Res P-15-24RESOLUTION NO. P -15 -24
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF POWAY, CALIFORNIA,
APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY'S
LANDSCAPE AND IRRIGATION DESIGN MANUAL
WHEREAS, in order to encourage the conservation of water, an amendment to
the Landscape and Irrigation Design Manual is proposed to establish options for the
Zone B portion of required defensible space areas on properties within the Very High
Fire Hazard Area of the City that do not involve establishment of a temporarily irrigated,
fire - resistive landscape; and
WHEREAS on September 1 2015, the City Council held a public meeting to
solicit comments from the public, both for and against, relative to this amendment.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Poway
as follows:
Section 1: This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, in that there is no
possibility that it will have a significant effect on the environment.
Section 2: The City Council hereby approves the changes to the applicable portions
of Section 6 of the Landscape and Irrigation Design Manual to read as follows:
Fuel Modification Zone B: Transitional Area Between Zone A and Native Vegetation
Minimum Width: 60 feet (See Figure 6 -1 in this Section for reference)
Zone B shall consist of one or a combination of the following: establishment of a
fire resistive landscape, trimmed flammable vegetation, and /or cleared flammable
vegetation.
1.1 Establish a Fire Resistive Landscape:
1.1.a Plant material on manufactured slopes shall be deep- rooting to
control soil erosion and slippage. "Deep- rooting" refers to plant
roots that may grow three to five feet deep in favorable soil
conditions. At least 50 percent of Zone B area shall be planted with
deep- rooted species. For examples of deep- rooted plant species,
refer to Table 6 -2, Fire - Resistant Plants.
1.1.b Plant species shall be selected to provide good soil coverage for
erosion prevention and slope stabilization.
1.1.c Mature heights of new shrub plantings shall be a maximum of 24
inches to reduce flame length.
Resolution No. P -15 -24
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1.1.d Plant species selected shall have low foliage mass to reduce the
vegetative fire fuel load (fire- resistant).
1.1.e Plant species selected shall be visually and ecologically compatible
with native vegetation. Fire - resistant native plant species are
encouraged in this zone. For examples of fire - resistant native plant
species, refer to Table 6 -2, Fire - Resistant Plants.
1.1.f Tree Spacing and Canopy Coverage:
Spacing between trees (trunk -to- trunk) in Zone B shall be no less
than two times (2X) the diameter of the species' mature canopy (X)
as shown in the diagram below. Spacing between trees of
dissimilar species shall be no less than two times the diameter of
the largest species' mature canopy.
The mature canopy coverage of trees shall be limited to a
maximum of 30% of Zone B area (total area of mature tree canopy
cover . total area of Zone B <_ 0.30).
Avoid planting trees directly uphill of one another.
1.1.g Grove planting (agricultural or ornamental) is regulated by Chapter
15.05 PMC, the Wildland -Urban Interface Building Code.
1.2 Trim All Flammable Vegetation:
1.2.a All flammable vegetation, which includes native vegetation and /or
any other non -fire resistive vegetation, shall be trimmed and
maintained at a maximum height of between six to twelve inches
above the ground.
1.2.b The root system of trimmed vegetation shall remain in place to
prevent erosion.
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1.3. Clear All Flammable Vegetation:
1.3.a Clear all flammable vegetation, which entails removal of the
vegetation and its root system to prevent its re- growth. These may
be graded areas or natural topography areas.
1.3.b Provide permanent erosion control per the specifications identified
in Table 6 -3.
2. Irrigation:
2.1 Irrigation systems when required shall be designed in accordance with
Section 5 of this Manual.
2.2 Irrigation systems shall be adjusted to prevent runoff and overspray into
adjacent undisturbed native vegetation.
2.3 Irrigation shall be required with new planting established pursuant to sub-
section 1.1 above for at least three years to ensure complete plant
establishment.
3. Maintenance:
3.1 Maintenance shall be performed on a seasonal basis.
3.2 Maintenance shall include removal of dead plants and vegetation,
weeding, pruning, and inspection and repair of irrigation systems.
3.3 Invasive exotic plant species listed by the California Invasive Plant Council
(Cal -IPC) latest edition, shall not be planted in this zone, and shall be
removed if present. Refer to Table 6 -1 for a list of invasive exotic plant
species commonly available from nurseries. Highly combustible native
plant species noted in Table 6 -1, Undesirable Plants, shall not be planted
and shall be removed if present in Zone B.
3.4 Highly combustible native plant species noted in Table 6 -1, Undesirable
Plants, along with annual weeds, shall be removed if present.
4. Structures:
4.1 Construction with combustible materials is regulated in this zone (decks,
patio covers, fences, arbors, vineyard posts, etc.). Combustible materials
are defined in the Wildland -Urban Interface Building Code.
5. Driveways and Emergency Apparatus Access Roads:
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5.1 Areas within ten (10) feet on each side of driveways and access roads
shall be cleared of undesirable flammable vegetation and are subject to
the provisions contained in sub - sections 1.1 -1.3 above.
5.2 The Fire Chief and /or his or her designee are authorized to require up to
30 feet of fuel thinning and reduction on each side for new access
roadways as defined in Chapter 15.24 PMC, the City of Poway's Fire
Code.
5.3 Fuel Management at Existing Offsite Access Roadways: The Fire Chief
and /or his or her designee are authorized to cause the area within 20 feet
on each side of the improved width portions of highways and private
streets or roads, which are improved, designed, or ordinarily used for
vehicular traffic, to be thinned and reduced of flammable vegetation
and other combustible growth, and shall comply with the requirements of a
fuel modification zone.
5.4 Trees shall not be planted within ten (10) feet of the edge of the roadway.
Section 3: The City Council hereby approves the addition of Table 6 -3 to Section 6 of
the Landscape and Irrigation Design manual as follows:
TABLE 6 -3
EROSION CONTROL ON AREAS
WITH A SLOPE GRADIENT LESS THAN 50%
Slope Gradient
Improvement
Up to 20%
. Mulch (organic or inorganic)
• 2" (50 mm) minimum mulch thickness
• Weed Control Fabric (see below)
20% up to 33%
. 1" minimum (20mm) Clean Crushed Rock
• 3" (75 mm) minimum thickness
• Weed Control Fabric (see below)
33% up to 50%
. 2" minimum (50mm) Clean Crushed Rock
• 4" (100 mm) minimum thickness
• Weed Control Fabric (see below)
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Area Preparation Shall Be as Follows:
Clearing
Areas to receive mulch shall be cleared of trash and debris. All flammable vegetation,
including its root system to prevent re- growth, shall be removed. Cleared trash, debris
and removed vegetation shall be disposed of properly off -site.
Earthwork
After clearing, areas to receive mulch shall be excavated to a sufficient depth such that
the finished elevation of the gravel mulch will meet approved finish grade. The areas to
receive mulch shall be graded to a smooth surface, and shall be compacted to not less
than 90% relative compaction prior to placement of the mulch.
Weed Control Fabric
Weed control fabric shall be placed in areas to receive mulch. Weed control fabric shall
be placed loosely with longitudinal and transverse joints overlapped 8" (200 mm).
Following placement, the fabric shall lie flat, smooth and be in uniform contact with the
soil surface, without bulges or wrinkles. Fabric shall be stapled or staked in place to
keep fabric in place during mulch placement. Staples shall be 2" (50 mm) wide, 8" (200
mm) in length, and 11 gauge wire. Installation of staples shall be per manufacturer's
instructions. Weed control fabric shall be manufactured from thermally spun bonded
polypropylene fabric and shall conform to the following:
Specification Minimum Requirement
Grab Tensile Strength 59 kg
Grab Elongation 60%
UV Resistance 70% @ 150 hours
Mass 102 grams /square meter
Placement
Each layer of mulch shall be raked to evenly form a smooth uniform surface. When
placement is complete the surface shall be uniform, and shall maintain original flow
lines, slope gradient and contours of the project site. Mulch shall be placed avoiding
damage to the weed control fabric. Weed control fabric damaged during placement of
mulch shall be removed and replaced.
Section 4: The City Council hereby approves a change to Section 5(13)(1) of the
Landscape and Irrigation Design Manual to read as follows:
Slopes of five (5) feet and greater vertical height and 5:1 (20 %) and greater slope
gradient shall be permanently revegetated, except as provided for in Section 6 of
this Manual.
Resolution No. P -15 -24
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Section 5: The City Council directs staff to make the changes to the Landscape and
Irrigation Design Manual Table of Contents and page numbers necessitated by these
amendments in the final document.
PASSED, ADOPTED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Poway
at a regular meeting this 1st day of September 2015.
Steve Vaus, Mayor
ATTEST:
S eila . Cobian, CMC, City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
) SS
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO)
I, Sheila R. Cobian, CMC, City Clerk of the City of Poway, do hereby certify
under penalty of perjury that the foregoing Resolution No. P -15 -24 was duly adopted by
the City Council at a meeting of said City Council held on the 1st day of September
2015, and that it was so adopted by the following vote:
AYES: LEONARD, CUNNINGHAM, MULLIN, GROSCH, VAUS
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
DISQUALIFIED: NONE
Shei R. Cobian, CMC, City Clerk
City of Poway