CALABASAS : Planners Propose Water-Saving Rules

In what would be one of the region’s most restrictive water-saving measures, Calabasas officials plan to require landscaping within the city to include drought-resistant plants and special sprinklers.

The ordinance, part of a statewide effort to reduce outdoor water use, is the only such local measure to include plant types in the list of requirements for new landscaping, said Calabasas Associate Planner Anna Lisa Hernandez.

“It’s not just about how you water, but what you water,” Hernandez said. “Whenever a new project comes in, it’s going to be reviewed in terms of its drought tolerance as a whole, and there is going to be an emphasis on native plantings.”

The measure was drafted in response to a California law that took effect this year, requiring cities to either come up with their own water-saving plan or adopt the state standards, which include the use of efficient sprinklers.

Homeowner associations may be held responsible for modifying existing sprinkler systems in some areas, but individual residents will not be required to make costly changes to their yards, Hernandez said. The measure also calls for a public education program about indigenous and drought-resistant plants.

The Planning Commission is expected to approve the ordinance at its regular meeting Thursday night, and then forward the measure to the City Council.