City Council
MEETING DATE: 2/8/2017
TITLE:
Title
Second Reading of an Ordinance Requiring Landscape-Related Businesses to Complete a Course on Water Efficiency
End
FROM:
Patrick Milos Community Development Director
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council provide second reading and approve an amendment to the existing ordinance for a Required Landscaper Course on Overseeding Alternative to include a course on Water Efficiency for issuance of a Business License to landscape-related businesses in the City.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) is requesting that each member city and the County adopt consistent valleywide regulations that require completion of a course about water efficient landscaping as a prerequisite for the issuance of a business license to landscape-related businesses. Last fall, CVAG staff began working with Coachella Valley Water District staff to create a program modeled after CVAG's existing Landscaper Overseeding Certification Ordinance and the online "smart scalping" course. The new course focuses on water use efficiency for professional landscapers, to increase their knowledge and use of best practices in water conservation. Since that time, CVWD staff has worked with CVAG, College of the Desert (COD), and other local water agencies to create a new course in water efficiency to offer with the existing Landscaper Overseeding Certification Program. By doing so, landscape professionals could be certified in best practices to meet regional goals to improve our air quality and increase water efficiency in a "one-stop shop" approach.
The original model ordinance for a landscapers' course on the overseeding alternative, known as smart scalping, was developed and approved by the CVAG Executive Committee in July 2007 and subsequently adopted by CVAG member agencies. The smart scalping course has been offered since 2007 and continues to be a very effective part of our r...
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