Chino Hills Municipal Code Ch. 8 Landscaping

(a) The individuality of and relationship between the villages is strengthened by the landscape plan. Overall community identity is greatly enhanced by the continuity of landscape materials along major thoroughfares. Conversely, village identity is established through landscaping at major entry points, along drainage corridors, within village cores and along collector roads leading to the core.

(b) Guidelines for landscaping and plant selection to create village identity are provided in Chapter 12. The purpose of the following standards is to establish community-wide criteria and specifications for various landscape treatments which are likely to be common to many or all villages. The categories of landscape treatment are:

(1) Grassland: To maintain the natural character of the Chino Hills, some existing grass land areas will be preserved and some graded areas will be reestablished as grassland. Reestablished grasslands will normally occur as transition zones between development and existing natural grassland areas.

(2) Skyline: Skyline planting will be used along ridgelines where development is proposed to soften the impact of and draw the eye away from development as a skyline feature.

(3) Ornamental Planting: The purpose of this type of planting within the community is to add interest through color and form. It will serve to attract attention to village entry signs and add color accent to the street scene.

(4) Slope Planting: This type of landscape is both aesthetic and functional. Aesthetically, it will provide a pleasant backdrop along roadways, and it will provide a transition between development and adjacent roadways or various other uses. It also helps to improve the physical appearance of manufactured slopes by softening the hard edges and unifying the slope with the adjacent areas. Functionally, slope planting acts to hold the newly graded soil together, thus discouraging erosion.

(5) Roadway Landscape: Roadway treatment includes berming, fencing and landscaping within the parkway, the land area lying between the paved road and adjacent private development. It also includes median plantings where appropriate.

(6) Fuel Modification: A landscaped and irrigated area between inhabited structures and grasslands will frequently be used to reduce the acute fire danger in Chino Hills. Highly flammable native brush will be cleared and replaced with mostly low growing groundcover possessing a potentially high moisture content.

(7) Solar Shading: Tree shading and vegetation will be used to reduce outdoor air temperatures and indoor air-conditioning demand and also make outdoor walking and bicycling more pleasant in warm weather.

(a) All residential, commercial, industrial, mixed use and public land uses shall include landscaping. These standards shall apply to all landscaped areas with the exception of private residential yards, in which case they serve as guidelines.

(1) All landscaping must be done with drought tolerant plants from the attached lists of trees, shrubs, vines and groundcovers (Sections CH3.0803 - CH3.0805).

(A) Drought tolerant shall include plants, which when established, require watering no more frequently than once every two to three weeks.

(B) Other drought tolerant plants recommended by a registered landscape architect may be used if approved by the County Planning Department.

(C) Grasses shall be used in reestablished grasslands between existing natural grasslands areas and development. Grasses are also permitted in other locations, especially for immediate and temporary erosion control, although high maintenance water demanding varieties should generally be limited to recreation areas.

(D) Water demanding plants may be used in areas to be irrigated by an approved reclaimed wastewater or greywater system.

(2) An irrigation system shall be required for any landscaped area to insure plantings are adequately watered. In commercial, industrial, public, and multiple residential areas where backbone water reclamation facilities are planned, the irrigation system shall be separate from (not interconnected with) the interior domestic water system.

(3) Prior to issuance of any building permits, landscaping plans shall be approved by the County Planning Department for the project. Landscaping plans must address all of the appropriate grading and landscaping standards and guidelines contained in the Specific Plan.

(4) Specific planting, staking, watering, and replacement requirements shall be established by the responsible service district for any landscaping in public areas including, but not limited to street rights-of-way and parks.

(5) Graded slopes shall be promptly revegetated with groundcover or a combination of groundcover, shrubs and trees from the approved lists. Hydroseed may partially substitute for container plantings. Groundcovers shall possess moderate or high erosion control qualities and all plantings shall conform to the applicable village landscape guidelines. Further, appropriate fertilization and plant materials shall be verified by soil sampling and analysis by a soils laboratory to be indicated on the landscaping plans for the project.

(6) Landscaping requirements for fuel modification zones (fuel breaks for fire safety) are established in the Fire Safety Standards of Section CH3.0902.

(7) Landscape treatment at village entries and main or primary entrances into individual development projects shall conform to the appropriate village landscape guidelines and plants shall be selected from the approved landscaping lists.

(8) Street trees should be long-lived (60 years), deep rooted, and require little maintenance (structurally strong, insect and disease resistant, and require little pruning). Tree selection shall be from the approved tree list. For medians and parkways where trees will be planted adjacent to the curb, recommended trees are asterisked.

(9) Tree sizes and spacing within center medians shall be as follow:

(A) Six-lane major arterials; Trees shall be 24-inch box minimum at 50 feet on center.

(B) Four lane primary highways: Trees shall be grouped at 6 trees per 100 lineal feet with groupings at least 100 feet apart. They shall consist of mixed sizes, 5 and 15 gallon and 24 inch box.

(10) Tree sizes and spacing within parkways shall be as follows:

(A) For parkways along the fronts of residential lots in conventional single family subdivision, trees shall be 15 gallon minimum at 30 feet on center. This requirement may be waived where average lot size exceeds ½ acre.

(B) For parkways along the rear of residential lots, trees may be grouped or equally spaced depending upon the character of the village and the particular development. The number of trees shall be not less than indicated by Section CH3.0802(a)(10)(A) and (B). Tree sizes shall be mixed 5 and 15 gallon and 24 inch box.

(C) For clustered housing projects consisting of attached or detached dwelling units, tree spacing shall be dictated by good design to achieve the desired screening, shading, and appearance. The number of trees shall be not less than indicated by Section CH3.0802(a)(10)(A) and (B). Tree sizes shall be mixed 5 and 15 gallon and 24 inch box.

(11) In the interest of public safety, trees shall be planted not less than; 25 feet from beginning of curb returns at intersections; 10 feet from street lights; 10 feet from fire hydrants; and 10 feet from driveways.

(12) Underplantings within medians shall be low profile shrubs, groundcover or grasses. They shall conform to the character of the village in which they are located, and be selected from the approved landscaping lists.

(13) Parkway underplantings shall consist of low profile groundcover to fences or walls with shrub mounding in groupings to soften wall forms. Planting shall be selected from the approved lists of shrubs and groundcovers.

(14) Parking lot trees shall have a mature height and spread of at least 30 feet. They should also be long-lived (60 years), clean, require little maintenance (structurally strong, insect and disease resistant, and require little pruning). Tree selection shall be from the approved tree list. They shall be 15 gallon and spaced to shade as shown in Figure 3-41.

(15) Paths and trails which generally parallel the roadway but are not located within or adjacent to the paved section shall be landscaped with groundcover on both sides to 10 feet where possible. Materials shall be selected from the approved list of groundcovers and conform to the applicable village landscape guidelines. Trees picked from the approved tree list, shall also be planted to provide summer shade.

(16) Deciduous trees from the approved tree list shall be used in south facing outdoor areas around buildings to provide solar access during winter months, while providing shade in hot summer months.

(17) Trees and shrubs on west sides of buildings shall be concentrated to reduce heat buildup during hot afternoon hours.

(18) Deciduous trees from the approved tree list shall be used where winter sun is to be available to outdoor recreation areas, especially areas to north of trees.

[Figure]

SCALE 1″ - 60′ LANDSCAPE SHADING DIAGRAM FIGURE 3-41

Trees planted on North/South axis will cast long shadows East and West during morning and afternoon hours in hot summer months. Trees with 35-foot height will caste a shadow approximately 30 feet of the East at 3 p.m. on June 21st.

*Recommended street trees.

VINES

Bougainvillea

*Fire retardant