Salinas Municipal Code § 37-50.690 General requirements

The purpose of this section is to establish landscaping and irrigation regulations that are intended to:

(a) Enhance the aesthetic appearance of development in all areas of the city;

(b) Reduce heat and glare generated by urban development;

(c) Minimize water use;

(d) Minimize impervious surfaces and meet federal, state and local water quality regulations such as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements, and storm water development standards (SWDS); and

(e) Protect public health, safety, and welfare by minimizing the impact of all forms of physical and visual pollution, promoting natural surveillance, controlling soil erosion and runoff, screening incompatible land uses, preserving the integrity of neighborhoods, and enhancing pedestrian and vehicular traffic and safety.

(Ord. No. 2463 (NCS).)

(Ord. No. 2541 (NCS), § 4, 7-23-2013; Ord. No. 2569 (NCS), § 19, 4-19-2016)

(a) Applicability. Landscaping and required planting areas shall be installed in accordance with the standards and requirements of this section for all zoning districts as well as the conditions and requirements contained in Chapter 36A: Water Conservation of the Salinas Municipal Code. Where more specific requirements are identified by an overlay or zoning district, specific plan, site plan review, or conditional use permit, those requirements shall be met. In addition, new landscape projects shall comply with the city's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance if any the following conditions apply:

(1) New construction projects with an aggregate landscape area equal to or greater than five hundred square feet requiring a building or landscape permit, plan check, or design review;

(2) Rehabilitated landscape projects with an aggregate landscape area equal to or greater than two thousand five hundred square feet requiring a building or landscape permit, plan check, or design review;

(3) Existing landscapes limited to Sections 493, 493.1, and 493.2 of the city's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance; and

(4) Cemeteries. Recognizing the unique landscape management requirements of cemeteries, new and rehabilitated cemeteries are limited to Sections 492.4, 492.11, and 492.12 of the city's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance; existing cemeteries are limited to Sections 493, 493.1, and 493.2 of the city's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance.

(b) Where Required. Yards shall be landscaped in accordance with Table 37-50.190 to the extent that such yards are provided or required:

Table 37-50.190 Landscaping and Irrigation

(c) Development Regulations.

(1) All new development shall apply xeriscape principles including such techniques and materials as native or low water use plants and low precipitation sprinkler heads, bubblers, drip irrigation systems, and timing devices.

(2) Required planting areas shall be permanently maintained. As used in this section, "maintained" includes: watering, weeding, pruning, insect control, and replacement of plant materials and irrigation equipment as needed to preserve the health and appearance of plant materials.

(3) Landscape materials shall not be located such that, at maturity:

(A) They interfere with safe sight distances for vehicular, bicycle, or pedestrian traffic;

(B) They conflict with overhead utility lines, overhead lights, or walkway lights; or

(C) They block pedestrian and bicycle ways.

(d) Landscaping Plans Required. Landscaping plans that show the location of all turf, plant materials, and irrigation systems shall be required for all uses, which include landscaping.

(e) Materials. Landscape plans shall demonstrate a recognizable pattern or theme for the overall development. To accomplish this, landscape plans shall conform to the following:

(1) Plant materials shall be selected for energy efficiency and drought tolerance and adaptability and relationship to Salinas' environment. A minimum of ninety percent of nonturf material shall be drought-resistant. All plant materials shall comply with Chapter 36A: Water Conservation of the Salinas Municipal Code.

(2) In all C, MU, NU (VC), PS, and I districts, and for all multifamily developments, plant materials shall be sized and spaced to achieve immediate effect and shall normally not be less than a fifteen-gallon container for trees, a five-gallon container for shrubs, and a one-gallon container for mass planting. Nonturf areas, such as shrub beds, shall be top-dressed with a bark chip mulch mixed into the topsoil or approved alternative. Dressing material shall be maintained within planter areas and shall not be allowed to migrate onto hard surfaces, such as sidewalks and parking lots.

(3) Turf shall be limited to twenty-five percent of the total landscaping area. No turf shall be permitted in areas with a dimension of less than eight feet, or on slopes exceeding ten percent.

(f) Irrigation.

(1) Turf. Sprinklers shall be installed with a separate irrigation valve from irrigation valves used for other vegetation.

(2) Sprinklers. All new automatic irrigation systems shall have sprinkler heads with application rates that do not exceed the infiltration rate of the soil. Such systems shall be installed with dual or multiple program controllers that permit cycles of five to ten minutes per hour. Landscaping requiring intensive watering shall be watered by hand or drip irrigation. Overhead irrigation shall be scheduled between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. unless weather conditions prevent it. If allowable hours of irrigation differ from the local water purveyor, the stricter of the two shall apply. Operation of the irrigation system outside the normal watering window is allowed for auditing and system maintenance.

(g) Parking Lot Landscaping.

(1) All areas within the perimeter of parking lots not used for buildings, parking, loading, circulation, transit, or pedestrian facilities shall be landscaped to minimize the feeling of expansive hard surfaced areas, to improve the parking lot appearance.

(2) Parking lots, parking structures, and the outdoor display of automobiles, boats, recreational vehicles, motorcycles, or construction vehicles shall have perimeter landscaping areas as prescribed by the following:

(A) Parking Lots or Parking Structures Adjoining Street Property Line. Where parking lots occur along streets, a landscaped planter shall be provided to minimize views of parked cars from the street and shall be permanently maintained. The landscaped planter at the street shall be at least ten feet wide. Within the landscaped planter, trees should be planted at least thirty feet on center. The landscaped planter shall include a screening feature with a minimum height of thirty-two inches and a maximum height of forty-two inches, such as a short wall, fence, hedge, berm, or equivalent feature. Whenever walls or fences are used to create the screening feature, plants shall be located on the sides of the walls or fences that can be seen from surrounding streets, sidewalks, parks, and other public areas. The maximum height of fences and walls in required landscape planters shall be in accordance with Section 37-50.090: Fences, walls, and hedges;

(B) Other property lines: five feet;

(C) Vehicle Overhang. Vehicle overhang may encroach three feet into a landscape planter adjoining a street property line.

(3) Interior landscaped areas shall have a minimum dimension of five feet, exclusive of curbs, shall equal to five percent of the total parking area, and shall be so located as to interrupt parking rows. When a parking space abuts a landscape planter, no curb is necessary provided that the planter is expanded three feet to allow the vehicle to overhang the planter.

(4) A minimum of one tree for every five parking spaces shall be provided in landscape islands (see Figure 37-50.140). The islands shall have a minimum dimension of five feet exclusive of curbs.

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(5) Landscaping shall be provided on the upper levels of parking structures, where feasible, when these structures are visible from public streets, pedestrian pathways, or adjacent buildings.

(6) Use landscaping planters to control access to parking lots, to make traffic diverters prominent, to direct the flow of traffic within the lot, and to enhance the safety of parking lots by guiding the circulation of vehicles and people.

(7) The end of each row of parking stalls shall be separated from driveways by a landscaped planter, sidewalk, or similar means.

(8) Two feet at the end of landscape islands shall be left unplanted when adjacent to drive aisles and driveways to prevent plant materials from being run over by vehicles. The use of cobbles, patterned concrete, or brick pavers shall generally be installed in these end areas.

(9) In the IGC and IG zoning districts, landscaping shall not be required for areas of a site that are not substantially visible (as determined by the city planner) from a street or other public area, and which are not public parking area. In such areas the landscaping requirements above may be waived.

(h) Driveway and Corner Visibility. All landscaping material shall be maintained in accordance with the provisions of Section 37-50.460: Driveway and corner visibility. Landscaped materials shall not be located such that, at maturity:

(1) They interfere with safe sight distances for vehicular, bicycle, or pedestrian traffic;

(2) They conflict with overhead utility lines, overhead lights, or walkway lights; or

(3) They block pedestrian or bicycle ways.

(i) Alternative Means of Compliance. The city planner may allow alternative means of complying with the requirements of this section provided the alternative achieves results comparable to those achieved through strict application of the provisions of this section.

(Ord. No. 2463 (NCS).)

(Ord. No. 2507 (NCS), §§ 39, 40, 5-18-2010; Ord. No. 2569 (NCS), § 20, 4-19-2016)

(a) Applicability. These design standards are intended to assist the designer in understanding the city's goals and objectives for landscaping. These standards complement the landscaping regulations found in Article V, Division 4: Landscaping and Irrigation and the requirements of Chapter 36A: Water Conservation of the Salinas Municipal Code by providing good examples of potential design solutions and by providing design interpretations of various regulations. The design standards are general and may be interpreted with some flexibility in their application to specific projects. The standards will be applied in conjunction with other regulations to encourage the highest level of design quality while at the same time providing the flexibility necessary to encourage creativity on the part of project designers.

(b) Design Standards.

(1) Landscaping and open spaces shall be designed as an integral part of the overall site plan design. Landscaping and open spaces shall enhance the building design, enhance public views and spaces, provide buffers and transitions, provide for a balance of solar uses, and provide screening.

(2) Landscape design shall accent the overall design theme through the use of structures such as arbors and trellises that are appropriate to the particular architectural style of adjacent structures.

(3) Landscape areas shall use xeriscape concepts that: minimize the amount of turf area; use plant materials that have a low water demand; and use a segmented irrigation system calibrated to the specific water demands of various turf, plant, and tree groups.

(4) Landscaped areas shall incorporate plantings using a three-tier system:

(A) Grasses and ground covers;

(B) Shrubs; and

(C) Trees.

(5) The following are common planting design concepts that shall be used whenever feasible:

(A) Specimen trees used in informal grouping and rows at major focal points;

(B) Extensive use of flowering vines both on walls and arbors;

(C) Pots, vases, or raised planters;

(D) The use of planting to create shadow and patterns against walls;

(E) Large broadleaf deciduous trees to create canopy and shade in the summer and sun in the winter, particularly in parking areas;

(F) The use of flowering trees in informal groups to provide color;

(G) Informal massing of colorful plantings;

(H) Use of distinctive plants as focal points; and

(I) Plantings and low walls to screen parking areas from view of public rights-of-way while allowing filtered views of larger buildings beyond.

(6) Planting areas between walls and streets shall be landscaped with a hierarchy of plants in natural formations and groupings. Solid walls over three feet high shall receive vines or hedge when adjacent to public streets.

(7) A colorful landscape edge should be established at the base of buildings. Avoid asphalt edges at the base of structures as much as possible. Plant materials located in containers are appropriate.

(8) Planting masses on-site should assume a simple, non-uniform arrangement. The diversity of massing types should be great enough to provide interest, but kept to a level which evokes a relaxed natural feeling.

(c) Xeriscape Guidelines.

(1) All landscaping shall employ features and techniques that, in the aggregate, reduce the demand for and consumption of water, including appropriate low-water-using plants, nonliving ground cover, a low percentage of lawn coverage, a high degree of paving permeability, and water conserving irrigation techniques and systems.

(2) The use of turf shall be minimized or substituted altogether with groundcovers. Turf should generally be excluded from median or sidewalk strips and similar areas that are difficult to irrigate. Low-water-using grass varieties are encouraged. Turf is not allowed on slopes greater than twenty-five percent where the toe of the slope is adjacent to an impermeable hardscape and where twenty-five percent means one foot of vertical elevation change for every four feet of horizontal length (rise divided by run × 100 = slope percent).

(3) Water efficient irrigation systems, such as drip, low output sprinkler heads, zonal systems, and automatic timers, shall be provided. Planting shall be according to water needs, and the irrigation system matched to these needs.

(4) Plant varieties shall predominately be low water consuming, suited to the local soil and climate, and grouped according to their water requirements.

(5) Mulches shall be used generously and reapplied as part of a regular maintenance program to reduce evaporation, soil compaction, and weeds.

(6) A minimum two-inch layer of mulch shall be applied on all exposed soil surfaces of planting areas except in turf areas, creeping or rooting groundcovers, or direct seeding applications where mulch is contraindicated. Stabilizing mulching products shall be used on slopes. The mulching portion of the seed/mulch slurry in hydro-seeded applications shall meet the mulching requirement.

[Figure]

(d) Installation and Maintenance.

(1) Trees shall be adequate in trunk diameter to support the top area of the tree. Trees, shrubs, and vines should have body and fullness that is typical of the species.

(2) All ground cover shall be healthy, densely foliated, and well-rooted cuttings, or one-gallon container plants.

(3) The spacing of trees and shrubs shall be appropriate to the species used. The plant materials shall be spaced so that they do not interfere with the adequate lighting of the premises or restrict access to emergency apparatus such as fire hydrants or fire alarm boxes. Proper spacing shall also insure unobstructed access for vehicles and pedestrians in addition to providing clear vision of the intersections from approaching vehicles.

(4) Plant material shall conform to the following spacing standards:

(A) A minimum of thirty feet from the property corner at a street intersection to the center of the first tree or large shrub;

(B) A minimum of fifteen feet between center of trees and ten feet between large shrubs to light standards;

(C) A minimum of ten feet between center of trees or large shrubs and fire hydrants;

(D) A minimum of fifteen feet from the intersection of a driveway (for commercial, mixed use, or public/semipublic and industrial uses) with a street right-of-way to the center of any tree having a diameter larger than eighteen inches at maturity or large shrub and a minimum of ten feet for residential uses.

(5) Trees and bushes shall be staked as shown in Figure 37-50.150.

[Figure]

(Ord. No. 2463 (NCS).)

(Ord. No. 2507 (NCS), §§ 41—43, 5-18-2010)

(a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish regulations governing freestanding landscape-related architectural features such as arbors, decorative lampposts, fountains, and similar features within required front or corner side yards. Play structures, barbeques, sports apparatus, carports, fences, swimming pools, and other structures used for storage, athletic, or recreational purposes shall not be considered landscape architectural features.

(b) Development Regulations. Landscape architectural features may be permitted to encroach into required front and corner side yards specified for all zoning districts subject to site plan review approval and the following standards:

(1) Setback. The feature must be setback a minimum of three feet from the front or corner side property lines of the subject parcel, as applicable. No portion of the structure may encroach into the public right-of-way or an easement.

(2) Height and Bulk. The maximum height of the feature shall be eight feet and have no solid horizontal surface with dimensions of more than twenty-four inches, above a three-foot height as measured from ground level. Arbors shall be substantially open (no solid walls or roof).

(3) Area. The maximum area of a feature shall be twenty square feet. The area shall be determined by a rectangle formed around the extreme outer limits of the feature.

(4) Visibility Triangle. The feature shall not be located in an area of unrestricted visibility as defined by Section 37-50.460: Driveway and corner visibility.

(c) Application. Applications for a landscape architectural feature shall be initiated by submitting an application for a site plan review.

(d) Public Hearing Notice. No public hearing shall be required if an applicant has obtained the prior approval in writing from all property owners abutting the boundaries of the site and directly across the street or alley from the project site to allow the proposed landscape architectural feature. Such approval shall be in a form approved by the city planner.

(e) Public Hearing. In the event that the adjacent property owners do not approve the subject application, the planning commission shall hold a public hearing on the application after providing notice in accordance with the provisions of Article VI, Division 7: Public Hearing Notice.

(f) Standards of Approval. In approving the landscape architectural feature, the city planner or planning commission, as applicable, shall determine:

(1) The scale, size, and design of the proposed feature is compatible with the existing architectural design and development located on the subject property and on adjoining properties; and

(2) That the feature is consistent with the general purposes and design standards of the zoning district in which the subject property is located.

(g) Exceptions. Fences and entryway arbors are subject to the requirements of Section 37-50.090: Fences, walls, and hedges and shall not be subject to the requirements of this section.

(Ord. No. 2463 (NCS).)