OXNARD : Water Rules May Be Eased for Large Lots
Oxnard’s larger landowners may soon have greener lawns and healthier fruit trees.
In response to complaints from homeowners, Oxnard city officials are considering easing water restrictions for landscaping lots of more than 6,000 square feet.
Current restrictions, which have been in place since April, limit households to 85 gallons of water per person per day, and an additional 57 gallons a day per yard, regardless of the lot’s size.
City officials are considering increasing this minimum allowance to 60 gallons a day and allowing owners of larger lots to use an extra 10 gallons a day for every 1,000 square feet that their lots exceed 6,000 square feet.
“We’re getting a lot of appeals . . . from people losing expensive landscaping,” Director of Public Works James E. Frandsen said.
“The extent of the drought isn’t as bad as we originally thought. We are getting the requirements met, and we don’t like to penalize people any more than we have to.”
Oxnard used 19.8% less water this May than in May, 1990--more than meeting the Metropolitan Water District’s requirement for a 15% reduction.
Assistant Director of Public Works Joe Yurkow said the proposed revision is in line with the city’s intent to review the restrictions 90 days after they took effect in April.
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