Chapter 21.66 — LANDSCAPING

This chapter establishes minimum landscape standards for all uses for the purpose of enhancing the appearance of developments, reducing heat and glare, controlling soil erosion, conserving water, establishing a buffer and/or screen between residential and non-residential land uses, and ensuring the ongoing maintenance of landscape areas. (Ord. 612 Exhibit A (part), 2008).

The minimum standards of this chapter shall apply to all new construction, expansion, renovation, conversion, and alteration of existing uses or structures throughout the city. Landscaping and buffering requirements shall be provided prior to the issuance of occupancy permits.

(Ord. 612 Exhibit A (part), 2008).

(a) Detailed landscape and irrigation plans shall be required for all applicable development. Plans shall be prepared by a registered landscape architect for review and approval by the public works director and community development director prior to issuance of building permits.

(b) Landscaping shall be designed as an integral part of the overall site plan to enhance building design, public views and spaces, and to provide buffers, transitions, and screening. Landscape design and construction shall be compatible with the surrounding urban and natural environment.

(c) For the purposes of this chapter, landscape materials shall include any live plants, tree, shrubs, turf, groundcover, or other vegetation. Landscape materials do not include concrete or other solid surfaces, fountains, decorative paving, fences or walls, or other non-living materials.

(Ord. 612 Exhibit A (part), 2008).

(a) Minimum Landscape Coverage and Perimeter Landscape Area.

(1) Table 21.66.040 sets forth landscape coverage and location requirements by zoning district. In the case of a planned unit development (PUD), the PUD document shall set forth the standards.

(2) The minimum requirements for perimeter landscape areas may include access driveways and sidewalks required for vehicles and pedestrians. However, the required perimeter landscaping shall not include any landscaped areas required for any parking area, as set forth in Section 21.68.120.

Table 21.66.040

Table 21.66.040

Notes:

1. No less than 50 percent of the required front yard area of any single-family lot shall be maintained with a pervious surface.

2. If a solid 6-foot-high fence encloses the street side yard of a single-family lot, this requirement shall not apply.

• (b) Street Trees.

(1) Street trees shall be required on all city streets. The number of street trees shall be determined by dividing the length of property frontage, including driveway width, by forty, with the resultant number being the required number of trees. Fractional numbers shall be rounded up to the next whole number.

(2) Additional tree planting may be required as part of a subdivision or project condition of approval.

(c) Landscape of Unused and Undeveloped Portions of a Site. All areas of a site not intended for a specific use or purpose in conjunction with a current application, including vacant or undeveloped pad sites in shopping centers held for future development, shall be fully landscaped and irrigated with an automatic irrigation system. Landscaping shall include a combination of trees, shrubs, ground cover, turf, and/or approved decorative landscape materials, as approved by the community development director and public works director.

(Ord. 612 Exhibit A (part), 2008).

(a) Plant Type. Landscape planting shall emphasize drought-tolerant and native species (especially along natural or scenic corridors), shall complement the architectural design of structures on the site, and shall be suitable for the soil and climatic conditions of the site.

(b) Planting Size and Spacing. To achieve an immediate effect of a landscape installation and to allow sustained growth of planting materials, minimum plant material sizes and plant spacing shall be as follows:

(1) Trees. The minimum plant size for trees shall be fifteen gallons. Trees planted within ten feet of a street, sidewalk, paved trail, or walkway shall be a deep-rooted species or shall be separated from paved surfaces by a root barrier to prevent physical damage to public improvements. A minimum distance of fifteen feet is required between the center of trees to street light standards and fire hydrants.

• (2) Shrubs. The minimum plant size for shrubs shall be five gallons.

(3) Ground cover. Ground cover (including turf) shall be planted in a manner to provide one hundred percent coverage within two years of initial planting.

(c) Clear Sight Distance Maintained. To safeguard against vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian collisions caused by visual obstructions at street intersections, a clear cross-visibility area shall be maintained at the intersection of the public rights-of-way, unobstructed by any landscape material taller than forty-two inches above the street grade. At any corner formed by the intersection of two streets, the required clear cross-visibility area shall be a triangle having two sides fifteen-feet long extending along the curb line of each street (see previous Figure 21.62.050). (Ord. 612 Exhibit A (part), 2008).

(a) Consistent with the purposes of California Government Code Section 65591 (Water Conservation in Landscaping Act), all new development shall comply with the following water-conserving landscape requirements. Exceptions to these requirements include single-family and duplex residential development and cemeteries.

(b) To the greatest extent possible, landscape material shall consist of drought-tolerant plants. Low-water-use plants shall be used in at least fifty percent of the total planted area. Plant material selected shall be suitable for the given soil and climate conditions. Plant selection shall take into consideration water conservation through appropriate use and groupings of plants that are well adapted to particular sites and to particular watering needs, climatic, geological, and topographical conditions.

(c) The maximum area permitted for turf shall be fifty percent of the total area landscaped on the site. Higher percentages may be permitted when sod is an essential part of the development such as playing fields for schools or parks and residential model units. Turf usage shall only be permitted for highly visual and functional use areas. Turf shall not be permitted in areas difficult to irrigate, such as sidewalk strips, slopes over fifteen percent, or narrow pathways.

(d) Decorative water features such as pools, ponds, and waterfalls used in landscaped areas shall incorporate recycling of water, and where, available, use of reclaimed water. Decorative water features shall be designed to minimize water loss.

(Ord. 612 Exhibit A (part), 2008).

(a) Irrigation.

(1) All required landscaped areas shall be provided with an approved irrigation system. Irrigation systems shall be designed to avoid runoff, excessive low-head drainage, overspray, or other similar conditions where water flows or drifts onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, walks, roadways or structures.

(2) All landscaped areas, with the exception of systems for single-family residences, shall be provided with an automatically timed-controlled sprinkler system.

(b) Maintenance of Landscaped Areas.

(1) All landscaped areas shall be permanently maintained by watering, clearing of debris and litter, weeding, pruning, insect control, and replacement of plant materials and irrigation equipment as needed to preserve the health and appearance of plant materials.

(2) All trees, shrubs, and plants that due to accident, damage, disease, or other cause fail to show a healthy growth, shall be replaced, in kind, pursuant to the approved landscape plan within thirty days from the identified damage date.

(3) All landscaping shall be maintained in such a manner that does not restrict pedestrian access by overhanging into the public right-of-way or other designated pedestrian path.

(4) Any tree, shrub, or part thereof on private property that overhangs any street so that it endangers life, safety, or public property shall be removed, trimmed, or cut off within ten days after written notice from the city. (Ord. 612 Exhibit A (part), 2008).

21.66.080 Planting and overhead utility lines .

In keeping with the purposes of this chapter, the city encourages planting within overhead utility corridors. However, landscape planting near overhead utility lines and abutting utility support structures has the potential of creating a public safety hazard by causing physical damage, disrupting service, and obstructing access. Therefore, within twenty feet of any overhead utility lines, planting restrictions are as follows:

(1) Tree species at full growth shall not encroach within a ten-foot radial line clearance of all overhead electric utility distribution or transmission lines. Unless ground clearance is greater than thirty feet, mature tree height shall not exceed twenty feet.

(2) A minimum ten-foot clearance shall be maintained around all poles and ground structures to ensure necessary firebreaks and unobstructed access.

(Ord. 612 Exhibit A (part), 2008).