Belvedere — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 1, 2026

Overview

Belvedere’s zoning ordinance (Title 19) requires projects to address landscaping and screening as part of site planning, setbacks, and yard features, and it cross-references design-review standards for fences and screening. Citywide, the ordinance explicitly “requires the provision of screening and landscaping” and ties many details to objective standards in each zone and to design review criteria. Expect landscaped setbacks for multifamily and mixed-use sites, parking-lot landscaping used for shading and visual buffers, and zone-specific fence and hedge limits, with added nuance on waterfront lots.

Below is a Belvedere-specific guide to what the zoning code says about landscaping, screening, buffering, fences, walls, trees, and hedges—organized by rule type and then broken down district-by-district. For broader context, see the Belvedere zoning & planning overview, Zoning, Land Use, and Development Standards pages.

What the code requires (citywide concepts)

• Screening/landscaping are a core zoning objective. Title 19 expressly includes “requiring the provision of screening and landscaping” among its contents and objectives.
• Fences, walls, hedges, and related yard features are regulated in residential zones, with specific height, placement, and measurement rules; several districts allow case-by-case height increases.
• Landscaped setbacks are mandatory in the R-2 and R-3 zones, and in the MU zone, with planting types and plan submittals keyed to the state Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO).
• Parking areas must incorporate landscaping for shading and visual buffering in multifamily and mixed-use settings.
• Planned unit developments must include “buffering” beyond minimum setbacks between single-family uses and nonresidential/multifamily uses.

Core standards by topic

1. Fences, walls, hedges, and screening (residential yards)

• Base residential fence height: 6 ft; decorative elements up to 6 ft–6 in at reasonable intervals. Fences must be at least 2 ft from the curb or pavement edge.
• Waterfront lots: any fence parallel to the water is capped at 4 ft in height.
• Trellis/arch at a gate: allowed up to 9 ft.
• Hedge exception: a “hedge” (defined in BMC 8.28.020) can exceed fence height if all immediately adjacent neighbors consent in writing; Chapter 8.28 applies.
• Extra height in select districts:
  • R-15: up to 8 ft (neighbor consent and design review; not adjacent to public space).
  • R-1L and R-2: up to 8 ft with design review, based on privacy/screening needs, terrain/building height relationships, neighbor input, or where landscaping alone is unreasonable.
• How height is measured: vertical plumb from existing grade; measure both sides and take the taller; fences on retaining walls must be set back 1 ft from the wall edge to measure from the top of wall.
• Temporary deer barriers are generally prohibited on street frontages (except as otherwise provided in the same section).
• Fences and screening also reference design-review standards in Section 20.04.150; when a zone chapter says “the standards of Section 20.04.150 (Fences and screening) apply,” that section controls additional screening details under design review.

2. Landscaped setbacks and planting requirements

• R-2/R-3 landscaped setbacks: setback areas must be planted (with allowances only for access and utilities); landscaping includes trees, shrubs, groundcover per City lists and may include permeable paving/hardscape. A landscape documentation package meeting MWELO is required for projects with ≥500 sq ft of landscape area; the ≤2,500 sq ft prescriptive option is allowed.
• MU landscaped setbacks: substantively similar landscaped-setback and MWELO requirements apply in the MU zone.
• ADU-specific landscaping (any zone): setbacks must be landscaped; species shall be native to the region; larger trees removed for an ADU (≥50-inch trunk circumference at 24 inches above grade) must be replaced with comparable size/species; landscape documentation package per MWELO is required.

3. Parking-lot landscaping and visual buffering

• R-2/R-3 parking: landscaping—“including trees and shrubs for shading and visual buffering”—is required and must be water-conserving, irrigated, and maintained in line with MWELO; defective/dead landscaping must be replaced.
• MU parking: the same approach applies; raised wheel stops or similar devices must protect landscaping; fixtures must be shielded to prevent glare/spillover.

4. Buffers in Planned Unit Developments

• PUD review criterion: provide “buffering” beyond base-zone setbacks where single-family abuts nonresidential/multifamily uses. This typically translates to greater setbacks, landscape buffers, and screening as objective site-planning features under a PUD.

5. Waterfront and lagoon-specific notes

• In R-1L (lagoon lots), when a rear or side property line is located in water, setbacks are measured from the edge of water at summer high tide—relevant to where landscaping and fences may be placed.
• Development near the Belvedere Lagoon often implicates docks/bulkheads; separate design review and lagoon-owner approvals apply for such shoreline improvements (not landscaping per se, but frequently coordinated).

District-by-District Standards and Practice

Single-Family Residential: R-1C, R-1L, R-1W, R-15

• Purpose and uses: R-1 districts implement single-family residential neighborhoods; design review applies to exterior work including fences. Small family day care and related small residential care uses are allowed forms of housing in R‑1 zones, with larger facilities allowed by use permit; consult Chapter 19.24 for the full list.
• Landscaping/screening:
  • Fences generally 6 ft maximum; see zone-specific allowances below. Waterfront fences parallel to water capped at 4 ft. Hedges can exceed fence height with unanimous adjacent-neighbor consent per Chapter 8.28.
  • Fences and screening are also subject to design review standards referenced in multiple chapters.
  • Lighting and glare limits tied to design-review standards apply to exterior fixtures (useful when integrating landscape lighting).
• Key dimensional context: Yards and setbacks in R-1 districts vary by subzone and height; see Title 19, Chapter 19.48, for how setbacks are measured and how water-adjacent lots in R-1L are handled.

Subdistrict notes:

• The R-1C (Corinthian Island) and R-1W districts follow the baseline 6‑ft fence rule; no special 8‑ft allowance is listed in 19.48.190 for these subzones. Not found in retrieved materials for additional landscaping-ratio requirements. Verify with the jurisdiction.
• The R-1L district allows fences up to 8 ft with design review and findings (privacy, screening, terrain, building height relationships, etc.). Waterfront fence segments parallel to water remain limited to 4 ft; setbacks are measured from the water’s edge at summer high tide.
• The R-15 district may allow fences up to 8 ft with neighbor consent and design review, but not adjacent to public space.

Duplex and Multifamily Residential: R-2 and R-3

• Purpose and uses: Support duplex and multifamily housing; permitted and conditional uses are enumerated in Chapter 19.28.
• Landscaping/screening:
  • Landscaped setbacks are required; planting must be trees, shrubs, and groundcover per City lists; landscape documentation package per MWELO for ≥500 sq ft landscaped area (prescriptive option allowed for ≤2,500 sq ft).
  • Parking lots must include landscaping for shading and visual buffering; water-conserving plantings, irrigation, and maintenance are required; replace defective/dead plants.
  • Fences may reach 8 ft in R-2 with design review and the same objective factors used in R‑1L.
  • Common open space landscaping must be maintained by the lot owner; minimum private/common open-space areas apply per unit (useful for hardscape/softscape planning).
• Dimensional context: See R‑2/R‑3 development standards and yard rules for how building height affects yard depth and where landscaped setbacks apply.

Mixed Use: MU

• Purpose and uses: Mixed residential/commercial in downtown along Tiburon Boulevard, with objective design standards and buffer/transition expectations near homes.
• Landscaping/screening:
  • Landscaped setbacks required; MWELO landscape documentation package required for ≥500 sq ft of landscape area (prescriptive option for ≤2,500 sq ft).
  • Minimum landscape coverage: 15% of site area.
  • Parking areas: landscaping for shading/visual buffering and protection of adjacent landscaping with wheel stops; fully shielded lighting to avoid glare/spillover.

Recreation: R and Open Space Scenic: O

• Purpose and uses: Parks/recreation (R) and natural scenic areas (O). Landscaping and screening expectations are set during project-specific design review; no fixed citywide ratio is specified in Title 19 for these zones.

Decision-focused standards at a glance

Practical guidance

• In residential areas, start fence design at 6 ft and justify any needed increase to 8 ft where allowed (R‑15, R‑1L, R‑2) using the ordinance’s privacy, terrain, and building-height relationship criteria—bring neighbor consent where relevant.
• On lagoon or bay edges, cap any fence that runs parallel to the water at 4 ft and confirm how the rear/side setback is measured if your property line lies in the water (R‑1L uses summer high-tide line).
• For R‑2/R‑3 and MU projects, budget early for a MWELO-compliant landscape package once landscaped area will hit ≥500 sq ft; use the ≤2,500 sq ft prescriptive option when eligible to streamline review.
• Treat parking-lot trees and perimeter planting as both a shading strategy and your primary “screening” tool; factor irrigation and maintenance commitments into conditions of approval.

Checklist

• Identify your zone: R-1C, R-1L, R-1W, R-15, R‑2, R‑3, or MU (see Zoning).
• Confirm if your proposal is a PUD or within an overlay (see Overlay Districts); if so, assess added buffering expectations.
• For R‑2/R‑3 or MU, prepare a MWELO landscape documentation package if landscaped area is ≥500 sq ft; consider the prescriptive path if ≤2,500 sq ft.
• Show landscaped setbacks on plans where required; label plant types, irrigation, and groundcover per City lists/MWELO.
• If proposing a fence: confirm base height, any waterfront 4‑ft limitations, distance from curb, and, if seeking >6 ft, whether your district allows 8 ft and what findings/neighbor consent are needed.
• If using hedges for screening above fence height, secure unanimous adjacent-neighbor consent and follow Chapter 8.28.
• For parking areas, include tree/shrub landscaping for shading and buffering; commit to irrigation/maintenance and shielded lighting.
• If on the lagoon, verify setback measurement from water and any separate lagoon-owner letters needed for shoreline work before design review.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

In Belvedere, multifamily and mixed-use projects must submit MWELO-compliant landscape plans and plant their setbacks; parking lots need tree/shrub landscaping for shade and screening. In single-family areas, fences are usually 6 ft, but some districts allow 8 ft with design review or neighbor consent, and any fence running along the water is capped at 4 ft. If you’re near the lagoon or proposing taller fencing, expect to coordinate closely with Planning—and sometimes your neighbors—to meet the City’s screening and landscaping rules.

Source References

• Citywide contents/objectives include screening/landscaping: Title 19, 19.04.050 and objectives.
• Residential yards—fences/hedges/heights/measurement: 19.48.190(A), (A)(5)–(8).
• R‑1L waterfront setback measurement: 19.48.010(D).
• R‑2/R‑3 landscaped setbacks and MWELO plan: 19.28.060(A), (D).
• R‑2/R‑3 parking landscaping and buffering: 19.28.070(E).
• MU landscaped setbacks/MWELO plan: 19.41.070; MU minimum landscape coverage 15%: Table 19.41‑A.
• MU parking landscaping/lighting protections: 19.41.080(D)–(F).
• PUD buffering requirement: 19.87.060(C).
• ADU landscaping and tree-replacement, MWELO package: Ch. 19.79 (C, D, E excerpts).
• Lagoon-related approvals for shoreline work: 19.48.190(N).

Retrieved passages

• Belvedere Zoning Code (Chapter 2.7) High relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 1 (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Section 8.28.020) High relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Section 19.48.190.) High relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Title 19) High relevance show source text
• CWUIC § 65850.6 (Title 24) High relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Title 19) High relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (§ 11) High relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Section 19.41.070) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (title to) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (§ 4) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Chapter 19.56) High relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Chapter 19.56) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Chapter 19.24.) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Title 19) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Chapter expressly) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Title 19) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Section 19.08.240.) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Title 19) High relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Title 19) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Chapter 19.56) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (§ 6) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (§ 4) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (Chapter 19.41) Medium relevance show source text
• Belvedere Zoning Code (chapter is) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Citywide contents/objectives include screening/landscaping: Title 19, 19.04.050 and objectives. (Title 19)
• Residential yards—fences/hedges/heights/measurement: 19.48.190(A), (A)(5)–(8).
• R‑1L waterfront setback measurement: 19.48.010(D).
• R‑2/R‑3 landscaped setbacks and MWELO plan: 19.28.060(A), (D).
• R‑2/R‑3 parking landscaping and buffering: 19.28.070(E).
• MU landscaped setbacks/MWELO plan: 19.41.070; MU minimum landscape coverage 15%: Table 19.41‑A.
• MU parking landscaping/lighting protections: 19.41.080(D)–(F).
• PUD buffering requirement: 19.87.060(C).
• ADU landscaping and tree-replacement, MWELO package: Ch. 19.79 (C, D, E excerpts).
• Lagoon-related approvals for shoreline work: 19.48.190(N).
• Belvedere_ZoningCode.md

• Official Belvedere code library