Download Bay-Friendly Landscaping Model General Plan Language

Model General Plan Language:
Bay-Friendly Landscape Design, Construction and Maintenance
Conventional landscaping can damage the environment by consuming fossil fuels,
contributing to the pollution of the soil, air and water and burdening landfill space. These
conventional landscapes can also be expensive to maintain requiring frequent and
expensive irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides, as well as significant mowing, trimming
and removal of plant debris. By contrast, Bay-Friendly landscaping design, construction
and maintenance techniques employ sustainable methods that promote water and
materials conservation, energy efficiency, improved air quality and soil health.
Conventional landscaping often relies on large lawn areas, non-native plants, abundant
irrigation and heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides. One example of an especially
damaging conventional practice is removing all plant waste from the site. Doing this
removes food and habitat for birds, insects and beneficial soil organisms. It depletes our
soils of nutrients and degrades soil health. Often, the result is an increased dependency
on fertilizers and irrigation, as well as greater stormwater runoff, erosion and pollution of
the bay.
Bay-Friendly landscaping design, construction and maintenance avoids these adverse
impacts in a variety of ways. For example, keeping plant waste on-site, in the form of
mulch and compost, can improve soil health by increasing the organic matter in the soil,
reducing compaction of the soil, helping to retain topsoil, creating healthier plants and
reducing the need for irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides as well as conserving landfill
space. Keeping plant waste on site also helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused
by plant waste decomposing in landfills.
Bay-Friendly landscaping is a whole systems approach to the design, construction and
maintenance of the landscape in order to support the integrity of the San Francisco Bay
watershed. Key components of Bay-Friendly landscaping include the following:
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Reducing waste and using materials that contain recycled content.
Nurturing healthy soils with mulch and compost while reducing fertilizer use.
Conserving water, energy and topsoil.
Using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to minimize chemical use.
Reducing stormwater runoff.
Creating wildlife habitat.
A well designed and maintained Bay-Friendly landscape can cost less to maintain in the
long run by consuming fewer resources. Bay-Friendly landscapes embody the
community values for health, wildlife and the environment.
In recent years, aspects of Bay-Friendly landscaping have become increasingly
widespread including use of native plants, water conserving plants, use of compost and
mulch, and reduced use of pesticides and herbicides. Many homeowners, businesses and
landscaping professionals have voluntarily sought to incorporate Bay-Friendly techniques
into their projects. In Alameda County, the Alameda County Waste Management
Authority with input from private and public landscapers, developed the Bay-Friendly
landscape guidelines for public landscapes.
To help reduce the negative environmental, economic and health impacts of conventional
landscapes (City to insert as appropriate) and meet the goals set forth in the land use,
housing, conservation and other applicable elements of this plan, the City of
___________ has adopted the following Bay-Friendly landscaping goals and policies.
Bay-Friendly Goals and Policies:
Goal 1: To encourage, promote, practice and where feasible require Bay-Friendly
landscaping practices as defined in the Bay-Friendly Landscape Guidelines, Sustainable
Practices for Landscape Professionals within the City of ___________.
Policy 1.1.: All newly designed public and private projects containing landscapes shall
use the Bay-Friendly Landscape Guidelines, Sustainable Practices for the Landscape
Professional as a reference guide and the Bay-Friendly Plan Review and Scorecard shall
be completed and included in the landscape plan submitted as part of the permitting
process.
Policy 1.2: All landscapes maintained by City staff shall be maintained using BayFriendly practices to the greatest extent practicable.
Policy 1.3: All public landscapes privately maintained shall incorporate Bay-Friendly
landscaping practices to the greatest extent possible. Existing contractors shall be asked
for voluntary compliance. New contractors hired to maintain existing landscapes shall be
required through the contract and bid process to use the Bay-Friendly landscape
maintenance specifications and to document which practices will be employed within
their bid to provide the service.
Policy 1.4: City shall work with The Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Coalition
to ensure that existing and new landscaping staff obtain adequate training in Bay-Friendly
practices/principles.