Napa County, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Napa County, CA, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Code Chapter
- Napa County Code Ch. 18.118
- Developer Project Threshold
- >= 2,500 sq ft of landscape area
- Homeowner Project Threshold
- >= 5,000 sq ft of landscape area
- State Law Basis
- 23 CCR Div. 2 Ch. 2.7 (MWELO)
- Reviewing Department
- Planning, Building & Environmental Services
Summary
Napa County Code Chapter 18.118 (Water Conservation Regulations for Landscape Design) implements the state Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance and requires a Landscape Documentation Package for qualifying new and rehabilitated landscapes in the unincorporated county.
Use the table below to determine if the Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO) applies to your project. 1. Does the project require a building permit from the County? 2. Is new or rehabilitated landscaping either provided and/or required as part of the building plans or conditions of approval for the project? 3. Is this a public agency, private development, or developer installed project with 2,500 square feet of landscape area? Applies. 4. Is this a homeowner-provided and/or homeowner-hired project with 5,000 square feet of landscape area? Applies. Exempt projects include: registered local, state or federal historical sites; ecological restoration projects that do not require a permanent irrigation system; mined-land reclamation projects that do not require a permanent irrigation system; or plant collections, as part of botanical gardens and arboretums open to the public.
Full Breakdown
118 of Title 18 (Zoning) requires water-efficient landscape design for projects that involve new or rehabilitated landscaping reviewed by the Conservation, Development and Planning Department. The WELO applies to any project that (a) requires a county building permit, (b) includes new or rehabilitated landscaping as part of the building plans or conditions of approval, and either (c) is a public agency, private development, or developer-installed project with at least 2,500 square feet of landscape area, or (d) is a homeowner-provided or homeowner-hired project with at least 5,000 square feet of landscape area.
New or rehabilitated cemeteries have special conditions. Exempt projects include registered local, state, or federal historical sites, ecological restoration projects that do not require a permanent irrigation system, mined-land reclamation projects that do not require a permanent irrigation system, and plant collections that are part of botanical gardens and arboretums open to the public. Qualifying projects must submit a Landscape Documentation Package containing a Landscape Design Plan, Irrigation Design Plan, Grading Design Plan, Soil Management Report, Water Efficient Landscape Worksheets demonstrating Maximum Applied Water Allowance (MAWA) and Estimated Total Water Use (ETWU), Certificate of Completion, Certificate of Installation, Irrigation Scheduling, and a Landscape and Irrigation Maintenance Schedule. 7) provides the underlying MWELO standards that the county WELO must meet or exceed.
Violations & Fines
Building permits and Certificates of Occupancy are withheld until the Landscape Documentation Package is approved and the Certificate of Completion is submitted. Non-compliant installations must be corrected before final inspection sign-off; ongoing violations are enforceable as zoning violations under Title 18 and may trigger administrative citations, civil penalties, and stop-work orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the WELO apply to my project?
What documents must I submit?
Is restoration or a historical site exempt?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Napa County
How Napa County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Napa County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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