Menifee Zoning Code Ch. 9.195 Landscaping Standards

Contents:

9.195.010 Purpose

9.195.020 Applicability

9.195.030 Landscape and Irrigation Plans

9.195.040 Landscape Requirements

9.195.050 Additional Requirements for Residential Areas

9.195.060 Removal and Replacement of Required Landscaping

9.195.070 Maintenance Requirements

9.195.080 Park Development Design Plans

9.195.090 Water- Efficient Landscaping

1. This chapter establishes minimum landscape requirements designed to improve the appearance of the city, its communities and its zoning districts. These requirements include provisions to reduce heat by providing landscaped areas and shading, improve health and livability, protect existing natural ecosystems, promote efficient use of water, minimize soil erosion, preserve and protect trees, and ensure that landscape installations do not create hazards for motorists or pedestrians. The landscape standards are intended to inform developers, consultants and the public regarding requirements and procedures for the installation and maintenance of landscaping in Menifee.
2. In addition to the installation of well- designed, high quality landscaping and irrigation systems, and the maintenance thereof, the City has adopted landscape standards to include landscape documentation, submission requirements, review procedures and inspection protocols that when followed will allow a consistent, efficient and cost-effective mechanism to ensure that both public and private landscaped areas are of the quality expected in the city.
3. In order to promote the quality mandated of sustainable public and private landscapes that enhances community character, the City has adopted standards and criteria for the development of both public and private parks, recreation areas and open space areas. Consistency between landscaped areas, public and private, as well as high quality standards for park development, will ensure that such facilities shall be beneficial to all members of the Menifee community.

The standards contained in this chapter shall apply to the following:

1. New landscaping and irrigation. New construction projects with an aggregate landscape area equal to or greater than 500 square feet requiring a building or landscape permit, plan check or design review. In addition, projects are required to comply with the provisions of Title 15.04 (Landscape Water Use Efficiency Requirements).
2. Rehabilitated landscape projects. Rehabilitated landscapes projects with an aggregate landscape area equal to or greater than two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet requiring a building or landscape permit, plan check or design review. In addition, projects are required to comply with the provisions of Title 15.04 (Landscape Water Use Efficiency Requirements).
3. Modification to existing structures and uses. Whenever an existing building is modified, or a use is expanded such that it creates an increase of more than 10% in the number of existing dwelling units for residential projects or more than 10% in the existing square footage of commercial or industrial projects, landscaping shall be provided as required by this chapter to the greatest extent feasible.
4. Existing Landscaping and Irrigation. Requirements for removal and replacement of required landscaping and maintenance within this chapter shall apply to all landscaping and irrigation within the City.

When this chapter is applicable to new parks, projects or existing development, as identified in Section 9.95.020 (Applicability), preliminary and final landscape plans shall be submitted in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, including City's Landscape Standards and Park Development Design Standards, and review of such plans shall be conducted as part of the approval process.

1. Preliminary landscape and irrigation plan. A preliminary landscape and irrigation plan shall be submitted to the designated approving authority as part of the discretionary review process. This plan must show a water budget that includes the estimated water use (in gallons), irrigated area (in square feet), precipitation rate and flow rate in gallons per minute, square feet of impervious materials, and stormwater infrastructure locations, as well as conceptual locations for trees, shrubs, ground cover, etc. A corresponding list of planting material by species (using common and scientific name), quantity and size shall be included.
2. Final landscape and irrigation plan. After a preliminary landscape and irrigation plan has been approved by the designated approving authority, a final landscape and irrigation plan shall be submitted to the Community Development Department. For landscaping in public easements or ROW, the final landscape and irrigation plan shall be submitted to the Public Works and Engineering Department, in conjunction with improvement plans. The final landscape planting and irrigation plans shall be prepared by a registered licensed landscape architect and shall be in substantial compliance with the preliminary landscape and irrigation plan approved by the designated approving authority. Final plans shall show the location of and irrigation for trees, shrubs and ground cover. The final landscape plan shall include, at a minimum, plant name (providing both common and scientific name), plant quantity, plant size, location of permeable surfaces, utilities and lighting, irrigation system and plans for tree retention and removal where applicable. For landscaping in public easements or ROW, when, allowed at the discretion of the Engineering and Public Works Director due to unforeseen circumstances, the installation of the plants, irrigation system and/or other items shown on the final landscaping plan are not installed as illustrated, prior to final inspection an "as- built" plan shall be submitted to document the actual location of installation. The final landscape plan shall also include a water budget that identifies the estimate water use (in gallons), irrigated area (in square feet), precipitation rate and flow rate in gallons per minute.
3. Concept park plans. Preliminary park plans, inclusive of landscaping and irrigation plans, shall be submitted to the designated approving authority as part of the discretionary review process. This plan must show the basic design of the proposed park, whether public or private, parking areas, active and passive activity areas, areas left natural, and drainage and dual use areas, as well as other information as required by the Community Services Department.

(2022-351, 09/21/2022)

Effective on: 10/21/2022

The requirements listed below apply to special types of landscaping. However, in any wildland-urban interface fire area, the Riverside County Fire Department/Cal Fire requirements shall prevail.

1. Residential landscape. See Section 9.195.050 (Additional Requirements for Residential Areas).

2. Substantial landscaping. All required landscaped areas and planters, unless utilized for other purposes such as Water Quality compliance with the governing jurisdiction, shall be landscaped with a mix of trees, shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses, vines and ground cover to create a dense and layered design. A substantial quantity of plants shall be planted. Drought -tolerant plants shall be used within all landscaped areas to augment the aesthetic and decorative nature of the planted area. Drought- tolerant plants shall augment, but not completely substitute for, other floral arrangements unless specifically approved by the approval authority.

3. Decorative materials. Decorative materials such as mulch, decomposed granite, bark and drought-tolerant plants, as well as non-living inert material (rock, cobbles, decorative stone, etc.), may be used within any landscape area required by this chapter upon approval by the approval authority.

4. Project entry landscaping. Entries to projects (both residential and nonresidential) shall be designed as a special statement reflective of the character and scale of the project to establish identity for tenants, visitors and patrons. Irrigated, flowering accent plantings, decorative drought- tolerant annuals (to be replaced as needed for maintenance) and specimen trees shall be used to reinforce the entry statement.

5. Trees adjacent to building walls. With the exception of single-family housing developments, trees shall be planted in areas of public view adjacent to structures at a rate of one tree per 30 linear feet of building dimensions, particularly to interrupt expansive horizontal and vertical surfaces. Tree clusters may be used to satisfy specific design objectives.

6. Screening of drive-through aisles. To shield vehicles and associated headlights in a drive-through lane from view of abutting street rights-of-way, a minimum 5-foot -wide planter shall include a minimum 3-foot-tall (maximum 4-foot-tall) landscape barrier planted with trees and other landscaping consistent with those in the parking area. Trimming and pruning of the landscape barrier shall be performed in a manner that maintains the shielding of vehicle headlights in the drive-through lane from adjacent street rights-of-way. The landscape barrier site design shall not preclude or impede safe and secure ingress and egress from the facility while providing screening from the public right-of-way.

7. Screening of outdoor equipment. Screening is required according to Chapter 9.185 (Fences, Walls and Screening).

8. Public and Pedestrian spaces. Public and Pedestrian space landscaping shall include a combination of shade trees and pedestrian shading devices (e.g., canopies, awnings, umbrellas) placed so as to cover 50% of the total space with a shade canopy within 15 years of securing the building permit.

9. Signs. Landscaping shall be provided at the base of the supporting structure of freestanding signs equal to the area of one face of the sign except as otherwise allowed by the Community Development Director. For example, 50 square feet of sign area requires 50 square feet of landscaped area. The Community Development Director may reduce this ratio during formal project review if found necessary and/or appropriate for the overall design of the proposed project. Such landscaping shall be appropriately irrigated and shall include floral arrangements that include drought- tolerant annuals and perennials that are designed to facilitate maintenance as well as to enhance aesthetic quality.

10. Buffering between uses. A landscape buffer shall only be used between land uses when residential uses are located next to non-residential uses or when necessary, as determined by the designated approving authority. A landscaping strip with a minimum width of 5 feet shall be installed adjacent to a screening wall, except that a minimum of 10 feet of landscaping (with trees) shall be provided between a parking lot and a screening wall.

11. Sound walls/masonry walls. Where setback and open space areas are screened from public view by walls or similar approved structures, landscaping shall be provided so that 50% of the wall will be covered by landscape material within three years. See Chapter 9.185 (Fences, Walls, and Screening).

12. Existing trees. Mature trees on the site in good health shall be preserved whenever possible. Credit for the preservation of existing trees shall be as specified in Section 9.100.030.C (Credit for Tree Preservation).

13. Parking lot landscape. Parking lot landscape includes perimeter planters, planters abutting parking lots and drive aisles, tree planting for parking lot shade, and a combination of continuous planting strips, planting fingers and parking islands throughout the parking lot. All landscaped areas, including those with drought-tolerant plants, shall be irrigated. Landscape requirements applicable to all commercial, industrial, mixed-use and multi-family parking lots with five or more spaces are listed below. See Chapter 9.240 (Motor Vehicle and Related Uses) for superseding standards, requirements and exceptions.

14. Maintenance. All landscaped areas, whether populated with drought-tolerant plants, other species or decorative materials such as mulch, decomposed granite, bark or other non-living inert materials (rock, cobble, decorative stone, etc.), shall be maintained in a clean, weed-free and disease-free manner as specified in this chapter and as reviewed, approved and installed (per City inspection) at all times.

15. Trees required. Trees are required to be planted at a rate of one tree for every four parking stalls. At maturity, trees should reach a minimum height and spread of 40 feet so as to form a shade canopy over parking stalls. Smaller ornamental trees may not be used to satisfy this requirement. Tree selections shall be approved by the Community Development Department.

16. Minimum landscape. A minimum of 10% of the total off-street parking area shall be landscaped with trees, shrubs and appropriate ground cover. The parking area shall be computed by adding the areas used for access drive aisles, stalls, maneuvering and landscaping within that portion of the premises devoted to vehicular parking and circulation.

17. Minimum Parking Lot Shading Requirements. Parking area landscaping shall include shade trees unless otherwise approved by the approval authority, so as to provide for adequate shade canopies within 15 years of age as follows:

18. 30% for Parking Lots with 5-24 parking stalls

19. 40% for Parking Lots with 25-49 parking stalls

20. 50% for Parking Lots with more than 50 parking stalls

21. Perimeter strip. Unenclosed parking facilities shall provide a perimeter landscaped strip at least 5 feet wide (inside dimension) where the facility adjoins a side or rear property line. The perimeter landscaped strip may include a landscaped yard or landscaped area otherwise required and shall be continuous, except for required access to the site or parking facility.

22. Screening. All surface parking areas shall be screened from streets and adjoining properties, and the open space areas between the property line and public street right-of-way shall be landscaped with berms, swales, trees, shrubs and ground cover (or a combination thereof).

23. Location. Parking lot landscaping shall be located so that pedestrians are not required to cross unpaved areas to reach building entrances from parked cars (see Figure 9.195.040-1, Parking Lot Landscaping ).

24. Planter design. All parking lot planters shall be designed to meet the following minimum requirements (see Figure 9.195.040-1, Parking Lot Landscaping):

25. Planters shall be separated from maneuvering and parking areas by a 6-inch raised concrete curb or equivalent.

26. Tree planting wells located at the front of parking stalls shall contain a minimum of 25 square feet, and the smallest inside dimension shall not be less than 5 feet.

27. Landscape planters along the sides of parking stalls shall be a minimum 5 feet wide and shall contain a 12-inch-wide concrete monolith pour or curb and "step-out" in addition to the planter width. The length of the planter shall be, at a minimum, the same as the adjacent parking space.

28. Please see the City of Menifee Landscape Standards Design Guidelines for additional applicable standards for parking lot landscaping.

(2022-351, 09/21/2022; 2025-417, 07/16/2025)

Effective on: 8/16/2025

1. Front yard landscaping. For new development, front yard landscaping shall include, at a minimum, one 15-gallon-size tree, one 5-gallon-size tree, shrubs, ground cover, mulch and a permanent irrigation system to be installed by the developer prior to occupancy. This requirement shall be in addition to required street trees.

2. Front yard landscaping requirements. All homes must maintain a minimum ratio of 50% landscape (or Xeriscape) to 50% hardscape ratio within that area identified as the required front setback area. Up to 25% of the landscape area can be used for decorative hardscape (e.g., bark mulch, decorative rocks, rock outcroppings).

3. Tree requirements. In addition to the size and number of trees required, the following shall also be required:

4. Tree location. No trees shall be planted under any eave, balcony or overhang.

5. Root barriers required. Trees in landscape planters with 6 feet or less of hardscape (curb, walks, walls, etc.) shall require tree root barriers.

6. Tree staking. All trees whose stability requires support shall be staked in accordance with the City's landscape standards.

7. Visibility. All trees, whether singularly placed or placed in clusters, shall not inhibit standard visibility parameters.

8. Street trees. Street trees shall be provided per City standards.

Plant material removed from a project in which the Community Development Department has approved the landscape plan shall be replaced with the following replacement sizes:

1. Shrubs shall be replaced with the same size plant as the plant approved by the landscape plan.
2. Ground cover shall be replaced by plants contained in landscape flats.
3. For tree replacements, the size replacement trees shall be determined by the Community Development Department based on the conditions of the property. Trees removed or severely and improperly trimmed shall be replaced with an appropriately sized tree as determined by the Community Development Department.

1. Maintenance. All private landscaped areas shall be irrigated and maintained in a clean, weed- free and disease- free manner at all times. Property owners/tenants shall regularly inspect their property to ensure that all plants are alive and healthy, that irrigation systems, control devices and timers are functioning properly, that dead or dying plants are removed and replaced, and that all areas using mulch, decorative rock or other features are in good condition and are consistent with the plans originally approved, installed and inspected by the City. Maintenance of landscaping areas shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

2. All landscaped areas shall be maintained in a clean, weed- free and disease- free manner at all times. Property owners/tenants shall periodically inspect their property to ensure that all plants are alive and healthy, that irrigation systems, control devices and timers are functioning properly and remain properly installed, that dead or dying plants are replaced and that all areas utilizing mulch, decorative rock or other aesthetic treatments are consistent with the plans originally installed, inspected and approved by the City.

3. Irrigation equipment (controllers, valves, piping, electronics, etc.) shall be in good working condition in accordance with City landscape standards at all times.

4. Litter shall be removed from all landscaped areas in a timely manner.

5. Lawn areas shall be mowed on a regular basis and shall be kept green in accordance with seasonal variations. Accumulation of leaves, bark and other similar plant materials shall be removed in a timely fashion. Planting areas shall be weed-free.

6. Landscaping maintenance, including Xeriscape, shall include pruning, cultivating, weeding, fertilizing, mowing, replacement of dead and diseased plants, and watering on a regular basis.

7. Landscape maintenance, including Xeriscape, shall also include pruning or removal of overgrown vegetation, cultivated or uncultivated, that is likely to harbor rats, vermin or other nuisances, or that causes a visual detriment to neighboring properties or property.

8. Landscape maintenance, including Xeriscape, shall include the removal of trees that pose a safety hazard; trees that are dead, decayed or diseased; weeds and debris constituting an unsightly appearance, present a danger to public safety and welfare or cause a visual detriment to neighboring properties or property values. Compliance shall be achieved by removal, replacement or adhering to the prescribed maintenance requirements.

9. Plants along property line. The property owner on whose property hedges or shrubs are growing shall keep such hedges or shrubs trimmed so that no part of them will project over the sidewalk.

10. Thorn- bearing plants in parkways. No person shall plant ivy, shrub or any flora that have thorns or spiny extensions.

11. Prohibition on use of landscaped areas. Use of landscaped areas for purposes other than landscaping as approved in the landscape plan or as an approved amenity by the approving authority is prohibited.

12. Delegation. The City may delegate to, or enter into a contract with, a local agency to implement, administer and/or enforce the requirements of this chapter on behalf of the City.

(2025-417, 07/16/2025)

Effective on: 8/16/2025

1. Park Development Design Guidelines. When a park project is required by this chapter, that project shall be submitted, reviewed and approved as detailed within the Park Development Design Guidelines adopted by Planning Commission April 15, 2015, as may be amended from time to time.

2. Required information. As detailed in the Park Development Design Guidelines, all park project submissions shall include information addressing the following:

3. Site project planning

4. Grading and drainage

5. Paving, walkways and mow curbs

6. Trails

7. Fencing and walls

8. Parking areas

9. Trash enclosures

10. Site furniture

11. Signs (warning signs, rules of conduct, hours of operation, etc.)

12. Playgrounds and equipment (tot lots)

13. Prefabricated picnic shelters

14. Sports courts

15. Multipurpose fields (softball and soccer turf areas)

16. Site and sports field lighting

17. Irrigation

18. Planting

19. Synthetic turf

20. Requirements and standards for all buildings

21. Operations and maintenance schedule for all site improvements

22. Comfort stations

23. Pet waste stations

24. Recreation centers

25. Aquatics facilities

26. Graffiti protection

All landscaping shall conform to the requirements and criteria of Title 15.04 (Landscape Water Use Efficiency Requirements) and to the provisions and requirements of Section 3, Landscape Water Conservation, of the Landscape Standards Guidelines adopted by Planning Commission March 2015. Landscape water conservation methods are encouraged where possible and appropriate to conserve limited water resources.