Sahuarita, AZ Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

73. Paragraph A allows both active and passive rainwater harvesting systems. Paragraph B requires all passive harvesting areas to be vegetated, tying the standard to the chapter's broader desert-landscaping goals rather than allowing bare depressions. Paragraph C sets a 12-hour infiltration standard: except for parking lots, water harvesting infiltration areas must be designed so water soaks into the soil within 12 hours, which limits standing water. Paragraph D confirms there is no minimum required volume for rainwater harvesting, but passive systems must still be included in the site design and shown on the landscape plan, so the requirement is one of documented design rather than a numeric capacity target.

73. Paragraph F requires harvesting depressions to sit at least 10 feet from the foundations of buildings and walls, protecting structures from moisture damage. Paragraph G sets a separate, longer 24-hour infiltration standard for parking lot landscape islands, which must be designed with curb cuts and depressed islands to capture runoff from paved surfaces. 060 before a development plan, final plat or building permit is approved.