What do Brea's proposed water and landscape rules change?

Brea’s October 20, 2026 agenda included two ordinances for introduction: one on watering turf with drinking water and one on landscape project rules. Proposed Ordinance 1280 would restrict potable water irrigation of nonfunctional turf on named properties. Proposed Ordinance 1282 would update a citation in the City’s water efficient landscaping rules.

This is general information and not legal or tax advice.

Both ordinances were on the October 20, 2026 agenda for introduction (first reading), with staff recommending that adoption be scheduled at the next regular City Council meeting. As of October 29, 2026 Insider has not seen minutes confirming the vote, and the ordinances are not shown as adopted.

What would the two ordinances change?

Ordinance 1280 would establish nonfunctional turf irrigation restrictions, while Ordinance 1282 would update an existing landscape code citation.

The City of Brea’s October 20 agenda lists them separately: item 6.B concerns water ordinance amendments, and item 7.B concerns Model Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance requirements under SB 1383. A question about watering an HOA lawn belongs with the turf proposal; a question about compost requirements for a landscape project belongs with the landscape provisions.

The Public Works Department’s report connects Ordinance 1280 to Assembly Bill 1572. It says public water systems must update their water service rules and communicate the requirements to customers by January 1, 2027. The report says the ordinance must be adopted and submitted to the Department of Water Resources by January 1, 2027. Otherwise, the City would be out of compliance and “could be subject to State penalties.” That statement concerns the City.

Ordinance 1280 would amend Section 13.20.030 and add paragraph O to Section 13.20.070 in Chapter 13.20 (Water Shortage Contingency Response). It would also amend Paragraph B of Section 14.00.050 (Landscape Water Use Standards) in Chapter 14.00 (Water Efficient Landscaping Requirements).

What counts as nonfunctional turf?

The draft defines nonfunctional turf as turf that is not functional turf, including turf within street rights-of-way and parking lots.

Functional turf, in turn, is a turf ground cover surface in a recreational use area or community space. The draft says turf behind fencing or other barriers that permanently prevent human access for recreation or assembly is not functional turf.

So the useful question isn’t simply whether an area looks like a lawn. Ask what the space is for and whether it is available for recreation or assembly. The staff report describes nonfunctional turf as grass outside a recreational use area or community space that isn’t intended or available for recreation, events, or other human use.

For a purchase involving shared landscaping, identify the actual area under discussion before asking for an interpretation. A photograph of green grass alone doesn’t answer the questions in the draft definition. Ask the City how the proposed wording applies to that space.

Which properties and dates does the turf proposal name?

The proposal names commercial, industrial, institutional, HOA, common interest development, and community service organization properties, with different starting dates.

For properties owned by the Department of General Services, local governments, local or regional public agencies, and public water systems, the proposed date is January 1, 2027. For those properties in a disadvantaged community, it is January 1, 2031 or the date a state funding source becomes available, whichever is later.

Other institutional properties and all commercial and industrial properties would have a January 1, 2028 starting date. The proposed date for common areas of HOA, common interest development, and community service organization properties or similar entities is January 1, 2029. Cemeteries are exempt.

Don’t use that list to assume an answer about a single-family yard. Homeowners should read the ordinance text or ask the City about their own property. Cerritos is considering a similar state-driven rule, but a nearby city’s proposal doesn’t establish what applies in Brea.

What should you check about an HOA’s landscaping?

You should check which landscaped areas are common areas, how the turf is used, and what water irrigates it.

The draft defines common area as the part of a common interest development or HOA-managed property that isn’t assigned or allocated to an individual dwelling’s occupants for exclusive use. Its definition of common interest development includes condominium projects, planned developments, community apartment projects, and stock cooperatives. Those definitions make the property documents relevant to your question.

The California HOA disclosure guide is a useful companion when you review association documents. The draft defines a homeowners’ association as a nonprofit corporation or unincorporated association created to manage a common interest development.

Would the proposal require you to remove grass?

The proposal describes a restriction on potable water irrigation, not a requirement to remove turf.

Potable means drinking-quality water. Before drawing a conclusion about a particular lawn, ask what supplies its irrigation. The source material doesn’t identify the water supplier for a given Brea address, so that needs a property-specific answer.

The draft also contains an exception to the extent necessary to maintain the health of trees and other perennial nonturf plantings, or to address an immediate health and safety need. If trees or perennial plantings share a landscaped area with turf, ask how that exception would apply. Don’t assume the presence of a tree settles the status of the entire lawn.

A watering restriction also doesn’t answer what replacement landscaping is allowed. If you’re comparing it with Carson’s artificial turf front yard rules, keep the questions separate and ask Brea about your proposed landscape.

A Brea homeowner asked us whether the proposed landscape rules meant she would have to remove her lawn immediately. She had already reduced her watering and did not want to redesign the entire yard based on something she had only heard about. We looked at what the proposed ordinances would actually regulate and which requirements would apply to existing landscaping rather than new work.

What would the landscape citation update do?

Ordinance 1282 would update a citation for existing requirements addressing soil amendments, compost, and mulch in applicable landscape projects.

On February 15, 2022, the Council adopted Ordinance No. 1224 for SB 1383, adding Chapter 8.56 (Organic Waste Disposal). That chapter includes a provision requiring compliance with certain California Green Building Standards Code water efficient landscaping regulations in effect as of January 1, 2020.

The staff report says the California Department of Water Resources updated the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, or MWELO, effective January 2, 2025. That update primarily reorganized and clarified provisions, including renumbering landscape design requirements from Section 492.6 to Section 493.2. CalRecycle then corrected the corresponding reference in its SB 1383 regulations.

Ordinance 1282 would amend Paragraph A of Section 8.56.100 (Model Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance Requirements) in Chapter 8.56. It would reference 23 C.C.R. Section 493.2(d)(2), (3), (4) and (7), as in effect on January 2, 2025. The report says this update does not create new MWELO requirements for the City.

Which landscape projects should you ask about?

You should ask about the stated thresholds if you’re constructing a new project with more than 500 square feet of landscape area or rehabilitating an existing landscape with a total landscape area greater than 2,500 square feet.

The proposed amendment addresses property owners or their building or landscape designers. Preserve the distinction between a new project and rehabilitation when describing your plans, and bring the landscape area figure into the conversation.

Ask the City which category fits the work and how the cited soil amendment, compost, and mulch requirements apply. If you’re selling with landscape work under consideration, keep the proposed scope and its area clear for the same reason.

Ordinance 1280 would also require landscapes under Chapter 14.00 to comply with Section 13.20.070’s permanent water conservation requirements, including applicable restrictions on potable water irrigation of nonfunctional turf.

These source materials don’t establish whether your project needs a permit or inspection. The project thresholds alone shouldn’t be used to answer either question.

The short version

Brea’s proposals call for checking irrigation use, property classification, and landscape project scope before drawing conclusions.

Ordinance 1280 would restrict potable water irrigation of nonfunctional turf on the named properties according to its proposed schedule. Ordinance 1282 would update a landscape citation without creating new MWELO requirements for the City. Adoption is not shown in the material reviewed.

For a purchase or sale, identify the relevant landscaped area and bring specific questions to the City or association. Check the City’s agenda record for a confirmed decision before describing either proposal as an adopted rule.

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