Updated 06/10/18




​
​ 
  Landscaping

  Adventures .....

​
  • ​     Takeaways
  • ​     Five Puzzlements
  •      ARC-DG Worksheet Anomalies​
  •      Observations
  •      How I got here         
  •      Devil in the Detail?
  •      A Logical Solution​


Takeaways .....



         The 'Five Puzzlements' listed below appear to myself, 

         to favor landscape profiteering over presenting homeowners
​
         with relevant DG options for conserving our irrigation water

         and avoiding unhealthy or destructive root crowding.

​           

EXAMPLE:


My front yard's 31 shrubs and ground cover plants exceed the DG

current minimal 50% coverage SF goal by some 90 SF (square feet).


But if I were to have this landscaping redone, an ARC Application 

Checklist #19 landscape agent using the required worksheet tables,

could technically present me with four times as many plants:


                1548 PA SF x 8 plants /100 SF = 124 plants




The DG 6.1 design diagram requirement for contesting excessive

ARC worksheet plant quantities, is arguably not the best way to

avoid all unnecessary irrigation when plants are randomly spaced

over large non-turf areas:


        When my yard design diagram did not "clearly show" that

        my front yard is already several plants over the DG 50% 

        coverage goal,

        I was told to consider HOA $50 Certificate of Compliance

        to confirm sufficient plant coverage.  (These certificates

        are only valid for the date on which they are granted.)


See 'ARC-DG Worksheet Anomalies' below.




​
BEGGING THESE QUESTIONS:




--  Why are there no ARC-DG worksheets for determining the

number of landscape shrubs and ground cover plants expected to

reasonably cover our yards, based on growth SF at maturity .... ? 

​
This data is used for the ARC-DG required, scaled landscape design

drawing depicting all our planned and existing plants and trees;

why not record on the ARC-DG worksheet Plant & Tree List?




The ARC worksheets include a table for calculating landscape

boulder area SF based on any boulder diameter = 1 to 5 feet;

why no similar table for calculating plant type area SF,

based on any shrub or ground cover plant width = 1 to 10 feet?





Tallying the expected plant coverage SF for each of our yard

areas is no more difficult than other ARC-DG worksheet calculations,

and can easily confirm achieving DG coverage goals.





--  Are the Checklist #19-proposed landscape agents always

considering expected plant growth  (listed in DG Appendix A,

Accepted Plant & Tree List, and available from local nurseries or 

Internet sites), 

to try to help us homeowners manage efficient irrigation, and avoid

over-planting or destructive root crowding .... ?
​


                      
Or, are these agents bound to use (perceived-overly-ambitious)

ARC-DG worksheet tables dictating minimum 8 plants in each

100 SF of PA in our front yard, regardless of plant type, size, or

expected SF coverage at maturity .... ?      


 
Rumblings from local grapevines indicate the latter.


      ​




         Depending on plant variety and yard area, of course 

         not all new landscape revisions may experience my own,

         perceived pretty shocking, ARC-DG worksheet scenario. 

           See 'How I Got Here' below.
           ​


​

           But, homeowners wondering how many plants can 

         be reasonably accommodated by any given yard area 

         based on expected growth ....

         or, want to ensure exposing as little yard area as

         possible to irrigation,

         might be interested in 'A Logical Solution', below.



Five Puzzlements .....



     Homeowners relying on Checklist #19 landscape

     worksheets may not be aware of anomalies that

     can significantly increase the need for landscape 

     irrigation.       
         

      



1.    Despite our several years of drought and enforced water

cutbacks, the DG (Design Guideline) minimum coverage of 50% 

for each plantable area is now two and a half times the minimum

20% DG requirement in 2000.



We were also required to have only 28 plants, regardless of lot size, 

as long as these covered at least 20% of the front yard plantable area (PA). 



ARC worksheets now dictate using a minimum of 8 plants per each

100 SF of total plantable area. 

(This comes to 124 plants for my front yard; see 'Devil in the Detail?' below).


                       Ref. DG page 26; Section 6.2; Effective 4/10/2017 

                       Ref. DG page 7;Section II.B.2.(i), dsgnrvsn.001, REVISED 04/27/00 



          
The HOA Certificate of Compliance includes validating our current

front and exterior lot side yard plant coverage as minimum 50% PA for

each defined yard area:

     
          While some landscape plans may be 'grandfathered' under the

          earlier limits,
 
          Checklist #19 and DG 6.1 can impact any homeowners deciding

          to add rock decor or hardscape, revamp aging landscape, or,

          hoping to save water by switching from grass turf to bark.








 2.   The ARC Checklist #19 worksheets ignore the expected

growth coverage SF of any plant at maturity:



In the past, this growth (H' x W') data was used for confirming the

achievement of DG-minimal coverage SF, and it is readily available from

our DG Appendix A 'Accepted Plant & Tree List', local nurseries, or on

Internet landscape sites.   


                      
          It is not clear, why the required ARC worksheet Plant & Tree List

          detail does not include this growth data, since 'W' is technically

          required to properly scale all plants on the Checklist #19 required

          landscape plan design drawing,

          and 'H' is used to monitor all plant height per DG 6.6; 6.2.3. 



                  




3.    ARC Checklist #19 worksheets do not support the basic DG 6.2

definitions for the minimum PA requiring planting ARP = 50% of PA,

or for permitting approved bark filler = maximum 50% of PA minus any

boulders and decorative rock:


          For instance, if existing plant SF expected at maturity is equal

          to the DG-required minimum 50% PA coverage SF, the ARC

          worksheet calculations will call for more plants;

          there is no worksheet option for filling remaining 50% PA

          with approved bark, per DG 6.2.   



                    EXAMPLE:

                    After entering my yard Area B existing plant SF = 50% PA,
                       
                    instead of confirming no more plants are required per DG 6.2,

                    ARC worksheet logic ADDED 48 plants.                                





Per DG 6.1, the onus is on all homeowners who suspect excessive

worksheet plant requirements, to 'clearly show' on an up-scaled

design diagram, that their 50% PA SF coverage goal will be -- or, already

is -- achieved with fewer plants.  

                    
                View my lot's design diagram for how such confirmation

                may not be practical for irrigation-conscious residents
             
                with non-turf landscaping.

                See 'ARC-DG Worksheet Anomalies below.
                



                Those aiming for 'no more and no less' SF coverage

                 goals with shrubs and ground cover plants randomly spaced

                over non-turf areas, will logically come closer to the 50% mark

                by using specific plant growth SF data from local nurseries,

                or the DG Appendix A Accepted Plant & Tree List.


                See 'A Logical Solution' below.




                  
ARC alternative -- paying $50 for an HOA Certificate of Compliance

to confirm that our front yard is already achieving the 50% PA coverage

expected at plant maturity --

should not be necessary if the ARC review process includes a worksheet

for the expected SF growth data of all existing ARC-approved plants in

in each PA, along with suitable photos.

(This HOA document is only effective for the date on which it is granted.)

                                 



                                 
​
   
4.    The ARC-DG rule for "8 plants per each 100 SF" over a yard's

total PA, regardless of the type or size of shrub or ground cover, 

can invite unhealthy and potentially destructive root crowding:



              Nearly 80% of the less than 5' tall shrubs and ground

              cover plants in our DG Appendix A Accepted Plant & Tree List 

              range from three feet to ten feet wide at maturity -- which is

              7 SF  to 78 SF total area coverage per plant.


              Any 8-plant combination belonging to this 80% category,

              has minimal 56 SF coverage and maximum 624 SF coverage

              for each 100 SF of plantable area.




              --  Depending on variety, just one, typical ground cover plant

              covers 28 SF to 75 SF of non-turf area; it only takes three

              lantana to cover 84 SF, or five dwarf bottlebrush to cover 100 SF ....


                       EXAMPLE:

​                       When I used the expected plant growth SF data to calculate

                       the minimum number of my current plant varieties to be

                       physically accommodated by 100% of my front yard (Area B),  

                       the ARC worksheet minimal requirement = 8 plants /100 SF

                       of total yard PA, was triple that number.
                    
                   
                       See 'ARC-DG Worksheet Anomalies' below.
                       

      

             
All DG minimal coverage goals aside ....  forcing 8 plants to share each

100 SF of root space over entire PA regardless of type of plant or

expected size at maturity, is conceivably problematic for the "Integrated

design solution" specified by DGs 6.1.1 through 6.1.11 .....

             

Crowded root systems can also clog drains and damage hardscape .....
      


              



   
5.    Over-planting / wasted irrigation might not be known / visible

for the next several months or years our landscaping can take to

fully mature:



Homeowners relying on the Checklist #19 worksheets to 'do it right',

may not recognize, or know to question, overly-ambitious results. 

            

On the other hand, it is a fairly simple matter to use the DG Appendix A

expected growth data to calculate how many existing plants can be

eliminated to avoid unnecessary irrigation and still meet the 50% PA

minimum coverage goal.


See 'A Logical Solution' below.
         

ARC - DG  Worksheet Anomalies



       Current ARC landscape worksheet logic may result in
       unnecessary irrigation, over-planting, and unhealthy,
       crowded root systems.​

       See detailed examples:​ 

       https://ourimaginalcells.info/arc-worksheet-anomalies.html​

Observations .....
I'd heard grapevine rumblings of perceived, ARC landscape

worksheet-​enforced over-planting ..... 


All minimal coverage issues aside, excessive plant root

crowding tends to create unhealthy / unattractive growth

detracting from community property value, clog drains and

even damage hardscape.



And, while personally up to re-scaling my own 7200 SF 

yard diagram as now required on Checklist #19 .....

 ..... it was not hard to surmise that many seniors having

something better to do, might entrust ARC homework to

agents not particularly interested in holding profit lines 

at minimal plant coverage,

or, in finding time for special DG 6.1 ARC consideration

for approval to use fewer plants than the 'minimum required

plant quantities' indicated by the ARC-DG worksheet tables.

​

This seemed the case recently for one frustrated resident:

                After ARC rejected "not-to-scale" paperwork* for converting 
                a small front yard grass area into simple bark landscaping ....                 
                a Checklist #19 - proposed agent was paid $150 to complete
                ARC approval cycle with the new minimal scale yard diagram
                and worksheet tables mandating 8 plants per each 100 SF
                of total yard area ....

                Two different nurseries reportedly warned the resident, that
                 this project called for too many plants.

                *See 'Devil in the Detail?' below.

                                

ARC-DG worksheet impact on my own front yard:
              
                Project detail can be viewed at:   https://ourimaginalcells.info/my-project-worksheets.html

              Based on the expected SF growth from DG Appendix A, my front
              yard's existing, 31 plants currently exceed the DG-minimal 50% PA
              coverage at maturity goal in non-turf areas, by approximately 90 SF.

              .... 10 'extra' plants can be removed to conserve irrigation; the remaining
              21 plants still come within a few SF of the 50% goal. ​​

​           BUT ....
              Although my ARC worksheet input data showed minimal 50% SF
              coverage goal has already been achieved in every plantable area (PA), 
              the ARC logic is instructing me to ADD five (5) more plants to Area A 
              and forty-eight (48) more plants to Area B .... for total 84 plants*,
              instead, of saving water by filling remaining PA SF with bark (DG 6.2).​   
      
                      AREA  A                                    AREA  B

IMHO, adding another fifty-three (53) plants to the above front yard
is beyond ludicrous, but, this task might be taken seriously by any
ambitious Checklist #19 - proposed landscaping agents happily
deferring to potentially very profitable ARC-required worksheet logic.

               * This is twice the number of plants my front yard can physically
                 accommodate, based on the expected growth of 42 plants similar
                 to 21 plants currently meeting 50% coverage goal in Area A & B.



HOWEVER ....
Special ARC approval for adding fewer plants than these worksheets
have indicated, is only to be 'considered', per Checklist #19 and DG 6.1

"..... if the design drawing clearly shows that the number of plants 
provided will achieve the stated goal of fifty percent coverage at
MATURITY ...."   

               If, creating such design drawing .... which incidentally, replaced
                   my handy purchase plan diagram scale of 1" = 10'   (1/10" = 1.0')
                   with a new, mandatory minimum scale of 1/8" = 1.0'  ....
                   is beyond our skill set,
                   then, DG 6.1 advises us to use a Checklist #19 landscape agent.

                   --  Doing so cost $150 for that frustrated resident switching
                   a small grass area to bark and winding up with 'too many' plants
                   according to two local nurseries. 

                   --  My own design drawing fails to 'clearly show', that I
                   already have 10 extra plants and do not need any of the 53 new
                   plants indicated by ARC worksheets ......
                   See front yard diagram in 'ARC-DG Worksheet Anomalies'.
                  
            

Alternative to new-scaled design drawing for existing plants ....
ARC review suggestion:

                   We can pay the going rate of $50 for HOA Certificate of 
                   Compliance to confirm that fewer than 8 plants per each 100 SF,
                   are achieving the DG-required 50% minimum PA coverage goal 
                   at maturity. 
                   (But, HOA certificates are only effective for the date on which granted.)

           
OR  .....

The current ARC-DG Checklist #19 worksheet calculations might be revised
to use the same plant width data which is technically required by the agents
drawing the ARC-required, up-scaled landscape design diagram showing
locations and setbacks for all plants .....

--  A simple, plant SF area conversion table based on expected width
at maturity can alert homeowners, with or without official ARC projects,
whenever their total plant SF area exceeds minimal 50% PA coverage
goal ..... helping decide how much bark filler to use for conserving water.

--  Revised ARC worksheets can also serve the homeowners who want
to know how many existing plants they can eliminate to manage a water
shortage and still meet DG 50%minimal coverage.

NOTE:
Last 9/01/17, I sent all ARC-related committees and BOD a link to suggestions
for upgrading all ARC Checklists for more effective CC&R compliance, using
Checklist #19 as an example....but I am unaware of upgrades as of 06/10/18.
https://ourimaginalcells.info/diy-compliance-heads-up.html


      

    CONCLUSION


       While results can of course, vary depending on lot size and the


       varieties of all desired plants, homeowners concerned with 

  
       unnecessary landscape irrigation, or wanting to ensure healthy 


       plant boundaries,


       might be interested in comparing their ARC worksheet 'minimum 


       required plant quantities' with how many plants can be physically 


       accommodated in any area according to the expected growth SF.


 
       See 'A Logical Solution' below.

How I got here .... includes my project worksheets


                 The need to use a new lot diagram scale potentially invoking

                 a paid professional agent to convert my original landscape

                 diagram scale, did not leap to my own eye:

                                    --  On my purchase plan landscape scale 1" = 10.0',
                                    the standard, 5-foot setback from property lines for most
                                    trees is represented by 4/8 inch.  ​

                                    --  With the new mandatory minimum scale 1/8" = 1.0'
                                    a 5-foot setback is represented by 5/8 inch. 

Down the Rabbit Hole:  
https://ourimaginalcells.info/how-i-got-here.html​

Devil in the detail? ....


https://ourimaginalcells.info/devil-in-the-detail.html


​A Logical Solution .....


​         Ensuring minimal landscape irrigation and healthy

           root boundaries for all plantable PA yard area, is

           not even close to rocket science ;-).



           Homeowners and landscape agents can use simple

           calculations to help restrict their current or planned

           landscaping to DG minimal 50% PA coverage goals.
 
A suggested worksheet for calculating required minimal
plant quantities based on DG 6.2 and expected growth SF:

​https://ourimaginalcells.info/new-worksheet-for-dg-6-2.html
​