I need some help with my landscaping

Ready2Downsize

Well-known member
TL has all these "rules" regarding landscaping.

We passed the backyard, but the front the HOA didn't pass us because they didn't approve of our putting in Indian Hawthorn and Heavenly Bamboo. Go figure.

So we resubmitted the plan with other plants specifically on the approved list for our elevation (yes, ELEVATION...... each one has different plants we are allowed to have).

I think we have three times we can submit before paying again.

We THOUGHT no problem, should pass but THEN the landscaper went to the city to pull permits for the gas line (BBQ) and sewer for garbage disposal in the sink. Not sure if he needed permits for the water feature or not.

ANYWAY.......... he comes back to us and tells us there is a new ordinance in the city which passed this year saying if we have over 500 sq feet of landscaping, including sq footage of the water feature) and need a permit we have to have a landscape architect sign off on the plan and note the water usage for the landscaping. The landscaper has a license and I think he's an architect but not a "landscape architect".

So my hubby went to a neighbor who gave us the name of a landscape architect they used who charged them $700 for a plan with pavers, short wall and plants..... no bbq, no water feature, no fireplace, etc). We figured fine, should cost less than that because we already have the complete plan but NO!!!!!!!!!!! $2500-$4500! They apparently didn't need to have him sign off because they have nothing they need a city permit for so they were charged only for the plan.

The landscape architect told my hubby they have to get soil samples and take lots of measurements and all kinds of crap so their cost is high for this.

So the issue is........................ we have to have a 3 foot set back to the back wall which means an automatic 240 foot landscaping (80 feet x 3 feet) plus the water feature which brings it up to nearly 300 sq feet without adding anything else.

We weren't going to only have that three foot setback against the wall. We were also going to have planters in the corners and some plants on the sides of the backyard and one wall on the side of the house (we have a decent side yard with windows to the master bathroom). The bathroom windows we wanted privacy plants and the office its just nicer to see a plant than a wall.

Then there is the front yard. We are required to have a tree (two I think) and we wanted plants. I in fact want flowers. I want color. I don't want a yard that is paved in.

We have well over 700 sq feet of landscaping even with a large amount of patio in the back. The HOA requires a certain percent of the lot to have landscaping other than paving and I honestly think there is NO WAY to get under 500 sq feet and I feel I shouldn't have to go with a portable bbq and some free standing water feature or have this high fee for a landscape architect. The landscape architect even thought it was a ridiculous price to pay for 700 sq feet of softscape.

The second submit was probably sent off by the HOA (who didn't answer the phone today when they should have gotten it) and so we'll have one more try before having to pay again if we have to start over.

So my hubby went to ANOTHER neighbor who has a bbq, water feature and bigger backyard going in. He knows nothing about having to get a landscape architect but his landscaper couldn't get a gas permit out of the city without a licensed plumber. He got around it by going himself (he's not a plumber) but they pulled it for him and he thinks there is some difference between a homeowner getting a permit and a landscaper (they even have sod in the backyard).

Has anyone had a problem like this (our landscaper said he thinks Irvine doesn't have this stupid crazy rule...... yet anyway. He only knows Tustin and Fullerton have adopted it) so it would be someone from TL since the ordinance is only a few months old and affects newly constructed homes. And it wouldn't affect Crawford or Sheldon because they don't have over 500 sq feet of landscaping.

I thought it was only TUSD that was an issue here but now that I think about it........ Stan Pac told us the move ins were delayed due to the city of Tustin and they had all kinds of crazy "rules" that they had never seen before.
 
Wow! I thought I was the only person in greenwood that was having issues with the City of Tustin on getting permits. 

I had similar issues when my landscaper went to pull permits for us ..... we went thru hoops just to simply get an electrical permit for 1 outlet.  And when he went back to get a structural permit for patio cover/trellis they were again giving him a hard time. My landscaper said that their excuse was we can't have this structure in high fire zone areas.  If we want it, it would need to be made of steel and 5 feet away from the property line and some other BS.  But if you look at all the model homes they have trellis in the back that is clearly not 5 feet away nor made of steel. 

I ended up not doing this trellis in my backyard because it was such a hassle to deal with the city ... on the bright side I guess i save some $$ and the yard still looks great.

I think you should definitely try pulling an owner's permit instead... might save you a lot of headache down the line.  If I have known better i would have done the same.


 
We wanted a trellis but our landscaper told us what we wanted wouldn't get permitted. We brought him to the model and said but THEY did it! He insisted we wouldn't pass. We asked in the sales office and they told us they were probably going to have to remove it because they don't always have permitted things installed.

You would think the city should know we aren't TR even though we have the same zip code. If we're high fire then everyone is.

What do we need to do to go to the city on our own?
 
I tried looking for the webpage on the city of tustin website about homeowners obtaining permits but for some reason i can't seem to find it anymore.  It says page been moved or expired but I can't find it anywhere .... werid?

I think for structural permits you will need a license civil engineer or architect to do drawings with dimensions and such to be submitted when u apply for the permit.  ( I know this cuz my landscaper actually paid someone to do that for him when he went in)

As for electrical or plumbing ... i dont think you need anything.  You can probably just go to the city building division ... get a form, fill it out and pay. 

Here links i found on the website with more info.
http://www.tustinca.org/depts/cd/forms_n_documents.asp
http://www.tustinca.org/depts/cd/permitprocess.asp

I guess best to just go down to the city and ask them .... sorry not much help ..
 
The landscaper brought his plan. I think it's drawn to scale.

We went to Thompson's in Orange today to look at pots (we wanted tall pots that can be used as a bubbler). We asked how long it would take to get the pots after we order them and mentioned we had to get a landscape architect to do a water study before we could order them and the sales guy asked what city we're in. When we said "Tustin" he just laughed.

We asked if he's heard others have had issues with the city and he said, "oh yeah!". He said Irvine has no problems but Tustin.............. just shook his head.

The first family we talked to never had any of this because they didn't try to pull permits. We're going to ask another neighbor when he gets back home at the end of the week what he did. He has a patio cover going in that attaches to the back of the house.
 
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