ZDC 4-702. General Landscape Standards.

B. Low Water Use Landscape. All development, except as noted herein, shall comply with the Low Water Use/Drought Tolerant Plant List, as provided by the Arizona Department of Water Resources. With the exception of residential subdivision common areas intended for active recreational use, individual single-family residential units, bona fide city parks of less than ten (10) acres in total area that are intended for use and enjoyment of the general public, whether or not such parks are owned by the city or by a private entity, and "turf-related facilities" as then defined by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) active Management Plan (Phoenix), all new development shall conform to the following criteria:

1. Limit on Water Intensive Landscape. Landscape installations for new construction and whenever a new landscape plan is required to be filed for the entire site, except hotels and motels, shall limit the area of water intensive landscape (including bodies of water, water features, and turf) to no more than twenty percent (20%) of landscapable area in excess of ten thousand (10,000) square feet. Schools, parks, cemeteries, golf courses, common areas of housing developments and public recreational facilities with water-intensive landscape equal to or greater than ten (10) acres are exempt from this provision. New hotels and motels shall limit the area of water-intensive landscape to no more than twenty percent (20%) of the landscapable area in excess of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet.

2. Landscape Plan and Inspection Required. For any project covered under subsection 4-702(B)(1), above, no building permit shall be issued until the Development Services Department has approved a landscape plan and an irrigation plan. A certificate of occupancy shall not be issued until the Development Services Department has approved the installation of the irrigation system and landscape treatments, except as provided in Section 4-102(D).

Click Here to be redirected to Low Water Use Landscape in the City Code.

A common example:

A common violation for this code is a large property with too much water intensive landscaping. The violation in this scenario is not following the low water use/drought tolerant plant list.