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BACKGROUND In 2009, the California State Legislature passed the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (updated in accordance with the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act of 2006, AB 1881). The objective of MWELO is to provide governance to the water-efficient landscaping design considerations and practices specified under AB 1881. Under the 2009 MWELO, local agencies were required by January 1, 2010, to either adopt the 2009 MWELO or adopt a different ordinance that was at least as effective in conserving water. If a local agency took no action, which was the case for the City, by default the 2009 MWELO went into effect and had the same force and effect as if it were adopted by the local agency. Prior to the 2009 MWELO requirements, the Source Reduction and Recycling Board of Alameda County Waste Management Authority (now operating collectively as StopWaste.org) encouraged the use of their "Bay Friendly Landscape Guidelines" as a condition of receipt for annual Waste Import Mitigation funding. The guidelines provided positive improvements to energy consumption and resource efficiency, and were subsequently approved by the Council in April 2008. In October 2011, StopWaste.org updated these guidelines and created "Bay Friendly Basics" (BFB) in an effort to incorporate greater workability with the 2009 MWELO requirements (such as applicable project criteria), and maintain additional environmental and community benefits, beyond water conservation measures. Council adopted BFB in addition to the 2009 MWELO requirements in June 2012. On April 1, 2015, in response to the state's current historic drought, Governor Brown issued Executive Order No. B-29-15, which directed the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to update MWELO through expedited regulation. The California Water Commission approved the revised Ordnance (2015 MWELO) on July 15, 2015, and it has been subsequently entered into the California Code of Regulations (Title 23). As with the 2009 MWELO, the 2015 MWELO requires either adoption of the updated MWELO or adoption of a locally modified MWELO, which is at least as effective as the 2015 MWELO. Additionally, "no action" by Council results in the 2015 MWELO going into effect on December 1, 2015. Here, staff recommends that the Council adopt the attached resolution to affirmatively adopt the 2015 MWELO while continuing to apply the current Bay Friendly Landscape Guidelines. On a related note, in 2012, the City began work on the development of a City landscape design specification project, as part of the implementation of the Council approved Climate Action Plan. Elements of this effort have been used by Planners within the Community Development Department and project applicants (such as a City recommended plant list for both potable and recycled water). Due to challenges from changing regulatory requirements, staff has begun to modify this document into a guideline to assist planners and applicants, rather than a stand-alone landscape ordinance. However, the document will not supersede the City of Pleasanton Landscape Ordinance, i.e., MWELO and BFB combined. Page 2 of 4