USE OF WATER

Tucson Unified Development Code § 7.6.6

in effect

7.6.6. USE OF WATER The following standards conserve water and assist in carrying out xeriscape Xeriscape A landscaping program designed to save water using the seven principles listed below: • Water conserving design; • Low water use/drought-tolerant plants; • Reduction in turf; • Water harvesting techniques; • Appropriate irrigation methods; • Soil improvements and use of mulches; and, • Proper maintenance practices. design principles. A. Water Conservation Design Landscape plans Landscape Plan A graphic representation of the development site indicating the location of all existing and proposed landscape improvements to be present on the site at the completion of the construction of the project. shall incorporate water-conserving designs. A water-conserving design must take into account soil and drainage factors and microclimates, includes grouping of plants with similar water standards and use of efficient irrigation systems, and attempts to preserve on-site Site The land area consisting of a portion of a lot, an entire lot, or contiguous lots, not including dedicated public property, designated for development as a single entity. vegetation. B. Use of Reclaimed Water 1. Reclaimed water must be used in new and expanded development Development Any human alteration to the state of land, including its vegetation, soil, geology, or hydrology, for any residential, commercial, industrial, utility, or other use, such as, but not limited to, clearing, grubbing, or grading of land, and structural improvements, e.g., buildings, walls, fences, signs, and vehicular use areas. in accordance with the adopted Mayor and Council Water Policies and other applicable state State Same as the State of Arizona. and local standards. 2. The availability of a reclaimed water service does not confer any right to plant turf Turf An area of grass ground cover grown together in a thick mat. areas except as permitted under this Section 7.6.4.D, Use of Turf Turf An area of grass ground cover grown together in a thick mat. . C. Stormwater Runoff 1. Storm water detention/retention basins not integrated with paved vehicular use areas Vehicular Use Area Any area of a site or structure used for the movement, parking, or standing of motor vehicles. The vehicular use area includes access drives, maneuvering areas, refuse collection locations, loading spaces, and any landscaping and screening within ten feet of these areas. must be designed in accordance with the Storm Water Detention Retention Manual. 2. Grading Grading Any excavating, filling, or combination thereof. , hydrology, and landscape structural plans must be integrated to make maximum use of site Site The land area consisting of a portion of a lot, an entire lot, or contiguous lots, not including dedicated public property, designated for development as a single entity. storm water runoff for supplemental on-site Site The land area consisting of a portion of a lot, an entire lot, or contiguous lots, not including dedicated public property, designated for development as a single entity. irrigation purposes. The landscape plan Landscape Plan A graphic representation of the development site indicating the location of all existing and proposed landscape improvements to be present on the site at the completion of the construction of the project. shall indicate use of all runoff, from individual catch basins around single trees to basins accepting flow from an entire vehicular use area Vehicular Use Area Any area of a site or structure used for the movement, parking, or standing of motor vehicles. The vehicular use area includes access drives, maneuvering areas, refuse collection locations, loading spaces, and any landscaping and screening within ten feet of these areas. or roof area. D. Ornamental Water Features 1. Ornamental water features, such as fountains or ponds, may be used, if all the following conditions are met. a. The total water surface area does not exceed 1% of the net site area Site Area The land area of a site. of the development Development Any human alteration to the state of land, including its vegetation, soil, geology, or hydrology, for any residential, commercial, industrial, utility, or other use, such as, but not limited to, clearing, grubbing, or grading of land, and structural improvements, e.g., buildings, walls, fences, signs, and vehicular use areas. . b. The water feature is located within the oasis area. c. The sum of the square feet of water surface area and the square feet of turf Turf An area of grass ground cover grown together in a thick mat. area does not exceed the total allowed square feet for the oasis allowance Oasis Allowance A certain percentage of the land area on a site in which plants not listed on the Arizona Department of Water Resource’s Low Water Use/Drought Tolerant Plant List may be used and that is located where the oasis will return maximum benefit in terms of cooling, aesthetic pleasure, and exposure to people. . d. Water in moving water features is recycled through the feature. e. The water feature is designed to prevent water seepage or leaking. 2. This section does not apply to swimming pools or spas. E. Irrigation 1. A water-conserving irrigation system is required for all new landscape plantings. For sites Site The land area consisting of a portion of a lot, an entire lot, or contiguous lots, not including dedicated public property, designated for development as a single entity. that are larger than one acre Acre An area equal to 43,560 square feet. and on which the gross floor area Gross Floor Area The sum of the horizontal areas of all floors of all buildings, including accessory buildings on a lot, measured from the exterior faces of the exterior walls or from the centerline of walls separating two buildings and includes elevator shafts and the stairwells at each story. Gross floor area includes floor space with structural headroom of six feet and six inches or more used for mechanical equipment; penthouses; attic space; interior balconies; mezzanines; and service bays but does not include any interior space used for parking, loading, or loading space that is incidental to the principal use. of all buildings Building A structure having a roof supported by columns, posts, or walls and intended for the shelter, housing, or enclosure of any person, entity, animal, process, equipment, goods, or materials of any kind or nature. is more than 10,000 square feet, an underground irrigation system is required. 2. Storm water and runoff harvesting to supplement drip irrigation are required elements of the irrigation system for both new plantings and preserved vegetation. 3. An irrigation plan must be submitted together with the landscape plan Landscape Plan A graphic representation of the development site indicating the location of all existing and proposed landscape improvements to be present on the site at the completion of the construction of the project. required in Section 7.6.10.B, Review Procedures, and must comply with the standards below. a. System Specifications (1) The source of irrigation water, whether potable or reclaimed, must be indicated on the irrigation plan. (2) Rigid irrigation pipes and flexible drip system irrigation lines under paved surfaces must be contained in pipe sleeves. (3) Pipes or lines carrying water under constant pressure must be buried to a minimum depth of 24 inches. Those that are under intermittent pressure must be buried to a minimum depth of 18 inches. (4) Nonpressure polyethylene lines must be buried to a minimum depth of eight inches. Nonpressure PVC lines must be buried to a minimum depth of 12 inches. (5) Turf Turf An area of grass ground cover grown together in a thick mat. , shrub, and bubbler heads closer than 12 inches to any paved surface must be pop-up heads. (6) Turf Turf An area of grass ground cover grown together in a thick mat. , shrub, and bubbler heads located within 24 inches of any paved surface must be installed with a system that allows the riser assembly to absorb impacts and return to normal position. (7) Spray irrigation systems may be used only in the oasis area for turf Turf An area of grass ground cover grown together in a thick mat. . These areas must be served by low precipitation rates. Matched precipitation rate heads should be used. (8) Temporary spray irrigation systems may be used to establish hydroseeded areas. All other plant material, excluding turf Turf An area of grass ground cover grown together in a thick mat. , must be irrigated with drip irrigation or low-flow bubblers. Drip irrigation is encouraged. The systems will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. (9) Trees and shrubs outside of areas of spray irrigation must be irrigated with low-flow bubblers or emitters. (10) Unless required under the rainwater harvesting ordinance, rain-sensing and moisture-sensing devices are encouraged. b. System Design and Layout (1) Irrigation systems must be designed with attention to prevailing winds, degree of slope Slope An inclined ground surface the inclination of which is expressed as a ratio of horizontal distance to vertical distance. , type of soil, soil percolation (infiltration), season, and type of vegetation to be watered. These design constraints, and any others that may be specific to the site Site The land area consisting of a portion of a lot, an entire lot, or contiguous lots, not including dedicated public property, designated for development as a single entity. , must be clearly indicated on all irrigation documents. (2) Spray irrigation systems shall be designed to provide 100% head-to-head coverage of the area of irrigation to avoid dry spots and overspray onto any paved or unplanted surface. (3) Areas of different water requirements, such as the oasis, trees and shrubs, the vehicular use area Vehicular Use Area Any area of a site or structure used for the movement, parking, or standing of motor vehicles. The vehicular use area includes access drives, maneuvering areas, refuse collection locations, loading spaces, and any landscaping and screening within ten feet of these areas. , landscape borders, and native vegetation Native Vegetation Plants indigenous to the site and to areas contiguous to the site. areas, must be controlled by separate remote control valves. (4) The design of irrigation systems and irrigation schedules should attempt to match application rates with infiltration rates in order to minimize runoff and reduce evaporation. (5) Sprinkler heads and nozzles within each control valve should have matching precipitation rates. (6) Spray irrigation systems may not be installed in planting strips less than ten feet wide. Strip spray heads are not be allowed. (7) Irrigation timers must be set for irrigation cycles between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. between May and September to minimize water loss due to evaporation. (8) Rain-sensing and moisture-sensing devices are encouraged. 4. Temporary irrigation proposals may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Source: City of Tucson, Tucson Code (Charter and General Ordinances) and Unified Development Code (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/tucson/latest/tucson_az_udc/0-0-0-6086Fetched: 10/28/2026