Blue Lake — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 1, 2026

Overview

Blue Lake’s zoning code (Title 17) sets citywide rules for how projects landscape and screen sites, and then adds zone-specific requirements. The core standards live in the general regulations for parking facilities, landscaping, and fences, with additional direction embedded in individual zoning districts and in site plan approval. Applicants should confirm which base zone they are in on the city’s Blue Lake Zoning map before applying standards.

Core Citywide Standards (Title 17)

• Maintenance and conformity. All required landscaping and screening must be permanently maintained in a neat, healthy condition; fences/hedges/trees and ornamental vegetation must also comply with the city’s vision-clearance and fence-height regulations in the same title .
• Minimum landscaped site area by zone. For the R-3, any Commercial (RC and SC), Mixed Use (MU), Industrial (M and ML) and Public Facility (PF) zones:
  • At least 10% of the site area that is visible from the street must be landscaped; a project proposing drought-tolerant and/or local species may reduce that to 6% (except in the R-3 zone and for mobile home parks and multifamily projects with ≥4 units, which remain at 10%) .
  • Existing natural vegetation can count for up to 50% of the required landscaped area. Install required landscaping before final inspection or before the use begins; expansions must add landscaping in addition to what already exists (unless the pre-existing area exceeds the minimum) .
  • The Planning Commission may waive or reduce the requirements when doing so would better blend the proposal into its surroundings .
• Screening and landscaping of parking lots and loading.
  • Where an open parking facility for more than five cars or a loading area in an R zone adjoins a street or required front yard—or sits across a street/alley from an R zone—provide a solid wall/fence, vine-covered fence, or compact evergreen hedge at least 4 ft high along street sides; use 6 ft screening along other property lines abutting an R zone. If parking is not permitted in a required front yard, place the screening at the back line of that yard .
  • In any commercial “C” zone (which includes RC and SC), provide interior lot landscaping equal to at least 2% of the parking area, distributed throughout the lot, plus a landscaped strip along street frontages . See also Blue Lake Parking.
• Fences, hedges, and vision clearance.
  • In all zones, fences/walls/hedges/ornamental landscaping within the street frontage area in front of a building/dwelling are limited to 4 ft in height; elsewhere the maximum height is 7 ft. Gates within 2 ft of a street or public walk must open inward. The Planning Commission may waive strict requirements during site plan approval if actual sight distance is safe and design purposes like screening are met .
• Site plan approval submittals. Where site plan approval is required, submit a scaled landscape plan that shows the design, location, and plant palette, alongside the full site plan. Landscaping is a review criterion regarding the amount and arrangement of open space and the project’s harmony with surroundings . See Blue Lake Design Review.

Zone-Specific Landscaping and Screening

R-3 — Residential Multiple Family (BLMC § 17.16.050)

• Purpose and uses. Provides for apartments, multifamily, and related higher-density residential. Typical permitted uses include single-family, two- and three-family dwellings, and small multifamily groupings; larger complexes, mobile home parks, and certain institutions require a use permit .
• Key dimensional standards. The R-3 district sets a 6,000 sq ft minimum lot area for new lots, 1 unit/2,000 sq ft maximum density, 60% maximum ground coverage, yards of 15 ft front, 10 ft rear, 5 ft sides, and 45 ft max building height .
• Landscaping and screening. Subject to the citywide landscaping rules in § 17.24.240; the 10% minimum site landscaping cannot be reduced to 6% in R-3. Parking lot and loading screening applies where relevant; fence/vision-clearance limits also apply .

RC — Retail Commercial (BLMC § 17.16.061)

• Purpose and uses. Intended to retain downtown character and protect Dave Power’s Creek; serves retail- and neighborhood-oriented commercial areas. Typical permitted uses: Not found in retrieved materials. Dimensional standards: Not found in retrieved materials .
• Landscaping and screening. RC is a “C” zone for parking-lot landscaping at 2% of interior area plus a street-edge landscaped strip (§ 17.24.230.C). RC also follows § 17.24.240’s 10% minimum site landscaping rule, with potential Planning Commission adjustments via § 17.24.240.B.6 .

SC — Service Commercial (BLMC § 17.16.065)

• Purpose and uses. Accommodates auto-oriented and service uses. Typical permitted uses include restaurants, hotels/motels, service stations, nurseries/greenhouses, and commercial recreation; several residential and animal-related uses may be allowed with a use permit. Max building height is 35 ft (two stories). Yard rules supply residential buffers and minimum 10 ft rear yards where SC abuts R or A districts .
• Landscaping and screening. Explicitly requires landscaping per § 17.24.240, and site plan approval is required for commercial buildings; commercial parking lots in SC are also subject to the 2% interior landscaping rule and street-edge landscaping in § 17.24.230.C .

MU — Mixed Use (BLMC § 17.16.110)

• Purpose and uses. Blends residential and compatible commercial; drive-thru restaurants are prohibited. Density, height, coverage, lot width, and setbacks are specified to manage scale transitions. The Planning Commission conducts site plan review for non–single-family projects .
• Landscaping and screening. Requires at least 10% of the developed area to be landscaped, plus compliance with § 17.24.240. Performance standards further require that storage, service, and loading areas be recessed or screened with fences, walls, berms, or plantings; materials and equipment must be inside buildings or behind visual barriers .

M — Industrial (BLMC § 17.16.070)

• Purpose and uses. Provides an environment for industrial operations while minimizing off-site impacts. Uses include a range of manufacturing/processing and commercial services, with heavier industry requiring a use permit .
• Landscaping and screening. A landscape plan is required for each site, with ongoing maintenance; citywide standards in § 17.24.240 govern plant quantities/percentages. The City Planner reviews and approves all landscaping plans for M-zone projects .

ML — Light Industry (BLMC ch. 17.16)

• Purpose and uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Key dimensional standards: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Landscaping and screening. ML is explicitly listed among zones subject to the 10% minimum site landscaping rule (with the general § 17.24.240 provisions) .

PF — Public Facility (BLMC ch. 17.16)

• Purpose and uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Key dimensional standards: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Landscaping and screening. PF is explicitly included in the zones that must meet the 10% minimum landscaped area (with § 17.24.240’s allowances/maintenance rules) .

Planned Development (PD-R and P-D Combining)

• PD-R — Planned Development Residential. PD-R projects are reviewed for consistency with mixed-use/residential design guidelines. Landscaping must comply with § 17.24.240, and common open space is required for residential projects. Where possible, required landscape areas may double as stormwater infiltration with City Engineer approval; maintenance must also respect the state Solar Shade Protection Act. Site plan approval is required .
• P-D — Planned Development Combining. Submittals must map out proposed landscaping, fencing, and screening as part of the development plan; design review focuses on whether open spaces and landscaping are appropriate to the project’s design and function . See Blue Lake Overlay Districts.

Quick Standards Table

Practical Guidance

• Coordinate early with the City Planner if you are pursuing the 6% drought-tolerant/local-plant option, because staff will look for clear plant lists and coverage calculations, and the Planning Commission has discretion to waive or reduce standards in limited cases when it improves neighborhood fit .
• In commercial and mixed-use projects, treat parking as a landscaped open space component: disperse the 2% interior planting islands and add a continuous street-edge strip where feasible; this is distinct from the broader 10% site landscaping requirement .
• For sites near housing, plan for walls/hedges that meet the 4 ft/6 ft screening rules at edges; place these behind required front yards where parking in that yard is prohibited .
• Keep front-yard fences and hedges at or below 4 ft and maintain shrubs/trees for sight distance; consider Planning Commission relief only with a strong safety and design case via site plan approval .
• MU projects should tuck away or visually screen service/loading areas using walls, berms, or dense plantings as part of the site plan; this is in addition to the 10% minimum landscaping in MU .

Checklist

• Identify your base zone and confirm whether the 10% (or 6% drought-tolerant) minimum landscaped area applies to your project’s zone and use type .
• Prepare a landscape plan for design review/site plan approval showing plant locations, species (note drought-tolerant/native choices if seeking 6%), irrigation, and groundcover .
• Calculate and show credits for existing natural vegetation (max 50% of required area) if applicable .
• For commercial lots, provide parking-lot landscaping equal to at least 2% of the parking interior plus a landscaped street-edge strip .
• Add screening along R-zone edges near parking/loading: 4 ft minimum along street sides and 6 ft elsewhere; position screening behind required front yards where applicable .
• Keep front-yard fences/hedges at or below 4 ft; elsewhere do not exceed 7 ft; ensure gates open inward when near a sidewalk; seek waivers only with safety/design findings .
• For MU projects, recess or screen service/loading areas behind fences/walls/berms/plantings; store materials indoors or behind visual barriers .
• Install all required landscaping before final inspection/use; plan for ongoing maintenance by the property owner .

Risks & Ambiguities

Information Gaps

• Full use lists and dimensional standards for the RC, ML, and PF zones: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Any city-approved native/drought-tolerant plant lists or landscape-spec manuals: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Clarified internal City interpretations (e.g., detailed measurement of “visible from street”): Verify with the jurisdiction.

Plain-English Summary

If you build in Blue Lake’s R-3, commercial, mixed-use, industrial, light-industrial, or public-facility zones, plan to landscape at least 10% of the site along the street side (6% if you use drought-tolerant/local plants in most of those zones). Screen parking and loading where they touch or face housing, landscape commercial parking lots with at least 2% interior planters, and keep front-yard fences/hedges under 4 feet. Bring a clear landscape plan to design review, install landscaping before final, and maintain it.

Source References

• BLMC § 17.24.230 Parking Facilities (screening and parking-lot landscaping)
• BLMC § 17.24.240 Landscaping (minimums, credits, maintenance, waivers)
• BLMC § 17.24.190 Vision Clearance and Fence Regulations (heights, gates, waivers)
• BLMC § 17.24.250 Site Plan Approval (landscape plan submittal)
• BLMC § 17.16.050 R-3 zone (purpose/uses/dimensions; landscaping cross-reference)
• BLMC § 17.16.061 RC zone (purpose statement)
• BLMC § 17.16.065 SC zone (uses, height/yards, site plan, landscaping reference)
• BLMC § 17.16.070 M zone (landscape plan requirement; § 17.24.240 reference)
• BLMC § 17.16.110 MU zone (site plan review; landscaping; performance standards for screening)
• BLMC § 17.20.020 Planned Development Combining (landscaping/fencing/screening must be shown; design criteria)
• See also the Blue Lake Development Standards, Blue Lake Land Use, and Blue Lake zoning & planning overview

Retrieved passages

• Blue Lake Zoning Code (§ 17.24.240.) High relevance show source text
• Blue Lake Zoning Code (§ 17.24.240) High relevance show source text
• Blue Lake Zoning Code (§ 17.24.190) High relevance show source text
• CWUIC § 65850.6 (Title 24) High relevance show source text
• Blue Lake Zoning Code (§ 17.16.070) High relevance show source text
• Blue Lake Zoning Code (Chapter 17.28.) High relevance show source text
• Blue Lake Zoning Code (Section 17.28.030.F) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 17.16.111 (Section 17.24.110.) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• BLMC § 17.24.230 Parking Facilities (screening and parking-lot landscaping) (§ 17.24.230)
• BLMC § 17.24.240 Landscaping (minimums, credits, maintenance, waivers) (§ 17.24.240)
• BLMC § 17.24.190 Vision Clearance and Fence Regulations (heights, gates, waivers) (§ 17.24.190)
• BLMC § 17.24.250 Site Plan Approval (landscape plan submittal) (§ 17.24.250)
• BLMC § 17.16.050 R-3 zone (purpose/uses/dimensions; landscaping cross-reference) (§ 17.16.050)
• BLMC § 17.16.061 RC zone (purpose statement) (§ 17.16.061)
• BLMC § 17.16.065 SC zone (uses, height/yards, site plan, landscaping reference) (§ 17.16.065)
• BLMC § 17.16.070 M zone (landscape plan requirement; § 17.24.240 reference) (§ 17.16.070)
• BLMC § 17.16.110 MU zone (site plan review; landscaping; performance standards for screening) (§ 17.16.110)
• BLMC § 17.20.020 Planned Development Combining (landscaping/fencing/screening must be shown; design criteria) (§ 17.20.020)
• See also the Blue Lake Development Standards, Blue Lake Land Use, and Blue Lake zoning & planning overview
• BlueLake_ZoningCode.md

• Official Blue Lake code library