Chapter 4.16 — LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS

In recognition of the importance landscaping has in improving the quality of San Leandro's environment, and that landscape design, installation, maintenance and management must be water efficient and sustainable, this chapter establishes procedures to ensure that landscaping is installed and maintained in accordance with the requirements of this Code. This Chapter is intended to implement the new landscape design requirements of the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act of 2006 (AB 1881) and to establish standards for sustainable landscape practices in accord with the current version of the StopWaste.Org Bay Friendly Landscape protocols. (Ord. 2001-015 § 1; Ord. 2010-001 § 1; Ord. 2020-002 § 4)

Required site landscaping areas shall be installed and permanently maintained in accord with the standards and requirements of this chapter. This chapter shall apply to applicable large landscape projects and projects for which "Site Plan Approval" pursuant to Chapter 5.12 Site Plan Approval is required. Applicable large landscape projects include new or rehabilitated commercial, industrial and developer-installed residential landscapes over 2,500 square feet and all new or rehabilitated residential landscapes over 5,000 square feet. For projects subject to Site Plan Review, landscape plans are subject to the review and approval process provided in Chapter

A. Requirements for Applications Subject to "Site Plan Approval." Development applications for "Site Plan Approval" that include new or rehabilitated commercial, industrial or developer-installed residential landscapes that do not exceed 2,500 square feet and residential landscapes that do not exceed 5,000 square feet shall comply with the following requirements:

1. Development applications for "Site Plan Approval" shall include a conceptual
landscape plan that generally identifies a plant palette and lists the quantity, size,
species, and locations of proposed plantings. The Zoning Enforcement Official may
waive the requirement for a conceptual landscape plan and a final landscape plan
when little or no change to existing landscaping is proposed or for a project where the
amount of new or renovated landscaping is small in relation to existing landscaping.

2. Applicants shall submit additional landscape plan information if requested by the
Zoning Enforcement Official and/or decision-making body. Either the Zoning
Enforcement Official and/or decision-making body may request additional landscape
plan information, if needed to address a site-specific area of concern, as part of its
review of the application. Such areas of concern may include, but are not limited to,
information regarding existing trees on the site, in accordance with Section 4.16.112
Existing Trees on Development Sites.

3. Final landscape plans, identifying the species, sizes, and quantities of the specific
plant materials to be used, shall be submitted concurrently with all applicable
structural plans that are required for building permit review. The Zoning Enforcement
Official shall review such final landscape plans. No building permit shall be issued,
unless and until it has been determined that the submitted final landscape plan is
consistent with the requirements of this chapter.

4. Conceptual and final landscape plans shall be prepared by a licensed landscape
architect, architect, landscape designer, or other qualified person. Conceptual and
final landscape plans shall be drawn "to scale" and have base information that is
consistent with the architectural and civil site plans.

B. Requirements for Large Landscape Projects. Development applications that include new or rehabilitated commercial, industrial or developer-installed residential landscapes that exceed 2,500 square feet or residential landscapes that exceed 5,000 square feet shall submit a "Landscape Documentation Package" that shall include (1) project information, (2) landscape design plan, (3) irrigation design plan, (4) water management plan, (5) soil management report, and (6) grading design plan. This requirement shall not apply to historic landscapes.

1. Project information submitted in an applicant's Landscape Documentation Package
shall include:

a. Name of applicant;

b. Street address of site or Assessor's Parcel Number;

c. Total area to be landscaped (square feet);

d. Project type (e.g. new, rehabilitated, public, private, home-owner installed);

e. Water supply type (e.g. potable, recycled, non-potable) and name of water
provider;

f. Checklist of all documents in the Landscape Documentation Package;

g. Contact information for the project applicant and property owner;

h. Applicant signature and date.

2. Landscape Design Plan submitted in an applicant's Landscape Documentation
Package shall:

a. Identify a plant pallet and list quantity, size and locations of proposed plantings;

b. Delineate and label each hydrozone and identify each hydrozone as low,
moderate, high water, or mixed water use. Temporarily irrigated areas of the
landscape shall be included in the low water use hydrozone for the water budget
calculation;

c. Identify recreational areas;

d. Identify areas permanently and solely dedicated to edible plants;

e. Identify areas irrigated with recycled water;

f. Identify type of mulch and application depth (application depth must comply
with design standards in this chapter);

g. Identify soil amendments, type, and quantity;

h. Identify type and surface area of water features;

i. Identify storm water retention and infiltration areas;

j. Identify hardscapes (pervious and non-pervious);

k. Identify any applicable rain harvesting or catchment technologies (e.g., rain
gardens, cisterns, etc.);

l. Demonstrate compliance with all design standards specified in this chapter;

m. Contain the following statement: "I have complied with the criteria of Chapter