West Covina Municipal Code § 26-82 Purpose

The purpose of this division is to establish minimum landscaping standards to enhance the appearance of developments, increase green space throughout the City, reduce heat and glare, control soil erosion, conserve water, ensure the ongoing maintenance of landscaped areas, reduce wildfire hazards, and ensure that landscape installations do not create hazards for motorists or pedestrians.

(Ord. No. 2519, § 5(Exh. A), 2-20-24)

The requirements contained in this division shall apply to all new and existing development and shall be in addition to any other development standards contained elsewhere within the Development Code.

(Ord. No. 2519, § 5(Exh. A), 2-20-24)

(a) The purpose of this section is to ensure the design, installation and maintenance of landscapes meet the requirements of the State of California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO)

(b) The City adopts by reference the State of California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, which is found at Sections 490—495 of chapter 2.7, division 2, Title 23, of the California Code of Regulations, as it may be amended from time to time. A copy of the MWELO will be maintained in the community development department and will be made available for public inspection during regular business hours.

(c) Applicability. The MWELO applies to the following projects:

(1) New landscape projects with an aggregate landscape area equal to or greater than five hundred (500) square feet.

(2) Rehabilitated landscape projects with an aggregate landscape area equal to or greater than two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet and requiring a building, plan check or design review; and

(3) For purposes of this section, aggregate landscape area does not include footprints of buildings or structures, sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, decks, patios, gravel, or stone walkways, other pervious or non-pervious hardscapes, and other non-irrigated areas designated for nondevelopment.

(d) Exemptions. The following projects or landscapes are exempt from or subject to limited review pursuant to MWELO.

(1) Projects involving new construction of an aggregate landscape area of less than two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet that comply with the prescriptive measures.

(Ord. No. 2519, § 5(Exh. A), 2-20-24)

(a) General location for landscape improvements. All landscaping shall be provided in the following locations for all types of development as listed below, unless the approval authority determines that the required landscape is not necessary to fulfill the provisions of this division. Nothing in this division is intended to discourage landscaping in excess of the minimum requirements listed herein.

(b) Setbacks, public frontage and street frontage. All setback areas required by this Development Code, areas between the curb and setback, public frontage areas, or portions of the site with any street frontage, shall be landscaped and maintained in compliance with this division, except where an area of required setback is improved with a paved surface such as a sidewalk or driveway.

(1) In all industrial zones, the front and exterior side yard setback areas adjoining public rights-of-way are required to be landscaped, including the property frontage within the right-of-way.

(2) Trees are required along sidewalks and primary street frontages, in addition to other landscaping requirements. Street trees shall be required where the public parkway is at least four (4) feet wide. A twenty-four (24) inch box street tree shall be planted for each thirty (30) feet of linear street frontage along any property line abutting a public or private street (on average). The director of public works may approve deviations to these standards when site conditions (e.g. utilities or significant topography constraints) preclude the placement of trees.

(c) Undeveloped areas. All areas of a site that are part of an entitled and/or approved master planned development application, such as pad sites being held for future development, shall be landscaped in compliance with this division.

(d) Pedestrian paths and pedestrian entrances. Along pedestrian pathways and at building entrances, trees shall be provided in compliance with this division for shade and climate control to define public spaces, and moderate high temperatures and wind speeds.

(e) Plant type. Landscape planting shall emphasize climate appropriate, drought-tolerant, native, and non-invasive species shall complement the architectural design of the structures on site, and shall be suitable for the soil and climatic condition specific to the site. Plant species known to be invasive and listed on the California Invasive Plant Inventory published by the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) are prohibited. Within Fire Hazard Severity Zones as determined by CALFire, plantings shall not include fire prone species and the plant palette shall be approved by the West Covina Fire Department.

(f) Planting layout and plant diversity. Plant selection shall vary in the type and planting pattern. Informal planting patterns are preferred over uniform and entirely symmetrical planting patterns. Use of deciduous flowering trees and shrubs and colorful plantings is encouraged in conjunction with evergreen species. Groupings of shrubs shall contain multiple plant types, interspersed with varying heights and blooming seasons for year round interest.

(g) Street and parking lot trees.

(1) Street and parking lot trees shall be selected from the City's adopted master list of street trees and parking lot trees.

(2) Parking lot trees. An average of at least one (1) tree (minimum fifteen (15) gallon) of a species satisfactory to the Community Development Director or their designee shall be planted for every six (6) parking spaces.

(3) The total number of required parking trees may be reduced to one (1) tree for every ten (10) parking stalls if the lot landscape requirements set forth in section 26-86(a) is increased by fifty (50) percent (12% of total lot area for all zones, except M-1, which is 6).

(4) Any tree that partially shades a parking space or a drive aisle may be considered a parking lot tree and included in the calculation of total parking lot trees.

(5) There shall be a minimum three (3) foot wide (inside dimension,) landscape planter separating a building or wall from a driveway or parking area.

(6) All planted areas shall be surrounded by a concrete curb six (6) inches above final grade or above asphalt level of the parking lot. However, when such planted areas lie adjacent to a concrete sidewalk, masonry wall, or a building, a raised concrete curb need not be provided in the adjacent area.

(h) Trees planted within ten (10) feet of a street, sidewalk, paved trail, or walkway shall be a deep-rooted species or shall be separated from hardscapes by a root barrier to prevent physical damage to public improvements.

(i) Planting size, spacing, and planter widths. In order to achieve an immediate effect of a landscape installation and to allow sustained growth of planting materials, minimum plant material sizes, planting spacing, and minimum planter widths (inside measurements) are as follows:

(1) Trees. The minimum planting size for trees for industrial, mixed-use, commercial, office, and community or civic uses shall be 15-gallon, with twenty-five (25) percent of all trees on a project site planted at a minimum 24-inch box size. For industrial, mixed-use, commercial, office and community or civic uses, tree spacing within perimeter planters along streets and abutting residential properties shall be planted no further than twenty-five (25) feet on center, on average. Minimum planter widths for trees shall be between five (5) and ten (10) feet, consistent with the City's adopted master list of street trees and parking lot trees.

(2) Shrubs. Shrub planting shall be a minimum five-gallon size, with a 15-gallon minimum size required where a landscape screen (visual buffer) is conditioned by the designated approving authority (e.g., screening of headlights from drive-through aisles). The minimum planter width for shrubs is four (4) feet.

(3) Ground cover. Plants used for mass planting may be grown in flats of up to sixty-four (64) plants or in individual one-gallon containers. Rooted cuttings from flats shall be planted no farther apart than twelve (12) inches on center, and containerized woody, shrub ground cover plantings shall be planted no farther apart than three (3) feet on center in order to achieve full coverage within one (1) year. Minimum planter width for ground cover is two (2) feet, with the exception of sod, which requires a minimum planter width of six (6) feet.

(j) Synthetic turf. Synthetic turf may be used as a substitute for natural turf for the purposes of water conservation. The use of synthetic turf on properties zoned for multi-family residential or non-residential uses shall require an administrative permit, pursuant to article VI, division 6. The following standards shall apply to the use and maintenance of synthetic turf.

(1) Synthetic turf shall be allowed in areas visible from a public street, park, public parking lot for non- residential developments or located within the setback areas of properties zoned R-1 or R-A.

(2) Synthetic turf shall consist of lifelike individual blades of grass that emulate real grass in look and color and have a minimum pile height of one and one-half (1½) inches.

(3) The installation of synthetic turf shall also include a proper drainage system installed underneath to prevent excess runoff or the pooling of water.

(4) Landscaping comprised of synthetic turf shall be periodically maintained to simulate the appearance of a well-maintained lawn.

(5) The use of indoor or outdoor plastic or nylon carpeting as a replacement for synthetic or natural turf shall be prohibited.

(6) Synthetic turf shall be installed in combination with natural plant materials including trees, shrubs, hedges and ground cover to enhance the overall landscape design.

(7) All landscape areas where synthetic turf is implemented shall be cleaned and maintained based on manufacturers' guidelines for maintenance.

(8) The administrative permit shall be valid for up to ten (10) years or as determined by the recommended longevity of the synthetic turf manufacturer.

(9) Application submittal requirements. An application for the use of synthetic turf shall include the following items:

a. A site plan including the dimensions and details of the landscaped area, including both the proposed synthetic turf area and live plant material landscaped areas. The plan shall also describe the specific type of synthetic turf to be installed.

b. A sample of the synthetic turf to be implemented.

c. Specifications of the synthetic turf detailing including the synthetic turf materials and components, longevity of the turf.

(k) Landscape criteria for multi-family residential and mixed-use zones that include residential uses.

(1) All open areas or unused space exceeding twenty-four (24) square feet resulting from the design or layout of parking spaces or accessory structures with the exception of vehicular accessways and parking areas, pedestrian walkways, and paved or covered recreational facilities, shall be landscaped and irrigated with a fully automatic system in conformance with this division. Such landscaping and irrigation shall be permanently maintained in a functional, dust free, disease free, and weed free condition.

(2) 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.

(3) A minimum of six (6) feet of the rear or side yard adjacent to single-family or multi-family residential zoning or development shall be landscaped with 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.

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

(5) Landscape areas, whether installed pursuant to this chapter or not, shall be maintained free of litter and diseased or dead plants. Diseased, dead, damaged and/or disfigured plants shall be replaced as deemed necessary by the Community Development Director or their designee. Irrigation systems and their components shall be maintained in a fully functional manner consistent with the originally approved design and the provisions of this division.

(6) Landscape areas shall be maintained to ensure water efficiency and minimize water waste leading to excessive runoff, low-head drainage, overspray and other similar conditions where water flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, walks, roadways or structures. A regular maintenance schedule should include but not be limited to, checking, adjusting, and repairing irrigation equipment; resetting the automatic controller; aerating and dethatching turf areas; replenishing mulch; fertilizing; pruning; and weeding in all landscaped areas. All tree pruning shall be performed in compliance with acceptable standards as set forth by the Western chapter International Society of Arborists.

(7) The landscaping and irrigation plan shall be approved by the Community Development Director or their designee subject to the following criteria. Landscape and irrigation plans for projects with required landscaping consisting of five thousand (5,000) 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 section. 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.

(8) All landscape areas and irrigations systems shall be subject to the water efficiency provisions contained in article III, division 5, standards for water efficient landscaping, unless specifically exempted by those water efficiency provisions.

(Ord. No. 2519, § 5(Exh. A), 2-20-24; Ord. No. 2525, § 22, 3-18-25)

(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)

In addition to any other provisions of this Development Code, the following requirements apply to all residential zones:

(a) All landscaped areas shall be maintained in a healthy and growing condition and shall receive routine pruning, fertilizing, mowing, and trimming.

(b) All irrigation systems shall be kept operable, including adjustments, replacements, repairs, and necessary cleaning as part of routine maintenance.

(c) All landscape areas shall be kept free of weeds and debris.

(d) If a property proposed for mixed-use, commercial or industrial use, maintenance of any landscaping between the curb of any street abutting the property and the property line shall be the responsibility of the owner of that property.

(Ord. No. 2519, § 5(Exh. A), 2-20-24)