Fountain Valley, CA Water Use Rules: Turf Replacement Rebates (2026)

Replacing a lawn with new landscaping in the City of Fountain Valley can trigger the water efficient landscape provisions of § 21.20.050(c) of the Development Code. Since February 1, 2016, those provisions cover new landscape projects with an aggregate area of 500 square feet or more that need a building or landscape permit, plan check or design review, and rehabilitated landscape projects with an aggregate landscaped area of 2,500 square feet or more that need the same. The definitions in § 21.20.030 describe a rehabilitated landscape as a re-landscaping project where the modified area is greater than 2,500 square feet.

Projects of 2,500 square feet or less can either meet the performance requirements or follow the prescriptive measures in Appendix A of the state Guidelines. Projects using graywater or rainwater capture on site for all of a small parcel's landscape water are subject only to Appendix A Section 5.

The water budget is in § 21.20.050(c)(5)(A): estimated applied water use cannot exceed the maximum allowance calculated with an evapotranspiration adjustment factor of 0.55 for residential areas and 0.45 for non-residential areas. Special landscaped areas, such as edible plant areas and recreational areas, use a factor of 1.0.

Before installation, a landscape documentation package must be submitted for city review, with certification by a California-licensed landscape professional. Compliance is verified through a certification of completion tied to the certificate of use and occupancy or permit final. Irrigation must follow the local water purveyor's rules, with penalties and incentives set by the purveyor or agreed with the city.

Separate permanent water rules apply regardless of project size. Section 14.18.040 prohibits watering ornamental turf on public street medians, limits irrigation to fifteen minutes per day per station on unattended systems, bars irrigation between nine a.m. and six p.m., and states that any new planting should be drought tolerant plants.