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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2f - Budget increase for Water Efficient Landscaping Plan Check ServicesG- L Ie ea �pa� tcd Ausua� S�a1903 y pV \411 i DATE TO: March 18, 2014 Honorable Mayor and City Council STAFF REPORT Development Services Department FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager /Development Services Director By: Jim Kasama, Community Development Administrator, and Don Stockham, Building Official SUBJECT: INCREASE THE WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPING PLAN CHECK BUDGET FROM $125,000 TO $200,000 FOR ADDITIONAL PLAN CHECK SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013 -14 Recommendation: Approve SUMMARY Due to the substantial increase in development activity throughout the City, the pass - through funds budgeted for the water efficient landscaping plan check services for Fiscal Year 2013 -14 will be exhausted with the payment of February invoice. It is recommended that the City Council increase the water efficient landscaping plan check budget from $125,000 to $200,000 for additional plan check services for Fiscal Year 2013 -14. BACKGROUND Water efficient landscaping plan checks began in 2010 to implement the City's Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance (No. 2267) that was adopted in accordance with the State's water conservation mandates. The Ordinance calls for certain development projects to install landscaping that conserves water by utilizing drought - tolerant plants and efficient irrigation methods. The landscaping plans are also required to be consistent with the City's design guidelines. It is estimated that the landscaping plans that are being approved need as much as 50% less water than the conventional lawns and gardens that they are replacing. And, since approximately 70% of a household's water use is for landscape irrigation, homes with water efficient landscaping are significantly reducing the City's overall water usage. The City's Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance requires a landscape architect to design the landscaping in accordance with the Ordinance so as not to exceed prescribed water usage limits, and to complete a Landscape Documentation Package that details the plant selection, soil and ground cover treatments, and irrigation Water Efficient Landscaping Plan Check Budget Increase March 18, 2014 Page 2 of 2 methods. The designs and documents are subject to plan check to ensure that they comply with the Ordinance and are aesthetically acceptable. One hundred twenty -five thousand dollars ($125,000) was budgeted for the water efficient landscaping plan check expenses for Fiscal Year 2013 -14. This amount was based on an expectation that development activity would increase from the preceding fiscal year, for which $100,000 was budgeted and $76,150 was expended for 45 plan checks. As of the end of February of this year; however, a total of $122,880 has been expended for 70 water efficient landscaping plan checks. At this rate, there could be more than 100 plan checks for FY 2013 -14, which would cost at least $170,000. DISCUSSION The City contracts with Armstrong & Walker, Landscape Architecture for water efficient landscaping plan check services, and they are paid on a pass- through basis. Plan checks are paid for by the applicant at the time of submittal, and the consultants are paid monthly for the plan checks that were done. With four months left in the fiscal year, it is estimated that an additional $75,000 is needed in order to provide these plan check services. Water efficient landscaping plan checking is a cost neutral program. The consulting contract specifies a rate of $1,700 for a standard water efficient landscaping plan check, and, therefore, the applicants are charged $1,700 per plan check. FISCAL IMPACT Increasing the water efficient landscaping plan check expenditure account will not have an impact on the General Fund because this service is paid for on a pass- through basis. However, the increase in water efficient landscaping plan checks correlates to an increase in landscaping permit fees, which are retained by the City to cover staff costs associated with inspections and the permitting process. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council authorize and direct the City Manager to increase the Water Efficient Landscaping Plan Check budget from $125,000 to $200,000 for additional plan check services for Fiscal Year 2013 -14. Approved, Dorninio Lazzare�t� CI y Manager