Yucaipa, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Yucaipa, 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
- Overhead irrigation window
- 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Conflict with water purveyor hours
- The stricter of the two applies
- Controllers
- Automatic irrigation controllers regulate all scheduling
- Projects covered
- New 500 sq ft or more; rehabilitated 2,500 sq ft or more
- Overhead setback
- No overhead spray within 24 inches of non-permeable surfaces
- Steep slopes
- Slopes over 25%: application rate not above 0.75 inches per hour
- First offense
- Infraction, $50 to $100 fine (§ 81.0205)
Summary
In the City of Yucaipa, San Bernardino County, California, overhead irrigation in covered landscape projects must be scheduled between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. unless weather prevents it. Yucaipa Development Code § 810.0455 also requires automatic irrigation controllers, and the stricter of the City and water purveyor hours controls.
(a) For the efficient use of water, all irrigation schedules shall be developed, managed, and evaluated to utilize the minimum amount of water required to maintain plant health. Irrigation schedules shall meet the following criteria: (1) Irrigation scheduling shall be regulated by automatic irrigation controllers. (2) Overhead irrigation shall be scheduled between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. unless weather conditions prevent it. If allowable hours of irrigation differ from the local water purveyor, the stricter of the two shall apply. Operation of the irrigation system outside the normal watering window is allowed for auditing and system maintenance. (3) For implementation of the irrigation schedule, particular attention must be paid to irrigation run times, emission device, flow rate, and current reference evapotranspiration, so that applied water meets the Estimated Total Water Use. Total annual applied water shall be less than or equal to Maximum Applied Water Allowance (MAWA).
Full Breakdown
The watering window sits in Chapter 4, Water Conservation, of Division DC10 (Soil and Water Conservation) of the Yucaipa Development Code, the City's version of the state model water efficient landscape ordinance. Section 810.0455(a)(2) sets the rule: overhead irrigation is scheduled between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m., unless weather conditions prevent it. When the local water purveyor sets different allowable hours, the stricter of the two applies, so an owner in the City of Yucaipa has to compare both. Running the system outside the window is allowed for auditing and system maintenance, and Section 810.0460(b) repeats that carve-out for routine upkeep. The section prints hours, not assigned watering days.
The window rides on a scheduling framework. Under § 810.0455(a)(1) irrigation scheduling is regulated by automatic irrigation controllers, and (a)(3) requires total annual applied water to stay at or below the Maximum Applied Water Allowance, using current reference evapotranspiration data such as CIMIS or soil moisture sensor data. Controller parameters must be submitted for the plant establishment period, the established landscape and temporarily irrigated areas. Each station's schedule considers irrigation interval, run times, cycle starts, monthly applied water, application rate, root depth, plant type, soil type, slope, shade and uniformity settings.
Scope matters. Section 810.0405(a) applies the chapter to new construction with an aggregate landscape area of 500 square feet or more requiring a building or landscape permit, plan check or design review, and to rehabilitated landscapes of 2,500 square feet or more. Existing landscapes are limited to Sections 810.0495 and 810.0496. Section 810.0496(a) is the water waste rule: runoff shall not leave the target landscape through low head drainage, overspray or similar conditions onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, walks, roadways, parking lots or structures.
Design rules reinforce the schedule. Overhead irrigation is not permitted within 24 inches of any non-permeable surface (§ 810.0440(a)(1)(U)), slopes greater than 25% cannot be irrigated at an application rate above 0.75 inches per hour (§ 810.0440(a)(1)(V)), and areas less than 10 feet wide need subsurface irrigation or other means that produces no runoff or overspray.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 810.04 prints no separate penalty clause. Violations fall under Yucaipa Development Code § 81.0205: a first offense is an infraction with a fine of not less than $50 and not greater than $100, a second offense carries $100 to $200, and a third offense is a misdemeanor with fines of $500 to $1,000, six months in jail, or both. Each day a violation exists is a new and separate offense. For new projects, the City approves or denies the Certificate of Completion under § 810.0450(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can overhead sprinklers run in the City of Yucaipa?
Does Yucaipa assign specific watering days by address?
Can I run the system during the day to test or repair it?
What if my sprinkler water runs onto the sidewalk or my neighbor's yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yucaipa
How Yucaipa compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Yucaipa to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle water restrictions.