The Ivins City Council will continue working on a water conservation ordinance at the next City Council meeting on April 21st. If we finish addressing the remaining issues, which I think we’ll be able to do next week, then the next step will be a public hearing. That will probably happen on May 5th.
The ordinance, once adopted, will apply to new construction in Ivins. The ordinance will include regulations for single-family, multifamily, non-residential (commercial), and resort development.
You can download the draft ordinance: Chapter 1-6 (single-family, multifamily, non-residential), Chapter 7 (Resorts)
A few of the draft’s requirements
- New homes 1,200 square feet or greater shall install hot water recirculation systems.
- New homes shall install WaterSense labeled fixtures, or fixtures that are at least as water-efficient, including, but not limited to faucets, showerheads, toilets, and urinals.
- New homes shall install Energy Star qualified appliances, or appliances that are at least as energy efficient.
- Exterior, decorative water features must be limited to an aggregate capacity of three hundred (300) gallons or less and recirculating pumps are required in each feature. Exterior decorative water features shall only be located on individual lots and not as entry features to a subdivision or community or in common areas. The capacity of the water feature in gallons shall be deducted from the allowed amount of grass using one gallon equals two square feet of grass.
- The square footage of any uncovered pool will be deducted from the allowed amount of grass. A pool is considered uncovered if it does not have a UL approved cover that is electrically operated. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the square footage of any pool with a UL approved electrically operated cover will be deducted from the allowed amount of grass.
- Grass area must not exceed eight percent (8%) of the lot square footage.
- Grass is prohibited in park strips, all landscape areas less than eight feet wide, and on any slope that exceeds 10%; and
- Any lot which is larger than one-half (1/2) acre must use secondary irrigation where available to irrigate any agricultural, horticultural, or gardening uses which are permitted in the applicable zone.
What Are Your Thoughts?
Please email me and the rest of the Ivins City Council your suggestions for dealing with grass, trees, pools, water features, and landscaping for new construction (email addresses at https://www.ivins.com/2020-government/).
Some of us would probably recommend no grass, no pools, and no water features because we are in a severe drought. But it’s unlikely that would be approved. Some of us would probably say that since we pay for the water we use we should be able to do what we want on our property. Given our water situation, that’s also unlikely to be approved.
Please help us navigate between these two extremes. Also, keep in mind that this new ordinance will only apply to new construction. The Washington County Water Conservancy District is working on other actions to encourage water conservation in existing development.
Please share your comments on this topic and tell me about other Ivins issues I have not addressed in recent posts. Email me at Mike@MikeScott4Ivins.com.
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