Woodland, CA Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)
Key Facts
- Section
- Woodland Municipal Code § 17.56.010(E)(3)
- Status
- Recommended guideline, not mandatory
- Applies to
- New development and redevelopment/renovation citywide
- Method
- Cistern capture or rooftop drains to landscaping
- Adopted
- Ord. 1722, June 18, 2024
- Enforcing office
- Woodland Community Development Department
Summary
In the City of Woodland, California, Municipal Code § 17.56.010(E)(3) recommends new development and redevelopment projects capture rooftop rainwater in a cistern or channel it from roof drains to landscaping for irrigation during dry months. Community Development reviews this water-conservation guideline during design review; it is not a mandatory permit condition but is expected as one of several site-design measures citywide.
E. Water Conservation/Quality. The following guidelines are recommended to minimize water use and/or improve water quality for all new development and redevelopment/renovations: ... ... 3. Capture rainwater in cistern or other devices to supply water for landscape irrigation during dry months or channel rainwater from building rooftop drains to landscaping in common areas.
Full Breakdown
Woodland Municipal Code § 17.56.010, General Design Standards, governs Building and Site Design Standards under Chapter 17.56 and applies to new development and redevelopment across residential and mixed-use zones, cross-referenced from § 17.24.040, Supplemental Regulations, for single-family, multi-unit and small-lot subdivision projects. Subsection E, Water Conservation/Quality, lists guidelines 'recommended to minimize water use and/or improve water quality for all new development and redevelopment/renovations.' Item 1 calls for high-performance water fixtures that reduce consumption and wastewater demand. Item 2 directs designers to route stormwater run-off from streets, parking lots and building surfaces through low-impact development techniques such as bioswales or biofiltration systems.
Item 3, the rainwater-harvesting measure, allows a project to capture rainwater in a cistern for landscape irrigation during dry months, or to instead channel rainwater from building rooftop drains to landscaping in common areas. Because the section uses 'recommended' rather than 'shall,' Community Development treats it as a design-guideline menu reviewed alongside the mandatory shade, cooling, sustainable-materials and electrification standards in the same section, not as an independent permit condition. Applicants document which water-conservation measures a project incorporates during Development Review; there is no separate rainwater-harvesting permit, fee or inspection listed in this chapter. The guideline was carried into Woodland's 2024 zoning code rewrite under Ordinance 1722, adopted June 18, 2024.
Violations & Fines
Because § 17.56.010(E) is written as a recommendation rather than a mandate, Community Development does not cite or fine a project for skipping rainwater capture specifically; noncompliance risk instead comes from the mandatory design standards elsewhere in § 17.56.010, such as the shade/cooling and electrification requirements, which the Director can require corrected during Development Review before issuing a Certificate of Occupancy or Building Permit sign-off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is rainwater harvesting required for new homes in Woodland?
What counts as rainwater harvesting under the guideline?
Which department reviews Woodland's water-conservation design guidelines?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Woodland
California rules heatmap·Compare Woodland to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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