Barstow — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the City of Barstow's zoning ordinance requires for landscaping and screening (including buffers, fences/walls, and trees) across the city’s zoning districts. It interprets the local standards you must meet on plan submittal and at build-out; all requirements below are grounded in the Barstow Municipal Code and cited by the controlling code section (§) with the source file where that section text was retrieved. For related topics see the city's pages on Barstow Zoning, Barstow Development Standards, and Barstow Parking.

Key takeaways (quick)

• Landscaping must favor native / drought-tolerant plants; a landscape plan and a water budget are normally required (§ 19.06.080) .
• Minimum tree planting and parking-island ratios are mandated (e.g., 1 tree per 30 linear ft of street frontage; 1 planted island per 10 parking spaces) (§ 19.06.080) .
• Fences/walls: general height limits, sight-triangle rules, and required screening walls between uses/districts are in § 19.06.030 and § 19.06.040 .
• Industrial, multifamily, public, and open-space districts include superseding landscaping or screening language; always check the district-specific § (examples below) .

District-by-district breakdown

Note: the ordinance uses district names such as ER, LDR, SFR, MD2, Industrial, O (Open Space) and PF (Public Facilities). For each district below I list the landscaping/screening purpose, typical permitted uses, the most-relevant landscaping/screening requirements, and where the rule is located.

ER (Estate Residential) — summary

• Purpose / typical uses: low-density single-family and estate lots; preserve desert-appropriate open space (see residential lot standards table) (§ 19.10.010) .
• Landscaping / screening: Residential guidelines emphasize xeriscaping, desert-appropriate plantings in front and parkway areas, and front privacy walls set back 10 ft from front property line when used (§ 19.10.010; front privacy walls guidance) .
• Key dimensional guidance: residential setbacks and lot coverage per the residential table in § 19.10.010; landscaping percentages for multi-residential are in related sections (§ 19.10.010 and § 19.06.080) .

LDR (Low Density Residential) — summary

• Purpose / typical uses: single-family neighborhoods; rules similar to ER for site landscaping and xeriscape emphasis (§ 19.10.010) .
• Landscaping / screening expectations: front-yard xeriscape preference, trees in parkways, and compliance with the landscape documentation and irrigation submittal requirements in § 19.06.080 (water budget, planting lists, hydrozones) .

SFR (Single-Family Residential) — summary

• Purpose / typical uses: typical city single-family lots; expect the same xeriscape and front-privacy-wall guidance as other residential districts (§ 19.10.010; front privacy walls guidance) .
• Fences/walls rules: rear and interior-side fences/walls/hedges up to 6 ft are permitted; front yards and side yards adjacent to a street generally limited to 3½ ft height (exceptions for open chain link) — see § 19.06.030 for exact limits and sight-triangle rules in § 19.06.040 .

MD2 / Multifamily / MDR (Medium / Multi-family) — summary

• Purpose / typical uses: multi-unit housing; standards address site planning, shading, common open spaces and pedestrian circulation (§ 19.08.060; § 19.08.090) .
• Landscaping / screening specifics:
  • Minimum 10% of the site must be landscaped for multifamily (§ 19.08.060) .
  • Landscaping must include vertical elements (trees/tall shrubs).
  • Provide planting screens between carports and units and shade trees at a minimum ratio of 1 tree per 10 parking spaces (§ 19.08.060; parking islands) .
• Submittal: landscape plans, irrigation plans, and water budget documentation required per § 19.06.080 .

Industrial (I) — summary

• Purpose / typical uses: light and general industrial uses. Landscaping guidance is part of the site design requirements (§ 19.18.060–170; § 19.18.110) .
• Key screening rules: where an industrial lot adjoins a residential district, the ordinance requires a 6‑ft solid wall (or 6‑ft chain‑link with screening at least 80% opaque) at the side or rear property line; in many cases large landscape setbacks along arterial streets (20 ft average, minimum 10 ft) are required (§ 19.18.120–130; § 19.18.110) .
• On parking and storage: required landscaping in parking areas, screening of outdoor storage behind landscape setbacks, and parking-area wall rules (masonry/block walls) are in §§ 19.18.060 & 19.18.150 and cross-reference § 19.06.080 for off-street parking landscaping (§ 19.18.060; § 19.18.150) .

O (Open Space) — summary

• Purpose / typical uses: preserved open space, parkways, flood control, buffer planting for wind/sand; planting of shrubbery/trees to minimize wind/sand damage is an intended use (§ 19.20.010) .
• Landscaping: full depth of required setback areas adjoining a street must be landscaped; off-street parking landscaping follows § 19.06.080 (the Landscape Manual) and minimum landscaping depth is 10 ft except for existing setbacks (§ 19.20.030(f)) .

PF (Public Facilities) — summary

• Purpose / typical uses: schools, city facilities, utilities. Landscaping: required to match setbacks of adjoining districts; where adjacent to residential districts a 6‑ft solid wall or fence may be required at side or rear property line; full depth of street-adjacent setbacks must be landscaped and maintained, and off‑street parking lots landscaped in accordance with § 19.06.080 (§ 19.20.030(e–f)) .

Decision‑critical standards table

Practical guidance / interpretation (plain English synthesis)

• Expect to provide a complete landscape package: scaled plan, plant palette (hydrozones), irrigation plan with controller schedules, total landscaped area and turf area, existing/protected trees, and a water‑budget statement before plan approval; see the checklist below and § 19.06.080 for required items .
• Use xeriscape design for front yards and parkways; turf is limited and tightly controlled especially for non‑residential projects (§ 19.06.080) .
• If your property borders a residential district (including PF when adjacent to R), expect a mandated 6‑ft solid wall or screened chain link (≥80% opaque) at the shared property line (§ 19.18.120–130; § 19.20.030(e)) .
• For parking-lot design, the code requires planting islands/fingers with trees (one per ten spaces) to reduce heat island and visibility impacts; include these on plans and dimension them (§ 19.06.080; § 19.08.060) .
• Walls and long fence runs must be broken up visually with landscaping, offsets, or architectural features to avoid monotony and must be finished on both sides (§ 19.08.080) .

For related review processes or design expectations see the city's Barstow Design Review and check whether your site sits in any Barstow Overlay Districts.

Information Gaps (what the retrieved files do NOT confirm)

• The ordinance frequently references an Appendix A plant list and the "City of Barstow Landscape Manual"; the full text or URL for Appendix A / the Manual is Not found in retrieved materials. (The code references these documents but they were not included in the files provided.) .
• Specific enforcement fines, and the full inspection checklist used by the City for final landscape compliance beyond the statement that the city may inspect before CO was not included (the CO inspection statement is referenced but not the enforcement schedule) — Verify with the jurisdiction. .
• Any recent amendments after Ord. No. 934‑2015 (if adopted) are Not found in retrieved materials — verify with the City of Barstow for the latest code.

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy, at minimum)

• Submit a full landscape documentation package and water budget; show hydrozones and total landscaped/turf area per § 19.06.080 .
• Include an irrigation plan with controller schedules, valve sizes and valve groupings; programmable controllers required per § 19.06.080 .
• Show 1 tree per 30 ft of street frontage and 1 landscaped island per 10 parking spaces where applicable per § 19.06.080 .
• Ensure turf area limits meet the water‑use caps in § 19.06.080 (non‑residential limits: 10% first acre / 5% thereafter) and keep turf out of 6 ft buffers to paved surfaces unless subterranean drip is used (§ 19.06.080) .
• Where your site adjoins residential, show a 6‑ft solid wall or 6‑ft chain link with ≥80% screening and place it behind any required landscape setback (§ 19.18.120–130) .
• Ensure sight triangles at driveways/intersections are clear: trees trimmed ≥ 6 ft above grade and shrubs ≤ 3 ft within triangles (§ 19.06.040) .
• Show screening for trash enclosures, loading, and rooftop/mechanical equipment via landscape and wall/architectural elements (§ 19.06.080; § 19.08.080) .
• If in multifamily or commercial/industrial, show parking lot landscaping, island dimensions, and number/size of trees including at least one‑third of trees as 24‑inch box where required (§ 19.06.080; § 19.08.060) .
• Design fences and walls to be decorative where visible from streets; long runs must be offset with landscaped pockets and finished on both sides (§ 19.06.030; § 19.08.080) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Barstow’s zoning code requires drought-tolerant, desert‑appropriate landscaping, a formal landscape plan and water‑budget, minimum tree and parking‑island ratios, and specific screening/wall standards when non‑residential or industrial uses abut residential zones. Expect to provide detailed plans and irrigation drawings; where the code defers to district guidance that text supersedes the general rules — always confirm with planning staff. Relevant mandates live in the municipal code at § 19.06.030, § 19.06.040, § 19.06.080, the multifamily and industrial guidelines (e.g., § 19.08.060, § 19.18.110–170), and open space / public facility rules (e.g., § 19.20.030) .

Source References

• Barstow Municipal Code — Landscaping / Landscape Documentation and irrigation requirements: § 19.06.080 (Landscape package, water budget, planting and irrigation details) .
• Barstow Municipal Code — Fences and walls; parking area walls: § 19.06.030 (fence/wall heights and parking wall rules) .
• Barstow Municipal Code — Clear sight / sight‑distance triangle rules: § 19.06.040 (tree trimming / shrub height in sight triangles) .
• Barstow Municipal Code — Multifamily design & landscaping: § 19.08.060 and § 19.08.080 (multifamily landscape minimums and screening/mechanical equipment) .
• Barstow Municipal Code — Residential lot development standards: § 19.10.010 (ER, LDR, SFR, MD2 table and front‑privacy wall guidance) .
• Barstow Municipal Code — Industrial district landscaping, setbacks, and screening: § 19.18.110–170 (landscape setback depths, 6‑ft walls adjacent to residential, parking landscaping) .
• Barstow Municipal Code — Open Space and Public Facilities (landscaping depth and permitted planting): § 19.20.010 and § 19.20.030(f) .
• Note: The ordinance references the City of Barstow Landscape Manual and an Appendix A plant list; the full Landscape Manual / Appendix A content and an authoritative URL were Not found in retrieved materials. Verify plant lists and irrigation detail standards with the City (Not found in retrieved materials) .

Retrieved passages

• Barstow Zoning Code (section supersedes) High relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (§ 19.18.120) High relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (§ 19.08.050) High relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (title block) High relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (section 19.06.010) High relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (section supersedes) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Barstow Municipal Code — **Landscaping / Landscape Documentation and irrigation requirements**: **§ 19.06.080** (Landscape package, water budget, planting and irrigation details) . (§ 19.06.080)
• Barstow Municipal Code — **Fences and walls; parking area walls**: **§ 19.06.030** (fence/wall heights and parking wall rules) . (§ 19.06.030)
• Barstow Municipal Code — **Clear sight / sight‑distance triangle rules**: **§ 19.06.040** (tree trimming / shrub height in sight triangles) . (§ 19.06.040)
• Barstow Municipal Code — **Multifamily design & landscaping**: **§ 19.08.060** and **§ 19.08.080** (multifamily landscape minimums and screening/mechanical equipment) . (§ 19.08.060)
• Barstow Municipal Code — **Residential lot development standards**: **§ 19.10.010** (ER, LDR, SFR, MD2 table and front‑privacy wall guidance) . (§ 19.10.010)
• Barstow Municipal Code — **Industrial district landscaping, setbacks, and screening**: **§ 19.18.110–170** (landscape setback depths, 6‑ft walls adjacent to residential, parking landscaping) . (§ 19.18.110)
• Barstow Municipal Code — **Open Space and Public Facilities** (landscaping depth and permitted planting): **§ 19.20.010** and **§ 19.20.030(f)** . (§ 19.20.010)
• Note: The ordinance references the City of Barstow Landscape Manual and an Appendix A plant list; the full Landscape Manual / Appendix A content and an authoritative URL were Not found in retrieved materials. Verify plant lists and irrigation detail standards with the City (Not found in retrieved materials) .
• Barstow_ZoningCode.md

• Official Barstow code library