City weighing water-saving rule changes for pools and landscaping

The Laguna Beach City Council could require, as water-conservation measures, residential pool covers and further limits on the size of new pools being constructed when it meets July 14.

The city’s Design Review Board and public works department each developed ideas that the city could adopt in response to the state’s drought.

Design Review Board members focused their recommendations on landscaping and pools in voting June 4.

Without a cover, more than 80 gallons of water per day can evaporate from a pool, according to a Design Review Board memo. The board recommends that homeowners with a pool or spa be required to use a cover to limit evaporation.

Residents would receive a courtesy notice for a first violation and then possible fines if a building inspector, planner or code enforcement officer visits the house and sees an uncovered pool. The council could also require automatic or built-in covers for all new pools.

The council could also revise swimming pool and spa guidelines to further restrict a pool’s size and limit pools to lots that can “accommodate” them, the memo says.

The Design Review Board also recommends adjusting landscape design rules to discourage traditional ornamental lawns and encourage drought-tolerant turf, according to its memo. In addition, property owners could be dissuaded from using automatic sprinkler systems and encouraged to use recycled water.

The city’s public works department is suggesting additional removal some or all of the 15 acres of grass at city parks — excluding Lang and Village Green parks, which use reclaimed water.

Laguna’s parks use more water than all other city facilities, requiring 15 million gallons per year, according to a city staff report.

But there could be an argument for keeping some turf.

“It’s important to keep in mind that many residents may reduce their own grass and passive use areas,” the staff report says. “This in turn may increase the public’s reliance on such areas in public parks.”

In April, the council delayed a renovation at Alta Laguna Park for one year because of “the large amount of water” needed for grading and establishing new turf, according to the staff report.

The council also allowed city staff to let the grass die at the Old Top of the World Park and replace the lawn with a low-water-use landscaping.

Council members could also direct staff to turn off water at the city’s public showers, though “the public health and convenience benefits of these showers probably outweigh the benefit of any water savings,” the staff report says.

The complete report with suggestions from the Design Review Board and city can be viewed on the city’s website, lagunabeachcity.net.

The July 14 council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 505 Forest Ave.