BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2515
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Date of Hearing: May 4, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2515 (Weber) - As Amended April 5, 2016
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|Policy |Water, Parks and Wildlife |Vote:|13 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to
update the model water-efficient landscape ordinance (model
ordinance) or make a finding that an update is not useful or
effective. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires DWR, on or before January 1, 2020, and every three
years thereafter, to update the model ordinance or make a
AB 2515
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finding that the update at that time is not a useful or
effective means to improve the efficiency of landscape water
use or the administration of the model ordinance.
2)Requires DWR to enter into a cooperative agreement, by June
30, 2017, with the Building Standards Commission (BSC), the
Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the
Division of the State Architect to coordinate the ordinance
with the triennial revision cycle of the green building
standards (CALGreen).
FISCAL EFFECT:
1)One-time increased costs of approximately $500,000 (GF) over
three years for DWR to update the model ordinance.
2)Ongoing minor costs of approximately $15,000, every three
years, for DWR to coordinate with the BSC, HCD and State
Architect,
3)Unknown costs for BSC, HCD, and the State Architect to fulfill
responsibilities for the model ordinance process within the
triennial update, as determined by contract with DWR.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, with outdoor water use
constituting more than half of average household water use,
attention to improving landscape irrigation efficiency should
be an ongoing focus. This bill requires coordination of the
model ordinance with the CALGreen building code revision
cycle.
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2)Background. One of the recommendations out of the February
2016 draft Independent Technical Panel report to the
Legislature on Landscape Water Use Efficiency was to make the
policy change in this bill.
The policy in this bill would build on several actions that
were in the Governor's Executive Order B-29-15 from April
2015. In particular, the executive order required DWR to
update the model ordinance required the State Water Resources
Control Board to prohibit outdoor irrigation with potable
water in new construction unless the irrigation was drip or
mircospray.
In response to the executive order, the model ordinance was
updated for the first time since 2010. Following this update,
the BSC and HDC placed mandatory water requirements on new
construction. However, there is no requirement for future
model ordinances to be included building code updates. This
bill creates a process to ensure the latest landscape water
use is included in the triennial building code updates.
3)Related Legislation. AB 2525, to be heard by this committee
later this month, requires DWR to establish the California
Water Efficient Landscaping Program to promote the efficient
use of water in landscaping.
AB 1928 (Campos) 2016, currently in this committee's Suspense
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file, requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Commission to adopt landscape irrigation equipment
performance standards and labeling requirements. Both bills
are pending in this Committee.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081