Sec. 138-187. Water conservation requirements; exemptions.
(a) Water conservation requirements.
(1) Lawn permits.
a. It shall be unlawful for any property owner or occupant or other person to install or enlarge any lawn, turf, or sodded area on any single-family detached, two-family, and single-family attached duplex lots without a valid lawn permit issued by the city and displayed on the lot so as to be visible from the public street.
b. Applications for lawn permits shall be submitted to Aurora Water using a form supplied by the city, and shall include the name of the applicant; the address of the lot; the lot size in square feet; the square footage to be devoted to lawn, turf, or sod; a site plan or drawing of the lot; and satisfactory evidence of soil preparation, such as a receipt for the recent purchase of organic matter.
c. Aurora Water shall review each lawn permit application and inspect soil amendment and soil preparation to determine whether the application satisfies the requirements of this section. If such requirements are deemed satisfied, a permit shall be issued for the lot named in the application.
d. There shall be an administrative fee for a lawn permit as approved pursuant to the City of Aurora administrative fees for Aurora Water.
(2) Lawn, turf, and sodded area limitations for front and rear yard landscaping. Lawn, turf, and sodded areas shall be subject to the requirements described in chapter 146, Unified Development Ordinance.
(3) Soil preparation. All soils upon which any lawn, turf, or sodded area is to be installed or enlarged must be properly amended in conformance with irrigation requirements in the Standards and Specifications Regarding Water, Sanitary Sewer and Storm Drainage Infrastructure, as that term is defined in section 138-151.
(4) All lots. Rain shutoff devices or soil moisture sensors shall be utilized in conformance with irrigation requirements in the Standards and Specifications Regarding Water, Sanitary Sewer and Storm Drainage Infrastructure, as that term is defined in section 138-151.
(b) Exemptions and special requirements.
(1) Other properties. Landscaping for property other than single-family detached, two-family, and single-family attached duplex lots shall comply with all applicable city requirements and with any applicable general or preliminary development plan, site plan, or redevelopment plan as required in chapter 146, Unified Development Ordinance.
(2) Declared drought emergency. At such time as the city council may declare a drought emergency the issuance of lawn permits can be temporarily suspended by the general manager.
(c) Enforcement and penalty.
(1) There shall exist a rebuttable presumption that the person who is billed for water service to a property is responsible for compliance with the requirements of this section with respect to such property. Said presumption shall not relieve any property owner from such responsibility.
(2) The general manager or his or her designee is hereby authorized to enforce this section, and may enter upon private property for the purpose of inspecting such property whenever he or she reasonably believes that a violation concerning such property is occurring or has occurred, or for the purpose of issuing a summons and complaint; provided, that he or she shall first present identification to the occupant and request entry, explaining the reason or reasons therefor.
(3) Each violation of this section shall be a violation of section 138-190, Waste of water. (Code 1979, § 39-80; Ord. No. 2023-44, § 14, 9-11-2023; Ord. No. 2015-25, § 12, 6-29-2015; Ord. No. 2005-74, § 1, 10-10-2005; Ord. No. 2003-83, § 2, 12-8-2003; Ord. No. 2000-132, § 2, 12-11-2000)