Fire-Safe Landscaping in San Diego

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders warned that water rationing might be needed for city residents unless they voluntarily cut back usage drastically. A law mandating drought-tolerant and fire-safe landscaping in new developments has the potential to help deal with the water crisis.

In hopes of reducing water consumption and lowering the risk of property damage from wildfires, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors directed its staff to explore options for mandating drought-tolerant and fire-safe landscaping in new developments in unincorporated areas.

“California’s water crisis is not looming, it’s here,” said Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who introduced the measure.

The continuing drought and a court ruling that has reduced deliveries from Northern California to Southern California are “borderline catastrophic” for the local water supply, Jacob said. “Mandatory cutbacks are around the corner,” so it would be better to work with state and County Water Authority officials rather than have them tell the county what to do, she said.

The supervisors directed county staff to return in three months with a report on measures being taken by the city, the state, the CWA and Building Industry Association.

Jim Whalen, chairman of the BIA’s Water Committee, said the organization’s board of directors planned to vote on stringent water conservation measures at its meeting in October.

A final report outlining a range of options for the supervisors to mandate drought-tolerant landscaping in new developments is scheduled to be delivered in six months.

Source: www.sandiego6.com/news