No, LID is not just landscaping. LID features slow storm water runoff flowing off your property while treating and transporting the excess water begore it goes into  the city storm drain system. LID uses specialized soils in conjunction with approved plants to mimic the natural environment that may have existed before the new  development, thereby allowing storm water to slowly soak into the ground rather than sheet flowing off hard surfaces and sweeping pollutants into local waterways.  When maintained properly, LID features simply look like beautiful habitat areas and landscaping, but they are doing so much more! 

Simply put, LID prevents flooding in your home, neighborhood and in your city. LID features that exist on your property are a  condition for approval of any new development that creates or replaces more than 10,000 square feet of impervious surfaces. These  features are required by the Municipal Storm water permits (MS4) for your municipality. Maintenance of each of these features is obligatory for the life of the development, as required by the local California Regional Water Quality Control Board and the  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Water Act. 

LID features are inspected annually by City staff. If corrective actions are required, you will receive a written notice. These corrective  actions must be completed within the timeline specified by the City or prior to the first rain, whichever is sooner. If you would like to  know sooner than an inspection whether your LID is compliant, contact your local municipality for a free site consultation. 

Depending on the type, age, and location of the feature, you may be asked to complete a “self-inspection” or have your feature serviced by a certified third-party contractor. When needed, City Staff will initiate and approve the self-inspection by sending maps, a short inspection checklist, and instructions. Self-inspections are typically a simple process that take just a few minutes per feature. Most homeowners can easily complete inspections.

Maintenance of LID features is obligatory for the life of the development, as required by the local California Regional Water Quality  Control Board and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Water Act.  

If a LID feature is altered and is no longer functioning as originally designed and approved, it shall be replaced at the owners’ expense. 

Although identifying vegetation in your LID feature seems like a challenging task, technology has simplified the process. 

• If using an iPhone, the Photos app can quickly identify your vegetation.  

• Simply take a photo of your plants,  

• Scroll up on the photo  

• Click on Look Up- Plant> 

• Choose the plant that best fits your photograph 

• Cross reference to make sure it is on the Approved Plant List  

If using an Android phone, The Seek App is free and simple to download, photograph your plant, identify by matching  photograph and cross reference with the Approved Plant List. You can also use a webpage, a plant book or take the photo  to a professional nursery to identify it. Then cross reference the names and photos you find with the plant varieties in this  comprehensive Approved Plant List. 

The LID Technical Design Manual contains a list of approved plants, chosen specifically for their ability to filter out common  pollutants and withstand flooding and drought. Most are native plants, and many offer additional habitat benefits too. Only  plants from the LID Manual Approved Plant List are allowed. When planting new vegetation in an LID feature, choose approved  plants from the current LID Manual Approved Plant List. (link to srcity.org/Low-Impact-Development)

No. LID plants are specifically intended to treat storm water runoff. If you replace the vegetation, you must use varieties from  the Approved Plant List. When new plants are installed, it is important that they are irrigated properly so the roots become  established to filter out pollutants as designed. If the plants die, you are required to replace them to maintain the required 50%  vegetative cover. 

No, Herbicide shall not be used on the plants in an LID feature. The feature is designed to remove pollutants before they enter  the municipal storm drain system. If herbicides are used on a storm drain feature there is potential for harmful chemicals to discharge into the storm drain system and inevitably into creeks. Only rain is allowed to go into a storm drain. 

Yes, plants must be irrigated, as needed, in the dry season and when they are new so that they can establish healthy roots

No. Animal traps shall not be placed in a feature. If you have a pest problem, please refer to the Best Management Practices  outlined in/at Our Water Our World. Link to OWOW site: https://ourwaterourworld.org/#

Mistakes happen! If you weren’t aware your LID was not landscaping, please contact your municipality for a free consultation on  next steps and a timeline to get your LID into compliance. If your LID has been removed or altered, it must comply with your local  Storm Water Ordinance and is required to be returned to its original design intent.

We fully understand that there are instances where new homeowners have inherited noncompliant LID. If you have recently  learned about LID on your property and weren’t aware it was not landscaping, please contact your municipality to for a free  consultation on next steps and a timeline to get your LID back into compliance.

No. LID soils are specifically engineered to absorb and filter storm water. If you alter the soils of a LID feature, you will be required  to return it back to its approved design plans at your expense. 

Yes. If you alter permeable pavers or porous concrete of a LID feature, you will be required to return it back to its approved  design plans at your expense. 

Yes. Cobble and rock may be used to replace mulch inside features.

If you use mulch, use interlocking, rough-cut mulch such as arbor or vineyard mulch. These mulches are less likely to float and be  transported into a drain or bypass of the storm drain system. Be sure regular removal of any mulch that is transported towards or  into the high flow bypass is part of your routine maintenance schedule.