery and fuse in the controller should be checked and replaced when necessary.
5. Annual backflow assembly testing (test reports are required by the water purveyor).
6. Maintenance Assurances: The final approval of any subdivision plat or development plan that includes an approved final Landscaping Design Plan will require covenants or assurances that:
» Ensure the continued maintenance of required landscaping, buffering and associated irrigation systems; and
» Assign the responsibility of maintenance to the property owner or agent, homeowners’ association or other liable entity.
EFFICIENT IRRIGATION & LANDSCAPE DESIGN STANDARDS 15