Local zoning · Alpine County

Alpine County — Landscaping and Screening

Landscaping and Screening under the Alpine County local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

Ask a question free See coverage

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

This page distills what Alpine County’s Zoning Ordinance says about landscaping, screening, buffers, fences, and related visual controls in the county’s unincorporated areas. It focuses on countywide standards that cut across districts, and on district- or overlay-specific provisions that explicitly touch landscaping and screening. The ordinance applies in unincorporated areas only (§ 18.04.040).

The most universal rule: landscaping, fences, or any physical object that blocks corner visibility is not allowed in the sight-distance area of a street-corner lot without a variance (§ 18.68.140(A)).

Before diving in, see the Alpine County-wide context at the zoning overview and how it relates to Alpine County Zoning, Alpine County Land Use, the cross-cutting Alpine County Development Standards, and when projects trigger Alpine County Design Review. Overlay rules appear in Alpine County Overlay Districts, and state construction issues live separately under the California Building Standards Code. Parking-related setbacks and screens should be coordinated with Alpine County Parking.

Countywide landscaping/screening rules that apply in all unincorporated areas

  • Corner visibility and plantings. No “structure, plant, or other physical matter” may obstruct clear view in the corner sight-distance area of any street-corner lot unless a variance is obtained (§ 18.68.140(A)).
  • Fences in residential districts. In the RE and RN districts only, fence height is capped at a maximum of 6 ft in side/rear yards and 4.5 ft in front yards (§ 18.68.140(H)).
  • Scenic Highway Corridor visuals. Within areas visible from designated scenic corridors, certain visually intrusive uses are prohibited (e.g., overhead utilities), and the County provides non-mandatory design guidance that encourages using landscaping to soften views (§ 18.60.030; § 18.60.040).
  • Planned Development (PD) submittals. Applications must show “the approximate location, height and materials of all walls, fences and screen planting,” which the County uses to evaluate visual compatibility (§ 18.28.030).
  • Home occupation screening (resource-based). Outdoor storage areas tied to a resource-based home occupation must be “completely screened” from adjacent streets and properties; screening may combine fencing, natural vegetation, siting, topography, and landscaping. At the same time, outdoor garden/plant-growing areas are not considered outdoor storage and do not require screening (§ 18.70.110(B)–(C)).

Scenic Highway Corridor — landscaping and visual controls

  • Where it applies. Any place in unincorporated Alpine County “visible from a designated scenic highway corridor” identified in the General Plan (§ 18.60.020).
  • Prohibited visual clutter. Among other items, overhead utilities are prohibited where visible from the corridor (§ 18.60.030).
  • Landscaping guidance (advisory). The County encourages installing landscaping to reduce the visibility of structures and to blend with natural land cover, preserving tree lines and setting buildings back from meadows and fields. These are guidelines, not mandates (§ 18.60.040).

Standards snapshot (decision highlights)

Topic Core standard Where it applies Code Reference
Corner visibility No plantings/fences/objects may block the sight triangle at street corners (variance required to deviate) Countywide in unincorporated areas § 18.68.140(A)
Residential fence heights Max 6 ft side/rear; 4.5 ft front in RE and RN RE, RN § 18.68.140(H)
Scenic corridor prohibitions Visual intrusions (e.g., overhead utilities) prohibited if visible from scenic highway SH overlay (visible areas) § 18.60.030
Scenic corridor landscaping Landscaping is encouraged to screen structures and blend with natural cover (guideline) SH overlay (visible areas) § 18.60.040
PD plan contents Must show walls, fences, and screen planting in applications PD § 18.28.030
Resource-based home occupation Outdoor storage must be completely screened; growing areas not “storage” and need no screening Countywide (if applicable) § 18.70.110(B)–(C)

District-by-district notes on landscaping/screening

Alpine County’s established zones are listed in § 18.12.010. Below are landscaping/screening takeaways where the ordinance is explicit; if not listed, general rules above apply.

AG — Agriculture

  • Purpose and uses. Preserves agricultural lands; allows farming and ranch/farm fences as permitted uses (§ 18.16.010; § 18.16.020(C)).
  • Dimensional context. Min parcel 20 acres; 30 ft front/side/rear yards (§ 18.16.040).
  • Landscaping/screening. No AG-specific landscaping standards found; corner-sight and scenic-corridor rules still apply. Not found in retrieved materials.

AP — Agricultural Preserve

  • Purpose and uses. Conserve long-term agricultural productivity under Williamson Act; nonagricultural uses limited (§ 18.18.010–.020).
  • Dimensional context. 30 ft front/side/rear yards (§ 18.18.040).
  • Landscaping/screening. Must meet “general requirements” including scenic-corridor requirements in Chapter 18.68 (§ 18.18.070).

LP — Land Preserve

  • Purpose and uses. Preserves open space, rural character; permits parks and undeveloped open space (§ 18.20.010–.020).
  • Landscaping/screening. No LP-specific landscaping standards found. Not found in retrieved materials.

PD — Planned Development

  • Purpose and uses. Enables clustered development consistent with GP while protecting visual/environmental quality (§ 18.28.010).
  • Submittals must show fences/walls/screen planting; County may condition approvals for visual compatibility (§ 18.28.030; § 18.28.060).
  • Landscaping/screening. Address screening early because PDs allow tailoring of standards for a better overall visual outcome (§ 18.28.050(A)).

RE — Residential Estate

  • Purpose and uses. Low-density single-family and mini-ranch areas (§ 18.32.010–.020).
  • Dimensional context. 30 ft front/side/rear yards (§ 18.32.040).
  • Landscaping/screening. Fence height: 6 ft side/rear; 4.5 ft front (§ 18.68.140(H)); corner visibility limits apply (§ 18.68.140(A)).

RN — Residential Neighborhood

  • Purpose and uses. Organized residential environments; SFDs by right, higher densities by use permit (§ 18.36.010–.030).
  • Dimensional context. Typical 30 ft front; interior side 20 ft; rear 20 ft (§ 18.36.040).
  • Landscaping/screening. Same fence limits as RE; corner visibility limits apply (§ 18.68.140(A), (H)).

NC — Neighborhood Commercial

  • Purpose/uses/dimensions. Not found in retrieved materials (district appears in § 18.12.010).
  • Landscaping/screening. Not found in retrieved materials.

C — Commercial

  • Purpose/uses/dimensions. Not found in retrieved materials (district appears in § 18.12.010).
  • Landscaping/screening. Not found in retrieved materials.

IND — Industrial

  • Purpose/uses context. Partial code shows height/time-limit provisions (§ 18.48.050–.060), but no landscaping standards were retrieved.
  • Landscaping/screening. Not found in retrieved materials.

INS — Institutional

  • Purpose and uses. Public facilities and utilities; quasi-public uses (§ 18.52.010–.020).
  • Dimensional context. Front/side/rear yards 30/20/20 ft (§ 18.52.040).
  • Landscaping/screening. No INS-specific landscaping standards found; corner-visibility and scenic-corridor rules still apply. Not found in retrieved materials.

CR — Commercial Recreation (Combining)

  • Purpose and uses. Recreation- and visitor-serving uses at select highway locations; combines with a base zone (§ 18.64.010–.020).
  • Dimensional context. Follows the combined base zone (§ 18.64.040–.050).
  • Landscaping/screening. No CR-specific landscaping standards found; scenic-corridor guidance often relevant due to highway visibility (§ 18.60.040).

SH — Scenic Highway Corridor (Overlay)

  • Applicability. Any area visible from designated scenic highways (§ 18.60.020).
  • Visual controls. Overhead utilities and other visually intrusive uses prohibited (§ 18.60.030); landscaping encouraged to soften views (guideline) (§ 18.60.040).

DH — Design Review/Historic (Markleeville)

  • Process. Activities subject to this chapter undergo committee review for consistency with the Markleeville design guidelines (§ 18.56.090; § 18.56.120).
  • Landscaping/screening. The code ties approvals to guideline consistency but does not, in retrieved text, prescribe numeric landscaping standards. Verify with the jurisdiction.

Checklist

  • Confirm your parcel’s base zoning and any overlays in unincorporated Alpine County (§ 18.12.010).
  • For any street-corner lot work, ensure landscaping/fences will not encroach into the corner sight-distance area (§ 18.68.140(A)).
  • In RE/RN, keep fences ≤6 ft in side/rear yards and ≤4.5 ft in front yards (§ 18.68.140(H)).
  • If your site is visible from a scenic highway, avoid prohibited visual elements (e.g., overhead utilities) and consider landscaping to reduce structure visibility (§ 18.60.030; § 18.60.040).
  • For PD projects, include walls/fences/screen-planting locations, heights, and materials in your plan set (§ 18.28.030).
  • If operating a resource-based home occupation with outdoor storage, design complete screening; exclude garden/growing areas from “storage” (§ 18.70.110(B)–(C)).
  • If in the Markleeville DH area, coordinate landscape design with the design-review committee and guidelines (§ 18.56.090; § 18.56.120).

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue Why it matters What to verify
Corner sight-distance dimensions The code bars obstructions but does not include a numeric “triangle” size in the retrieved text (§ 18.68.140(A)). Verify the sight-distance geometry with County Planning/Transportation.
Non-RE/RN fence heights Only RE/RN fence limits are explicit in retrieved text (§ 18.68.140(H)). Confirm fence standards for AG, AP, LP, NC, C, IND, INS.
Scenic corridor “visibility” Applicability hinges on whether the project is visible from a scenic highway (§ 18.60.020). Ask staff to confirm mapping/field visibility determinations.
DH/Markleeville landscape criteria The chapter references guideline consistency but no numeric standards in retrieved text (§ 18.56.090; § 18.56.120). Obtain the current Markleeville design guidelines.
Commercial/industrial landscape standards No C/NC/IND landscaping provisions were retrieved. Check district chapters or Alpine County Development Standards for updates.

Plain-English Summary

If you’re landscaping or fencing in unincorporated Alpine County, keep corner visibility clear, follow the 6-ft/4.5-ft fence heights in RE/RN, and expect added scrutiny where your site is visible from a scenic highway. Planned Developments must show screening details up front, and home-based resource uses must fully screen outdoor storage, although gardens don’t need it. When in doubt, coordinate early with Planning—especially in the scenic corridor or Markleeville design-review areas.

Information Gaps

  • District-specific landscape/screening standards for NC, C, and IND: Not found in retrieved materials.
  • Numeric geometry for the “sight-distance area” at corners: Not found in retrieved materials.
  • Specific planting lists, tree preservation rules, or buffer widths by district: Not found in retrieved materials.
  • DH/Markleeville landscape specifics: The guidelines themselves were not included in retrieved materials.

Source References

  • § 18.04.010–.090 (Title, scope, applicability to unincorporated areas).
  • § 18.12.010 (Zoning districts list).
  • § 18.16.010–.050 (AG district).
  • § 18.18.010–.070 (AP district; general requirements cross-reference).
  • § 18.20.010–.030 (LP district).
  • § 18.28.010–.080 (PD purpose; application contents including walls/fences/screen planting; conditions).
  • § 18.32.010–.050 (RE district; yards).
  • § 18.36.010–.050 (RN district; yards).
  • § 18.52.010–.050 (INS district; yards).
  • § 18.60.020–.040 (Scenic Highway applicability; prohibited uses; design guidelines encouraging landscaping).
  • § 18.64.010–.050 (CR combining zone).
  • § 18.68.140 (Corner sight-distance; RE/RN fence heights).
  • § 18.70.110 (Resource-based home occupations—screening and growing-area exemption).

Sources

Retrieved passages

  • Alpine County Zoning Code (section includes) High relevance
  • CWUIC § 65850.6 (Title 24) Medium relevance
  • Alpine County Zoning Code (§ 4) Medium relevance
  • CWUIC § 1.11 (Chapter 1) Medium relevance
  • Alpine County Zoning Code (§ 50) Medium relevance
  • Alpine County Zoning Code Medium relevance
  • Alpine County Zoning Code (title shall) Medium relevance
  • Alpine County Zoning Code Medium relevance
  • Alpine County Zoning Code (§ 9.01) Medium relevance
  • Alpine County Zoning Code (§ 9.03) Medium relevance
  • Alpine County Zoning Code (Section 18.18.030) Medium relevance
  • Alpine County Zoning Code (Chapter 18.04) Medium relevance
  • CGBSC § 21155 (Section 21155) Medium relevance
  • Alpine County Zoning Code (title shall) Medium relevance
  • Alpine County Zoning Code (Section 18.56.030) Medium relevance
  • Alpine County Zoning Code (§ 9.11) Medium relevance
  • CWUIC § 1275.04 (Article 5) Medium relevance
  • CBC § 1.11 (chapter or) Medium relevance

Cited sections

  • § 18.04.010–.090 (Title, scope, applicability to unincorporated areas). (§ 18.04.010)
  • § 18.12.010 (Zoning districts list). (§ 18.12.010)
  • § 18.16.010–.050 (AG district). (§ 18.16.010)
  • § 18.18.010–.070 (AP district; general requirements cross-reference). (§ 18.18.010)
  • § 18.20.010–.030 (LP district). (§ 18.20.010)
  • § 18.28.010–.080 (PD purpose; application contents including walls/fences/screen planting; conditions). (§ 18.28.010)
  • § 18.32.010–.050 (RE district; yards). (§ 18.32.010)
  • § 18.36.010–.050 (RN district; yards). (§ 18.36.010)
  • § 18.52.010–.050 (INS district; yards). (§ 18.52.010)
  • § 18.60.020–.040 (Scenic Highway applicability; prohibited uses; design guidelines encouraging landscaping). (§ 18.60.020)
  • § 18.64.010–.050 (CR combining zone). (§ 18.64.010)
  • § 18.68.140 (Corner sight-distance; RE/RN fence heights). (§ 18.68.140)
  • § 18.70.110 (Resource-based home occupations—screening and growing-area exemption). (§ 18.70.110)
  • AlpineCounty_ZoningCode.md

Frequently asked questions

What are the fence height limits for homes in unincorporated Alpine County?

In the RE and RN districts, fences can be up to 6 ft in side/rear yards and 4.5 ft in front yards. Other districts were not confirmed in the retrieved materials. Always keep corner sight-distance areas clear regardless of height (§ 18.68.140(A), (H)).

Can I plant tall shrubs near a street corner on my lot?

Not if they obstruct visibility. No plant, fence, or object may block the “sight-distance area” at street corners without a variance. The code doesn’t provide a numeric triangle in the retrieved text—verify the dimensions with the County (§ 18.68.140(A)).

Do I have to screen outdoor storage for a home-based agricultural or forestry business?

Yes. For resource-based home occupations, outdoor storage must be completely screened from adjacent streets and properties using fencing, landscaping, vegetation, siting, or topography. Garden or plant-growing areas aren’t “storage” and don’t need screening (§ 18.70.110(B)–(C)).

I’m on a scenic highway view corridor—what’s required for landscaping?

Where your site is visible from a designated scenic highway, certain visual intrusions (like overhead utilities) are prohibited; the County also provides non-mandatory guidance encouraging landscaping that reduces the visibility of structures and blends with natural cover (§ 18.60.030; § 18.60.040).

For a Planned Development, what landscape/screening information must I show?

PD applications must include the approximate location, height, and materials of all walls, fences, and screen planting, and the County may add conditions to ensure a visually acceptable outcome (§ 18.28.030; § 18.28.060).

Does Markleeville’s historic/design review regulate landscaping?

Projects subject to the DH/Markleeville Design Review must be consistent with the Markleeville design guidelines as determined by the Design Review Committee. The retrieved code doesn’t include numeric landscaping standards—ask staff for the current guidelines (§ 18.56.090; § 18.56.120).

Are there commercial or industrial landscape buffer requirements?

None were found in the retrieved materials for NC, C, or IND. General corner visibility and any scenic-corridor rules still apply. Verify with the County or see Alpine County Development Standards. Not found in retrieved materials.

Does the zoning ordinance require street trees or specific plant lists?

No mandatory species lists or street-tree requirements were retrieved. In scenic corridors, landscaping is advisory (not mandatory) to soften views (§ 18.60.040). Verify with the jurisdiction for area-specific standards.

More in Alpine County code

Ask about any Alpine County property

Get a cited, plain-English answer on Alpine County zoning, setbacks, FAR, ADUs and permits — for any address.

Start Free Trial

More Alpine County zoning topics

Alpine County Zoning

Alpine County Land Use

Alpine County Development Standards

Alpine County Parking

Alpine County Design Review

Alpine County Overlay Districts

Alpine County Historic Preservation

Alpine County Signage

Alpine County Nonconforming Uses

Alpine County Variances and Exceptions

Alpine County overview