Aliso Viejo — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Aliso Viejo zoning ordinance requires for landscaping and screening (design, planting sizes, parking-lot landscaping, fences/walls, equipment screening and buffers). It is grounded in the Aliso Viejo Municipal Code (AVMC) design and zoning chapters — most guidance is in § 15.62.060, § 15.14.030, § 15.10.030, and § 15.18.030. For context about how this topic fits into city review and other rules, see the city’s Aliso Viejo zoning & planning overview and the chapter on Zoning. This page does not cover building code (Title 24) requirements; see the California Building Standards Code for those rules.

Grounding note: every numeric requirement below is cited back to the AVMC § called out; if text is missing in the retrieved materials I note that explicitly.

Key local rules (plain list)

• Design guidance and the primary landscaping/screening rules live in § 15.62.060 (Design standards — Landscaping and screening) .
• Residential supplemental rules (fences, residential screening, residential landscaping cross‑references) are in § 15.14.030 and related subsections (Chapter 15.14) .
• Residential numeric development standards (setbacks, minimum boundary landscaping, heights, parking-lot landscaping references) are in § 15.10.030 (Table 15.10.030) .
• Nonresidential district development standards (minimum setbacks, heights, FARs, and landscaping cross‑references) are in § 15.18.030 (Table 15.18.030) and related text .
• Screening of specific equipment/utility boxes and coordination with utilities is required in § 15.62.060(G) and related subsections (utility placement and screening) .
• Fence and wall height rules (residential and nonresidential) appear in Chapter 15.14 and in the nonresidential chapters (cross‑references to § 15.14.030 and § 15.22.030) .
• Parking lot landscaping percentages are required via the district development tables (Tables 15.10.030 and 15.18.030) and explained in § 15.62.060(F) .

District-by-district breakdown

The ordinance treats landscaping/screening requirements as a combination of (1) base numerical development standards in each district’s development table and (2) design standards in § 15.62.060 that govern plant sizes, species, screening methods and coordination. Below are the actual district names and what the code says about landscaping/screening for each.

Residential districts — RL, RM, RH, RVH, PRD

Purpose / typical uses

• RL (Low Density Residential), RM (Medium Density Residential), RH (High Density Residential), and RVH (Very High Density Residential) regulate housing types from single‑family to very high density multifamily; see the permitted uses table in § 15.10.030 .

Key landscaping/screening standards (where available)

• Development standards (heights, setbacks, boundary landscaping minima, common open area) are set in § 15.10.030 (Table 15.10.030). Example items shown in the table include maximum heights (e.g., RL 35 ft, RM 35 ft, RH 45 ft, RVH 65 ft) and minimum front/side/rear setbacks (front 10 ft for single‑family types) — see § 15.10.030 for the full table entries .
• Boundary/buffer landscaping: residential projects must provide the boundary landscaping depth identified in Table 15.10.030 and follow the design standards in § 15.62.060 (frontage and boundary landscaping; parkways) .
• Screening between dwellings: evergreen landscape screening is required between dwellings; the code offers specific planting density/size alternatives (e.g., one 15‑gallon plant per 5 linear feet of exterior wall OR one 24‑inch box per 10 linear feet; specimens must be at least 6 ft tall at installation; alternatively a solid 6‑ft fence may be used) — see § 15.14.110 (residential landscaping rules cited within 15.14) .
• For residential equipment and ground‑mounted mechanicals, screening must follow the same standards as nonresidential equipment screening per § 15.14.120 and § 15.62.080 . Where it applies: whole city where those residential base districts are mapped; planned developments (PRD) have project‑specific standards (see § 15.10.030 and specific plan text) .

Nonresidential districts — CT, CC, CN, PO, BP‑1, BP‑2

Purpose / typical uses

• CT (Town Center Commercial): community and regional-serving mixed uses (retail, offices, hotels, entertainment).
• CC (Community Commercial): general commercial uses.
• CN (Neighborhood Commercial): neighborhood-serving retail/services.
• PO (Professional Office): professional/administrative offices with large landscaped open space.
• BP‑1 / BP‑2 (Business Parks): light industrial/business park uses; BP‑2 allows heavier industrial uses than BP‑1. These purposes and examples appear in § 15.18.010 .

Key landscaping/screening standards (where available)

• District development standards including maximum heights and minimum perimeter setbacks are summarized in Table 15.18.030 (§ 15.18.030) — for example, maximum structure heights include CT 45 ft, CC 35 ft, CN 35 ft, PO 65 ft, BP‑1/BP‑2 45 ft, and minimum setbacks from arterial highways are shown per district in that table; consult § 15.18.030 for the full numeric table .
• Landscaping: nonresidential landscaping and open area must comply with the numerical standards of § 15.18.030 and the design standards in § 15.62.060; parking lot landscaping percentages are set in the tables referenced (Tables 15.10.030, 15.18.030) and the design chapter clarifies planting size/density and parking overhang compatibility (§ 15.62.060(F)) .
• Screening: parking and interior circulation areas must be screened from streets by parkway landscaping, berms, or combined landscaping and low screening walls; the code allows open metalwork inserts if the decision‑maker finds the screening objective met — see § 15.62.060(F)(3) and cross‑references in § 15.22.070/080 . Where it applies: to properties mapped CT, CC, CN, PO, BP‑1, BP‑2 and to projects requiring site development permits; supplemental nonresidential regulations are in Chapter 15.22 (see § 15.22.070 and § 15.22.080) .

Overlay and special purpose districts (summary)

• The MU/R mixed‑use overlay ties residential standards to RVH and nonresidential to the base zone; landscaping/screening follow the underlying district plus § 15.62.060. See § 15.26.060 for the MU/R overlay rules .
• Specific plans and older adopted specific plan areas may carry their own landscaping/screening rules; see each specific plan’s text (listed in § 15.26.040/15.26.050) .

Decision‑relevant standards at a glance

Practical guidance / interpretation (original synthesis)

• Submit a combined landscape + irrigation plan that calls out the approved plant palette, tree sizes, root‑barrier details for trees near pavement/walls, and permanent automatic irrigation — § 15.62.060(K–N) require coordination and irrigation plans and set planting minima and root‑barrier rules .
• For parking lots, show calculations tied to the district table (the code expects parking landscaping percentages to be pulled from Tables 15.10.030 or 15.18.030 and explained in the landscape plan) — reference § 15.62.060(F) and the appropriate district table .
• If your parcel abuts residential uses expect a requirement for an opaque screen (min. 5 ft) along that property boundary (walls, berms, or landscaping) per § 15.22.070/210; plan for that in siting and grading because grade differences can change required screening heights (§ 15.62.060(F)(4)) .
• Fences higher than the code maximums need an exception permit; fences that threaten sight triangles must be reduced to maintain the 30‑inch triangular sight distance in intersections (see § 15.14.030(D)) .

Checklist (what to include with an application)

• Site plan showing parkways, boundary landscaping, parking lot landscaping areas and dimensions tied to Tables 15.10.030 / 15.18.030 (§ 15.10.030, § 15.18.030)
• Landscape plan with species list (city plant palette), quantities, sizes (trees min 8 ft; 30% 24‑inch box where required), planting densities and root barrier details (§ 15.62.060(L–M))
• Irrigation plan showing permanent automatic irrigation for landscaped areas (§ 15.62.060(N))
• Screening details for roof and ground‑mounted equipment and any trash/loading yards (materials, heights, and openings) (§ 15.62.080, § 15.22.080)
• Fence and wall elevations with height dimensions and sight‑triangle compliance shown (§ 15.14.030)
• Coordination notes showing utility placements/undergrounding or screening for utility boxes (§ 15.62.060(G))
• Maintenance and planting replacement covenant/notes (landscape must be maintained neat/healthy; replacement when necessary) (§ 15.62.060(N))

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary (for a homeowner)

Aliso Viejo requires you to plant and maintain landscape buffers and screen equipment using a city‑approved plant list and minimum plant sizes (for example, trees generally must be at least eight feet tall when planted), to provide parking lot and boundary landscaping according to the zoning district table, and to keep fences within the height limits (typically 6 ft at side/rear, 42 in. in front). All plans must show irrigation and screening for utilities/equipment; the planning department can require extra screening if grades or views make the standard treatments insufficient. Key rules live in § 15.62.060, § 15.14.030, § 15.10.030, and § 15.18.030 .

Source References

• AVMC § 15.62.060 (Design standards — Landscaping and screening) — design objectives, parking‑lot landscaping, screening, utility coordination, planting sizes and maintenance .
• AVMC § 15.62.070 (Outdoor lighting) — landscaping must not block lighting and traffic signage; lighting rules referenced in the design chapter .
• AVMC § 15.14.030 and Table 15.14.020 (Fences and walls; residential supplemental regulations: fence heights, sight triangle) .
• AVMC § 15.14.110 / § 15.14.120 (landscaping and screening in residential districts; screening of equipment) .
• AVMC § 15.10.030 (Residential development standards — Table 15.10.030: setbacks, heights, boundary landscaping references) .
• AVMC § 15.18.010 and § 15.18.030 (Nonresidential districts purpose and Table 15.18.030: heights, setbacks, FAR; landscaping cross‑refs) .
• AVMC § 15.22.070 / § 15.22.080 (Nonresidential landscaping and screening cross‑references; screening where abutting residential properties — e.g., 5‑ft opaque screen requirement in some uses) .
• Definitions and general interpretive rules referenced from AVMC Title 15 (definitions, how tables/diagrams control) — see the code preface/definitions (e.g., Chapter 15.94 cross‑refs within the excerpts) .

(If you want the ordinance PDF links or the specific row numbers from the district tables pulled to your parcel, tell me the parcel address / zoning and I’ll extract the exact table row and applicable numeric landscaping percentages.)

Retrieved passages

• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• CFC § 150 (section is) High relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code (chapter are) High relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance show source text
• CWUIC § 65850.6 (Title 24) High relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code (§ 18) High relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code (Chapter 15.34) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 1 (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code (Chapter 15.14) High relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code (section as) Medium relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code (section provides) Medium relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code (Chapter 15.30) High relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• CBC § 1 (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• CFC § 4 (§ 4) Medium relevance show source text
• Aliso Viejo Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• AVMC **§ 15.62.060** (Design standards — Landscaping and screening) — design objectives, parking‑lot landscaping, screening, utility coordination, planting sizes and maintenance . (§ 15.62.060)
• AVMC **§ 15.62.070** (Outdoor lighting) — landscaping must not block lighting and traffic signage; lighting rules referenced in the design chapter . (§ 15.62.070)
• AVMC **§ 15.14.030** and Table **15.14.020** (Fences and walls; residential supplemental regulations: fence heights, sight triangle) . (§ 15.14.030)
• AVMC **§ 15.14.110 / § 15.14.120** (landscaping and screening in residential districts; screening of equipment) . (§ 15.14.110)
• AVMC **§ 15.10.030** (Residential development standards — Table 15.10.030: setbacks, heights, boundary landscaping references) . (§ 15.10.030)
• AVMC **§ 15.18.010** and **§ 15.18.030** (Nonresidential districts purpose and Table 15.18.030: heights, setbacks, FAR; landscaping cross‑refs) . (§ 15.18.010)
• AVMC **§ 15.22.070** / **§ 15.22.080** (Nonresidential landscaping and screening cross‑references; screening where abutting residential properties — e.g., 5‑ft opaque screen requirement in some uses) . (§ 15.22.070)
• Definitions and general interpretive rules referenced from AVMC Title 15 (definitions, how tables/diagrams control) — see the code preface/definitions (e.g., Chapter **15.94** cross‑refs within the excerpts) . (Title 15)
• AlisoViejo_ZoningCode.md