McFarland Municipal Code Ch. 17.146 Landscaping and Irrigation

The purpose of this chapter is to ensure that development is aesthetically pleasing and compatible with surrounding development by requiring the provision of adequate landscaping in connection with new development and the expansion of existing development and changes in use.

(Ord. No. 032-2013, § 1, 8-8-13)

A. All projects for which site plan approval is required, shall install and maintain landscaping in accordance with the requirements of this chapter; provided however, these landscape requirements shall not apply to projects where a current use is expanded but the valuation of the building permit is less than twenty-five percent of the appraised value.

B. All landscaping and irrigation required under these standards shall be installed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

(Ord. No. 032-2013, § 1, 8-8-13)

If landscaping is required, landscape and irrigation plans shall be submitted as a part of the building plans. The following design standards shall apply:

A. All areas within a required setback shall contain living ground cover or a combination of living and nonliving ground coverings (nonliving to be a maximum of twenty percent). Parking shall not be allowed within the front or street side setback in any zone, and shall be fully landscaped as set forth herein. All plants within required setbacks to be of species suited to Sunset Western Garden Book Climate Zones 8 and 9. The use of low water varieties, grouped by similar water usage is required.

1. Definition. "Living groundcover" means low-growing plants or shrubs that after being planted will grow together to form a solid cover in one year or less. To achieve desired coverage, low-growing groundcover plants taken from flats shall be planted a maximum of twelve inches on center. Low-growing, shrub type groundcovers in one-gallon cans shall be planted a maximum of two feet on center. Spacing may be increased to three feet on center for fast growing plants as approved by the planning division.

2. Definition. "Nonliving groundcover" means forest humus or walk-on bark, rock and other similar materials. Use shall require permission of the planning director.

3. All soil surfaces are to be covered by plant materials or nonliving groundcovers as defined in subsection (C)(5)(b) of this section. At least two inches of nonliving materials shall be applied to all planting areas except turf.

B. Islands of a minimum area of eighty square feet shall be established at a maximum separation of ten continuous parking stalls. The islands shall be landscaped with groundcovers and with a minimum of one fifteen-gallon tree planted in each island. Actual numbers of trees will be based on the size of the project as determined by the planning director.

C. All landscaping as required in this chapter shall be reviewed by the planning director as to the type, density of planting and size of plants intended for use. All landscaped areas shall be permanently maintained by the property owner. Such maintenance shall include, where appropriate, pruning, mowing, weeding, cleaning, fertilizing and regular watering. Whenever necessary, planting shall be replaced with other plant materials to insure continued compliance.

D. All landscaped areas in commercial, industrial, and multifamily projects shall be surrounded with six-inch high concrete curbing, unless waived by the planning director or planning commission.

E. Buffer planting shall occur along freeways and major arterials in order to visually screen uses and provide noise reduction. The landscaping shall be in addition to screening requirements set forth in this chapter.

F. Trees:

1. Spacing of trees to be variable depending on type and eventual size, but that there be a general minimum standard of one tree with a minimum trunk diameter of two inches at four feet above finished grade at time of planting, for each thirty lineal feet of frontage of a required landscaped setback, exclusive of vehicular site lines and shall not be planted within five feet of any curb, gutter or sidewalk unless a root directing device is used.

2. Trees to be used in parking lots shall be of a type that will form a full head on a single trunk, i.e., Chinese Elm, Chinese Pistache, Golden Rain, Valley Oak or other approved species. All trees planted within public right-of-way shall be consistent with the City Street Tree Master Plan.

3. Where trees are planted in paved areas which are unprotected by curbs they shall have a protective tree grate or equivalent device. Tree grates shall be cast iron with a natural finish. A deep root-directing device shall also be used.

4. Tree planters located in parking areas shall be sufficiently large and protected so that a parked car does not extend into the minimum four-foot by four-foot tree planting area which shall be landscaped with groundcover, shrubs and/or climbing plants.

G. Shrubs.

1. At least seventy-five percent of shrubs planted shall be of five-gallon minimum size. One-gallon plants may be used if planted with approved low water-using varieties.

2. Shrubs within a required setback shall be spaced in such a way so that at maturity the plants will provide eighty percent ground coverage.

H. Mounding.

1. Mounding or low-growing shrub areas along street frontages may be used to screen parking areas and shall not exceed a 1:7 slope and shrubs shall be low-growing varieties with a mature height of four feet or less. Steeper slopes may be allowed if irrigated by drip systems.

2. Mounding shall not be required for landscape areas which are ten feet, or less, in width.

3. Mounds shall be compacted prior to planting to prevent excessive settlement.

4. Black plastic shall not be used under wood chips on mounds, or slopes in general.

5. Turf on mounds requires slope rates of 1:10 or less. Mounds with groundcovers require slope rates of 1:5 or less.

6. Mounds may not be used within site triangles, or in areas that will create hazards to pedestrians or motorists.

I. Parking Lots.

1. Trees shall be planted in all parking lots at a 1:6 ratio of trees to parking stalls.

2. Such tree planters shall contain approved trees on twenty-foot centers or in such a manner as to have fifty percent shade coverage of the parking lot in ten years.

3. Shrubs and trees to be arranged in such a way as to avoid damage from the front of parked cars extending into the planter areas.

4. All landscaped areas shall be irrigated.

J. Turf.

1. Turf shall be limited to forty percent of the total landscape area and use low water-using varieties. Public parks, golf courses, cemeteries, schools, properties within a historic district, and residential office conversions are to be reviewed for exemptions on a project by project basis.

2. No turf will be allowed:

a. In traffic medians on arterials or freeways;

b. Parkways or planting areas narrower than five feet;

c. Storm drainage ponds with slopes in excess of 1:6;

d. On mounds or slopes exceeding 1:10;

e. Exceptions to turf in parkways may be granted by the planning division in cases where pedestrian access is necessary across parkways.

(Ord. No. 032-2013, § 1, 8-8-13)

The following defines the landscape requirements for all new residential developments:

A. A maximum of forty percent of the required front yard setback area may be paved for access to off-street parking or driveway access to off-street parking. An additional maximum of ten percent may be paved for walkways or uncovered patio use;

B. Landscape and automatic irrigation shall be provided in the front yard setback area;

C. The front yard setback shall be landscaped with a minimum of sod and two trees. Said trees shall be planted a minimum of ten feet from any common property line. If a landscaped area exists between the street and sidewalk then one of the required tress shall be planted in the landscape area. This would reduce the number of required trees in the front yard from two to one;

D. All landscaping shall be watered by an automatic irrigation system;

E. All sod shall be uniformly cut and fully mature prior to installation;

F. All trees shall have a minimum trunk diameter of two inches at four feet above finished grade at time of planting, and be free of insect infestation, plant disease, sun scalds or any other objectionable disfigurements;

G. All new trees shall be required to have heavy weight tree stakes to provide support;

H. Any trees installed in a landscaped strip shall be required to have root barrier devices.

(Ord. No. 032-2013, § 1, 8-8-13)

The following defines the landscape requirements for all new residential developments:

A. Ten percent of the developed lot or all open space area, whichever is greater shall be landscaped with either living ground cover or a combination of turf, living and non-living ground coverings (turf shall be a maximum of forty percent and non-living ground cover a maximum of twenty percent).

1. "Living ground-cover" means low growing plants or shrubs that after being planted will grow together to form a solid cover in one year or less. To achieve desired coverage, low-growing groundcover plants taken from flats shall be planted a maximum of twelve inches on center. Low-growing, shrub type groundcovers in one gallon cans shall be planted a maximum of two feet on center.

2. "Nonliving-groundcover" means forest humus, bark rock or other similar materials. Uses shall require approval of the planning department.

3. All soil surfaces are to be covered by plant.

B. Front yard and street side yard setback areas, excluding approved driveway entrances, maneuvering areas and public sidewalks shall be landscaped. Within this area, trees shall be planted no farther thirty feet apart and no closer than five feet from the back of sidewalks.

C. Within each planter or landscaped area, an irrigation system and live landscaping shall be provided and maintained.

(Ord. No. 032-2013, § 1, 8-8-13)

A. A landscape plan shall be submitted for approval by the planning department and shall contain the following:

1. Name and address of the applicant.

2. Name and address of property owner.

3. Location of existing and proposed buildings, structures and parking areas where such structures are to remain.

4. Proposed uses of buildings and structures.

5. Proposed landscaping including:

a. Symbolic representation of each tree, shrub, and ground cover with name or initial shown on the plan for each plant.

b. List of proposed plants with common and botanical name of each plant, the total number of each plant and the size and container of each plant.

6. The dimensions and square footage of each parking area.

7. Landscaped plans shall be prepared and stamped by a licensed landscaped architect or licensed landscape contractor.

B. An irrigation plan shall be submitted for approval by the planning department and shall contain the following:

1. Irrigation plans must show an irrigation conformance calculation with a ten percent safety margin. If the landscape is required as the result of a request for building permit, the landscape and irrigation plans shall be submitted as a part of the building plans.

2. Water-efficient systems (drip, mini-spray, bubbler type, etc., shall be used whenever feasible.

3. All irrigation systems shall be equipped with an automatic controller capable of dual or multiple programming. Controllers must have multiple cycle capabilities and a flexible calendar program.

4. Separate valves shall be installed based on water use of planting and exposures on irrigation systems with seven or more valves. Turf areas should be on separate valve from non-turf areas on all irrigation systems regardless of size.

5. Sprinkler heads spacing shall be designed for head-to-head coverage and placed at a maximum of fifty percent of the diameter of throw.

6. Sprinkler head spacing shall be designed for head-to-head coverage and placed at a maximum of fifty percent of the diameter of throw.

7. Overhead sprays shall not throw water onto hardscaped or other non-planted, or bare ground areas, including sidewalks between landscaped areas.

8. All sprinklers must be designed and installed to clear all plant material at maturity and obstacles in its throw zone.

9. Serviceable check valves or separate valves according to water zones are required where elevation differential may cause low-head drainage.

10. Drip or bubbler irrigation systems are required on all trees and shrubs regardless if planted alone, in groundcover or turf areas.

11. Automatic rain shut-off devices shall be required on all irrigation systems with seven or more valves.

(Ord. No. 032-2013, § 1, 8-8-13)

A. Where a discretionary or ministerial approval is required by this title for the use or uses for which the landscaping and irrigation is being provided, a conceptual landscape plan showing the general location and type of proposed landscaping materials and hard surface areas shall be submitted in conjunction with the application for the discretionary or ministerial permit. Following approval of the discretionary or ministerial permit but prior to the issuance of any building or grading permit for the principle use or uses, the applicant shall submit a landscaping plan application containing the information specified in Section 17.146.060 to the Planning Department for review and approval.

(Ord. No. 032-2013, § 1, 8-8-13)

A. It shall be the duty of the code enforcement officer to serve or cause to be served a notice upon the property owner and/or occupant of any site in violation of this chapter.

B. If the property owner and/or occupant does not comply with the provisions of this chapter than they will be subject to the abatement procedures found in Section 8.20 of the McFarland Municipal Code.

(Ord. No. 032-2013, § 1, 8-8-13)