Sec. 26-86. - Landscape area requirements.

(a)

Landscape criteria for office, commercial, mixed-use, and industrial zones.

(1)

A minimum of eight (8) percent of the total net area (net area shall be computed by excluding public streets) of the development, in all zones except the manufacturing (M-1) zone, shall be landscaped, and permanently watered with a water efficient automatic irrigation system. In the manufacturing (M-1) zone, a minimum of four (4) percent of the total net area (net area shall be computed by excluding public streets) of

the development shall be landscaped, and permanently watered with a water efficient automatic irrigation system, and seventy-five (75) percent of the landscaping shall be within fifty (50) feet of a public street.

(2)

Approximately one-half of such landscaped area shall be generally distributed throughout the parking lot with the remainder as planted areas around buildings, peripheral planters around the site, parkways, street tree wells and other locations as deemed appropriate by the Community Development Director or their designee. The Community Development Director or their designee shall also determine whether the type, size, and location of the proposed landscaping is appropriate given the scale and design of the development.

(3)

No planting area shall be less than twenty-four (24) square feet or less than three (3) feet in width (inside dimensions) with the exception of raised planter boxes around or in close proximity to buildings.

(4)

A minimum of six (6) feet of either the rear or side yard adjacent to single-family or multi-family residential zoning or development shall be landscaped with specimen plant materials and trees appropriate in size and type to create a solid plant screen, subject to the approval of the Community Development Director or their designee, and as represented on the approved landscaping plan.

(5)

Undeveloped areas proposed for future expansion shall be maintained in a weed-free and dust free condition.

(6)

All landscaping referred to in this section shall be maintained in a neat orderly fashion and free of debris.

(7)

The landscaping and irrigation plan shall be approved by the Community Development Director or their designee in compliance with the provisions of this division. Landscape and irrigation plans or projects with required landscaping consisting of two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet or more, shall be prepared by a licensed landscape architect. The Community Development Director or their designee has the right to disapprove a landscaping plan if the quantity, size, type, placement and use of plant material do not meet the minimum requirements of this division, Planning Commission guidelines for water efficient landscaping.

(b)

Existing/established landscapes.

(1)

All landscape areas and irrigations systems shall be subject to the water efficiency provisions contained in article III, division 5 of this Code, and the Planning Commission guidelines for water efficient landscaping, unless specifically exempted by those water efficiency provisions.

(Ord. No. 2519, § 5(Exh. A), 2-20-24)