PZ Recs / Staff ReportSTAFF REPORT
HEARING DATE:
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
August 23, 2011
Mayor & City Council
Sonya Watters, Associate City Planner
208-884-5533
E IDIAN~-
IDAHO
ZOA-11-004 Unified Development Code Text Amendment -Water Conserving
Landscapes
I. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF APPLICANT'S REQUEST
The City of Meridian Planning Department has applied for a Zoning Ordinance Amendment (ZOA)
to amend the text of certain sections of the Unified Development Code (UDC) to encourage the use of
water-conserving landscape designs. Please see Section VII below for a complete list of the proposed
UDC amendments.
II. SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION
Staff is recommends approval of the proposed text amendments to the UDC based on the analysis
provided below and the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law listed in Exhibit B.
The Meridian Planning & Zoning Commission heard this item on July 21.2011. At the public
hearing, the Commission moved to recommend approval of the subiect ZOA request.
a. Summary of Commission Public Hearing:
i. In favor: Planning Department
ii. In opposition: None
iii. Commenting: None
iv. Written testimony: None
v. Staff presenting application: Pete Friedman
vi. Other staff commenting on application: None
b. Kev Issue(sl of Discussion by Commission:
i. None
c. Kev Commission Change(s) to Staff Recommendation:
i. None
d. Outstanding Issue(s) for City Council:
i. None
III. PROPOSED MOTION
Approval
After considering all staff, applicant and public testimony, I move to approve File Number ZOA-11-
004 as presented in the staff report for the hearing date of August 23, 2011 with the following
modifications: (add any proposed modifications.)
Denial
After considering all staff, applicant and public testimony, I move to deny File Number ZOA-11-004
as presented during the hearing on August 23, 2011 for the following reasons: (You should state
specific reasons for denial.)
Continuance
After considering all staff, applicant and public testimony, I move to continue File Number ZOA-11-
004, to (insert specific hearing date), and direct staff to make the following changes: (insert comments
here.)
IV. APPLICATION FACTS
A. Site Address/Location: NA
B. Applicant:
Planning Department
City of Meridian
33 E. Broadway Avenue
Meridian, Idaho 83642
C. Applicant's Statement/Justification: Since its implementation on September 15, 2005, Staff has
requested several other amendments to the UDC. Staff continuously tracks the UDC in order to
identify issues that hinder the ability to efficiently and effectively administer the code. See
applicant's narrative for more information.
V. PROCESS FACTS
A. The subject application is for a Unified Development Code amendment as determined by City
Ordinance. By reason of the provisions of the Meridian City Code Title 11 Chapter 5, a public
hearing is required before the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council on this matter.
B. Newspaper notifications published on: June 27, and July 11, 2011(Commission); August 1, and
15, 2011 (City Council)
C. A public service announcement was broadcast faxed on June 23, 2011 (Commission) & July 28,
2011 (City Council) regarding this application.
VI. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN POLICIES AND GOALS
The City's Comprehensive Plan is a vision and policy document for guiding development and the
transportation needs in the City of Meridian. Staff finds that the subject Unified Development Code
Amendment complies with and furthers the goals and objectives of the 2002 Comprehensive Plan.
The specific objectives and actions that support the proposed amendment are listed below:
• "Amend the Unified Development Code and Future Land Use Map to implement this plan."
• "Reduce reliance on City water (potable) for irrigation through use of recycled water, public
education and adoption of water conserving landscape guidelines." (Chapter 5)
The subject application proposes to adopt water conserving landscape guidelines and incentives
in accord with the objectives of the Comprehensive Plan.
VII. UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE
The applicant has identified specific sections of the UDC that should be amended for the code to
function efficiently and to more appropriately meet the needs of our customers and the City. This
application includes changes to only one section of the UDC as follows:
Chapter 3, Article B: LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS
The proposed changes are noted below in strike-out/underline format. The column marked "Reason
for Change" indicates the intended purpose of the text amendment.
Text Reason for Change
11-3B-1 PURPOSE:
D. These regulations are intended to encourage pFereete the use of ~atiae-grad
ether water-conserving landscape designs and low water use plant materials
and to discourage landscaping that requires high water use for maintenance,
such as large expanses of lawn or turf. The proposed changes offer
incentives for inclusion of
water conserving landscape
designs at the direction of the
Comprehensive Plan.
Encourages alternative
landscape designs that use
less water.
11-3B-5A STANDARDS AND INSTALLATION:
A. Approved Tree Species D1~^^+,--~,-~-n",a~,-ial:
1_The publication titled "Tree Selection Guide For Streets And Landscapes
Throughout Idaho" by the urban forestry unit of the Boise parks and
recreation department (latest edition) is hereby adopted by this reference as
the city of Meridian's list of approved and prohibited tree speciesplant
material. The publication categorizes the trees by size as class I, class II, or
class III trees.
2. In addition to the trees identified above. Table 11-3B-1 lists approved
water-conserving tree species.
TABLE 11-3B-1
APPROVED WATER-CONSERVING TREE SPECIES
Common Name Botanical Name
Deciduous
Hedge Maple Acer campestre
Amur Maple Acer ginnala
Rocky Mountain Maple Acer glabrum
Bia Tooth Maple Acer grandedentatum
Box Elder Acer negundo
Norway Maple Acer platanoides
Pacific Sunset Maple Acer truncatum x platanoides
Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia
Red Bud Cercis canadensis
Green Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos
Kentuck Coffeetree * G mnocladus dioicus
Sweetaum Liauidambar styraciflua
Tulip Tree * Liriodendron tulipeifera
Crabapple MaIUS Spp
London Plane Tree * Platanus x acerifolia
Chokecherry Prunus virginiana
Hiaan Cherry Prunus sub
Pear Pyrus calleryana
Bur Oak * Quercus macrocarpa
Chinese Scholar Tree * Saphora japonica
Section Text Reason for Change
Conifer
Blue Atlas Cedar Cedrus atlantica `glauca'
Lawson's Cypress Chamaecypris lawsoniana
Alaskan Cedar Chamaecypris nootkantensis
Rocky Mountain Juniper Juniperus communis
Utah Juniper Juniperus utahensis
Colorado Spruce * Picea pungens
Vanderwolf Pine Pinus flexilis
Austrian Pine * Pinus nigra
Ponderosa Pine * Pinus ponderosa
Scotch Pine " Pinus silvestris
Note: * Prohibited in parkways and/or required parking lot landscaping
3_The city recognizes that new plant varieties are being produced every
year and will consider other species not listed in these publications. Copies
of the publications will be available at the planning department.
Section Text Reason for Change
11-36-5B Table X11-3B-2 Formattin clean-u
11-3B-5D Table X11-3B-3 Formatting clean-up
11-36-5 STANDARDS AND INSTALLATION:
H. Mulching: Mulch shall be used in all required planting areas. Approved
mulches may be organic, such as bark or soil aid, or they may include rock
products, such as "permabark" or similar products. Use of mulch, organic or
rock, as the only ground cover in required planting areas is prohibited. ~egeiTe~ Relocated text in #N below
0
^+ m^+~~ri+~i ,.,i+" ..,..In" „~^,+ „n,+^r .,n,+ ^r^„n,+ +"^ ^I^n+~ pea gravel, drain
rock, road base gravel, and similar products shall not be used as mulch. All
mulch shall be contained by a curb or other edging material to contain the mulch
and prevent it from migrating to adjacent surfaces. If rock mulch is used, a weed
barrier fabric shall be used beneath the rock. Impermeable plastic weed barriers
are prohibited because they restrict water and oxygen to the plants.
N. Vegetation Coverage: Required landscape areas shall be at least seventy
percent (70%) covered with vegetation at maturity, with mulch used under
and around the plants. An exception may be approved by the director for Allows exceptions to the
water-conserving designs that meet both the followin4 standards: standards for vegetation
1. The design incorporates a variety of water-conserving trees as set forth in coverage to be approved for
Table 11-3B-1, water-conserving plants, boulders, rocks, decorative walls water conserving designs.
and/or permeable hardscape materials such as pavers and flagstones; and
2. Required landscape areas shall be at least forty percent (40%) covered
with vegetation at maturity.
0. Water-conserving Design: To qualify for the exceptions for water-conserving
designs as set forth in this chapter, the applicant shall demonstrate_ the
followin
1. The design includes water-conserving trees as set forth in Table 11-36-1.
2. The design includes plants that can thrive in climates with approximately
ten (10) to twelve (12) inches of annual rainfall.
3. Lawn and turf areas shall not comprise more than fifty percent (50%) of
the total landscaped areas and shall consist of water-conserving grasses,
including but not limited to, buffalo grass, blue gamma grass, compact
fescue, zerilawn, and/or rhyzomotuous tall fescue.
4. Herbacious and/or perennial ground cover shall be drought-tolerant and
able to withstand dry conditions once established. As a guide, refer to the
recommended plants in the City of Boise Parks and Recreation "Water
Conservation Guidelines."
11-36-6 IRRIGATION STANDARDS:
B. Performance Specifications: ;; Tee--(-~sepies~a°+°i e~ ie'fgatien
eh^II c+~+^ rl^c~inn rniv nirnm^n+c m^}^ri^Ic nnno+n ~n+inn mc++hn'!c. ^nrl nnin+
i i i
1. Coverage: The irrigation system shall be designed to provide one
hundred percent (100%) coverage within lawn areas with "°^~'„~ +~Q
head-to-head spacing or triangular spacing as appropriate or point-to-point
dri at each lant or lantin area.
Section Text Reason for Change
2. Matched Precipitation Rates: Sprinkler heads shall have matched
precipitation rates within each control valve circuit
3. Irrigation Bis~ists Hydrozones: Sprinkler heads irrigating lawn or other
high water demand areas shall be circuited so that they are on a separate
hydrozone er--districts from those irrigating trees, shrubs, or other reduced
water demand areas.
4. Overspray: Sprinkler heads shall be adjusted to reduce overspray onto
impervious surfaces such as streets, sidewalks, driveways, and parking
areas.
D. Nonootable #rigatien Water: Use of nonpotable irrigation and/or re-use Allows for re-use water to be
water is required when determined to be available by the city public works used for irrigation when
department as set forth in section 9-1-28, "Pressurized Irrigation System", of available.
this code. Water availability during the fall and spring seasons is also
required by connecting to city potable water, city re-use water, and/or an on-
site ^r °^ ^^ °'+° well as a secondary source, °~^°^+ uih°r° Y°rie^~n°
. An exception may be approved for water-
conserving designs as set forth in 11-36-50. In such cases, the reauirement
for a secondary source may be waived by the director. If city potable water
is used, a separate water meter is required
VIII. EXHIBIT
A. Required Findings from the Unified Development Code
Exhibit A -Required Findings from Unified Development Code
1. Unified Development Code Text Amendments:
Upon recommendation from the Commission, the Council shall make a full investigation
and shall, at the public hearing, review the application. In order to grant a text amendment
to the Unified Development Code, the Council shall make the following findings:
A. The text amendment complies with the applicable provisions of the comprehensive plan;
The Commission finds that the proposed zoning ordinance amendment complies with the
applicable (limited) provisions of the Comprehensive Plan. Please see Comprehensive Plan
Policies and Goals, Section 6, of the Staff Report for more information.
B. The text amendment shall not be materially detrimental to the public health, safety, and
welfare; and
The Commission finds that the proposed zoning ordinance amendment will not be
detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare.
C. The text amendment shall not result in an adverse impact upon the delivery of services
by any political subdivision providing public services within the City including, but not
limited to, school districts.
The Commission finds that the proposed zoning ordinance amendment does not propose any
significant changes to how public utilities and services are provided to developments. All
City departments, public agencies and service providers that currently review applications
will continue to do so. Please refer to any written or oral testimony provided by any public
service provider(s) when making this finding.