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Kingsburg council introduces state Model Water Efficiency Landscape Ordinance by reference
Summary
The council waived the first reading and introduced an ordinance adopting the state's Model Water Efficiency Landscape Ordinance by reference; staff said the city's development standards already reflect many of the law’s requirements.
The Kingsburg City Council on March 19 waived the first reading and introduced an ordinance adopting the state’s Model Water Efficiency Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) by reference, with a second reading and adoption scheduled for April 2.
City Engineer Dave Peters told council the state adopted the model ordinance in 2015 and that it requires water-efficient landscaping and irrigation for new private and public landscaping projects. Peters recommended adopting the state ordinance by reference and administering requirements through the city’s planning and building department.
“We’ve been implementing these policies in our improvement standards,” Peters said, noting that the city had been applying many of MWELO’s requirements in practice but had not previously codified them into city code. Peters cited examples such as encouraging drip irrigation, prohibiting spray heads that overshoot paved areas, requiring drought-tolerant plantings and ensuring proper irrigation design and telemetry where appropriate.
Councilmember questions confirmed the city’s practice of applying water‑efficient landscaping standards to new development and the staff recommendation to adopt the state ordinance to formalize the requirements. The motion to waive the first reading and introduce ordinance 22,502 passed on a voice vote.
The ordinance will return for a second reading and formal adoption at the council’s April 2 meeting. Staff said the city’s standard conditions of approval already require compliance with the MWELO and related state code in plan review.
Vote and action: Council waived the first reading and introduced ordinance 22,502 to add Chapter 15.1 to Title 15 adopting the Model Water Efficiency Landscape Ordinance by reference. The motion passed by voice vote; individual roll-call votes were not recorded in the transcript.
