TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Brian D. Bordona - Director of Planning, Building and Environmental Services
REPORT BY: Emily Hedge, Planner III
SUBJECT: Adopt an Ordinance amending Chapter 18.118 Water Conservation Regulation for Landscape Design
RECOMMENDATION
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Adopt an Ordinance of the Napa County Board of Supervisors, State of California, amending Chapter 18.118 (Water Conservation Regulations for Landscape Design) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Napa County Code to achieve consistency with the California Code of Regulations Title 23, Division 2, Chapter 2.7 Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance and repeal Resolution No. 92-161 establishing the existing Water Conservation in Landscape Guidelines. (No Fiscal Impact)
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BACKGROUND
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) is a statewide water efficiency regulation for new development and retrofitted landscapes in California. The MWELO provides definitions, technical information, and sample documents for the development of water efficient landscapes. All local agencies must adopt, implement, and enforce the MWELO or a local Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance that is at least as efficient as the MWELO. In 1992, the County adopted its own provisions through Napa County Code (NCC) Chapter 18.118 and Landscape Guidelines by Resolution. These documents have not been amended to date. Since the NCC has not been updated to stay current with State code, there are portions of the code that are no longer "as efficient" as the MWELO. On December 17, 2025, at a duly noticed public hearing, the Napa County Planning Commission recommended that the Board of Supervisors adopt the proposed revisions to the existing NCC provisions. Therefore, Staff recommends that the Board of Supervisors adopt the proposed ordinance codifying the changes and repeal Resolution No. 92-161, which established the existing Water Conservation in Landscape Guidelines.
State Require...
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