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Title 13 — Planning, Zoning and Development›Chapter VII — LANDSCAPING STANDARDS

§ 13-101. Purpose.

Costa Mesa Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · Costa Mesa

It is the purpose of this chapter to establish reasonable requirements and standards for the design, installation, water conservation, and maintenance of landscape and irrigation to:

  • (1) Enhance the aesthetic appearance of the city by providing standards relating to quality, quantity, and functional aspects of landscaping for developments in all areas of the city.

  • (2) Address water conservation measures through the landscape and irrigation design.

  • (3) Encourage sustainable landscapes through landscape techniques that conserve, recycle, and reuse the resources that are invested in landscapes.

  • (4) Encourage landscape design that protects public health, safety, and welfare by minimizing the impact of all forms of physical and visual pollution, erosion, and unsightly conditions. This includes promoting the use of canopy trees in parking lots, and limiting the overall use of palm trees.

  • (5) Deter graffiti on walls, break up continuous asphalt and/or concrete surfaces on existing properties, screen incompatible land uses, cool and shade vehicles and hardscape areas, preserve the integrity of neighborhoods, and enhance pedestrian and vehicular corridors.

  • (6) Encourage applicants to take full advantage of the wide range of drought tolerant landscape materials and low water flow irrigation systems available within the framework established by this chapter.

  • (7) Establish water efficient landscape regulations, pursuant to State Assembly Bill 1881 and as effective as the State Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance.

  • (8) Promote the design, installation, and maintenance of landscaping in a manner that conserves regional water resources by ensuring that landscaping projects are not unduly water-needy and that irrigation systems are appropriately implemented to minimize water waste.

  • (9) Refer to the "Water Efficient Landscape Guidelines" adopted by city council resolution to provide procedural and design guidance for project applicants for specified landscape installation or rehabilitation projects except for the R-1 (single-family residential) district.

(Ord. No. 97-11, § 2, 5-5-97; Ord. No. 99-13, § 2, 9-20-99; Ord. No. 10-2, § 3a., 2-2-10)

§ 13-101.1. Applicability.

  • (a) The provisions of this chapter apply to all zoning districts in the city, except in R-1 zones; however, landscaping in the R-1 zone is required to provide a combination of shrubs, ground cover and or trees in all visible landscape setbacks visible from public right-ofway. Landscaping in the R-1 zone is exempt from the provisions of sections 13-106(a)(1) through 13-106(a)(4).

  • (b) Landscaping and irrigation which is a part of a registered historical site, public park, or golf course facility, or new or rehabilitated cemeteries may be exempted from the provisions of this chapter when deemed necessary and appropriate by the planning division and consistent with the state's requirements.

  • (c) The water efficient landscape guidelines shall apply to projects that meet the following criteria unless exempted pursuant to the water efficiency landscape guidelines:

    • (1) New landscape projects with an aggregate landscape area equal to or greater than 500 square feet, requiring a building permit or landscape permit, plan check or design review.

    • (2) Rehabilitated landscape projects with an aggregate landscape area equal to or greater than 2,500 square feet, requiring a building or landscape permit, plan check or design review.

    • (3) New or rehabilitated landscape projects with an aggregate landscape area of 2,500 square feet or less may comply with the performance requirements of this ordinance or conform to the prescriptive measures contained in appendix A of the guidelines.

    • (4) New or rehabilitated projects using treated or untreated graywater or rainwater capture on site, any lot or parcels within the project that has less than 2,500 square feet of landscape area and meets the lot or parcel's landscape water requirement (estimated total water use) entirely with the treated or untreated graywater or though stored rainwater capture on site is subject only to appendix A of the guidelines.

  • (d) This water efficient landscape ordinance does not apply to:

    • (1) Registered local or state historical sites; or

(2) Ecological restoration projects that do not require a permanent irrigation system.

(Ord. No. 99-13, § 2, 9-20-99; Ord. No. 10-2, § 3a., 2-2-10; Ord. No. 16-03, § 1, 3-1-16; Ord. No. 21-20, § 1, 12-7-21)

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▸ Contents — Costa Mesa Zoning Code
Costa Mesa Zoning Code
  1. ▸ Title 13 — Planning, Zoning and Development
    Overview
    1. Chapter I — IN GENERAL
    2. Chapter II — ZONING DISTRICTS ESTABLISHED
    3. Chapter III — PLANNING APPLICATIONS
    4. Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
    5. Chapter V — DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
    6. ▸ Chapter VII — LANDSCAPING STANDARDS
      Overview
      1. § 13-101. Purpose.
      2. § 13-102. Definitions.
      3. § 13-103. General provisions and submittal requirements.
      4. § 13-104. Landscape plan objectives.
      5. § 13-105. Landscaping requirements.
      6. § 13-106. Required landscaping materials.
      7. § 13-107. Irrigation requirements.
      8. § 13-108. Landscape maintenance.
    7. Chapter VIII — SIGNS
    8. Chapter IX — SPECIAL LAND USE REGULATIONS
    9. Chapter X — NONCONFORMING USES, DEVELOPMENTS AND LOTS
    10. Chapter XI — SUBDIVISIONS
    11. Chapter XII — SPECIAL FEE ASSESSMENTS
    12. Chapter XIII — NOISE CONTROL
    13. Chapter XIV — OIL DRILLING
    14. Chapter XV — GROUP HOMES
    15. Chapter XVII — AFFORDABLE HOUSING ORDINANCE

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