Calexico — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 1, 2026

Overview

This page distills what Calexico's local zoning ordinance (Title 17) requires for landscaping and screening: who must submit plans, minimum landscaped area and street-strip requirements, rules about fences and walls, and how screening is used to buffer parking, loading, outdoor storage and mechanical equipment. It is strictly limited to what the Calexico zoning/planning ordinance says (Title 17) and points you to the controlling § references so you can verify specifics with the Planning Division. Where the ordinance is silent or parcel‑specific, the note will say "Not found in retrieved materials" or "Verify with the jurisdiction."

Note: first mentions of related procedural topics are linked to Calexico menu pages you may need during application (design review, parking, ADUs, development standards, overlays, and the state building code).

• For site plan and landscape submittal requirements see the department's development review rules in § 17.01.730 and related procedural sections .
• Calexico's zoning map and base districts are summarized in § 17.01.140; see the city's Calexico Zoning page for mapping and use lookup .
• Typical interactions with parking, setbacks and other standards are covered by the Calexico Parking, Calexico Development Standards and Calexico Design Review pages (linked where those topics are discussed below).

The rules applied (high-level)

• Landscape plans are required with development review and must be approved by the Planning Director; the ordinance requires a labeled landscape and irrigation plan showing shrubs, trees, groundcover and irrigation equipment § 17.01.730(A)(B) .
• Zones impose minimum landscaped area and street-front strip widths (typical minimums are 10% or 15% of net lot area and a 10 ft street landscape strip depending on the zone) — these minima are set in the respective zone property development standards (examples: § 17.07.132, § 17.07.131, § 17.05.140) .
• Screening of outdoor storage, loading areas, mechanical equipment and trash enclosures is mandatory and often prescriptive about height and material (masonry or decorative walls, minimum heights 6–8 ft) — see the zone performance standards (§ 17.05.140, § 17.07.132) .
• Fence material and articulation rules apply where fences are visible from public rights-of-way; chain link without slats is generally prohibited along rights-of-way, and long runs of wall/fence must be offset or articulated (offset 2 ft every 50 ft or similar treatment) — see § 17.07.131/J and related provisions .
• Administrative variances for fencing heights and other adjustments exist; the Planning & Building Services Director may allow up to +2 ft on fence/wall heights by administrative variance (§ 17.20.040(1)) .

District-by-district breakdown (where landscaping/screening rules live)

Below are Calexico districts with the landscaping/screening requirements that the ordinance attaches to each. Each subsection gives the district name in bold, its purpose (from Title 17), typical uses, the relevant landscaping/screening rules, and where the rule applies.

R zones (RR, R-1, RC, RA, R-2)

Purpose & typical uses: family residential, multi-family and related community uses; described in § 17.03.100 and associated tables for permitted uses and standards .

Key landscaping / screening rules

• Required front and street side yards must be landscaped and maintained (predominantly trees, plant materials, groundcover, decorative rock) — § 17.03.130(A)(2) .
• Walls and fences in residential zones: a wall/fence in a front yard or street-side yard shall not exceed 6 ft (with some limited exceptions); interior side/rear fences up to 6 ft allowed; visibility/driveway sight triangles restrict fence height to 36 inches within 15 ft of a driveway/street intersection — § 17.03.150(A–C) .
• Multi-family zones (RC, R-2, RA) have stricter perimeter and tree requirements: e.g., minimum 15 ft landscaping buffer where RC/R‑2/RA adjoin single-family zones, and a minimum tree count (e.g., 35 trees per gross acre with specified container sizes) — see § 17.03.120(B) and associated performance rules .

Where it applies: to all properties mapped to the R zones; development review is required prior to construction (§ 17.03.120 and § 17.01.700) .

C zones (CO, CN, CS, CH)

Purpose & typical uses: commercial office, neighborhood, specialty and highway commercial uses — established in § 17.01.140 and performance standards at § 17.05.140 .

Key landscaping / screening rules

• Required front and street side yards must be landscaped (drought-tolerant, low maintenance) and permanently maintained — § 17.05.140(A) .
• Where a commercial/office use abuts a residential zone, a 6 ft masonry wall (measured from highest finished grade) is required and additionally a 5 ft landscaped buffer must be installed and maintained — § 17.05.140(B) .
• Parking lots across the street from residential zones must be screened with a masonry wall or berm 3 ft high between parking and the required landscape area — § 17.05.140(C) .
• Ground‑mounted mechanical equipment and trash areas must be screened; structural/design plans for screening must be approved by the Planning Director and Building Official — § 17.05.140(E) .

Where it applies: to all properties in commercial zones; development plans and site landscaping are reviewed under the development-review procedures (§ 17.01.730–760) .

Business Park / Industrial zones (BP, I, IL, IR)

Purpose & typical uses: light manufacturing, business park, general industrial; see the IL and BP property development standards at § 17.07.131 (IL) and § 17.07.132 (BP) .

Key landscaping / screening rules

• IL and BP require a formal landscape and irrigation plan submitted for review and approval by the Planning Director, including labeled shrubs, trees, groundcovers and irrigation equipment — § 17.07.131 I; § 17.07.132 I .
• Typical minimums: 10% or 15% of net lot area (varies by subzone and context) to be landscaped and irrigated; a 10 ft landscape strip along street frontages is commonly required; minimum planting strips of 5 ft along building perimeters and adjacent to parking are also referenced — see § 17.07.131 and § 17.07.132 for the different percentages and specifics .
• Outdoor storage, loading and service yards must be screened by combination measures (buildings, solid masonry walls, landscaping, berms); where visible from streets certain screening heights (e.g., 8 ft for outdoor storage/service yards) are required — see § 17.07.132(K) and related subsections .
• Chain link fence without slats is not allowed along the public right-of-way; where security fencing is required it should combine solid pillars/short solid wall segments with open fence work — see § 17.07.131(E) and § 17.07.132(J) .
• Long fence/wall runs visible from the right‑of‑way must be offset/articulated at least 2 ft every 50 ft or otherwise architecturally broken up — § 17.07.131(E)(3) .

Where it applies: applies to properties mapped to the BP / I / IL / IR zones; landscape plans and screening are considered during development review and site plan approval per § 17.01.730–760 .

Mobile Home Park (MHP) and Planned Development (PD / SP) overlays

Purpose & typical uses: special-purpose parks and planned developments; rules for landscapes and screening are in the MHP article and PD overlay article (e.g., § 17.09.140 and § 17.09.230 respectively) .

Key landscaping / screening rules

• MHP: required yard landscaping per a site development plan; entire park must be screened around the perimeter by a 6 ft wall plus landscaping; outside maintenance/storage areas must be enclosed by a 6 ft masonry wall — § 17.09.140(6–7) .
• PD / SP: planned developments must include perimeter site planning that protects adjacent properties (buffers, screening, walls and landscaping) and common landscaped open spaces often require automatic irrigation systems — § 17.09.230(B) and § 17.09.330(A) .

Where it applies: sites mapped PD/SP/MHP on the official zoning map; project-specific development plans set detailed landscape/screening obligations within the overlay. Development plans and landscaping are reviewed under the development review process (§ 17.01.730–760) .

Quick reference table — decision‑relevant standards and citations

Practical guidance / interpretation (plain-English, ordinance‑grounded)

• If you are proposing new commercial, industrial or multi‑family development, plan on submitting a labeled landscape and irrigation plan as part of your development review packet — the Planning Director must approve it per § 17.01.730 .
• Expect to show either a 10 ft street frontage planting strip and to reserve 10–15% of your net lot area for landscaping depending on the zone; the BP/IL standards explicitly call out these percentages and strip widths so check the exact zone: § 17.07.132(I) and § 17.07.131(I) .
• If your site backs to residential uses, the code often prescribes a 6 ft masonry wall plus a 5 ft landscaped buffer (commercial to residential) — this is mandatory in C zones (see § 17.05.140(B)) and is mirrored in industrial buffering rules for IL/BP zones (see § 17.07.131(A)(6)) .
• Chain link fencing is heavily restricted along public frontages; visually exposed security fencing is expected to be combined with short solid piers/walls and appropriate plantings (see § 17.07.131(E)) .
• Trash enclosures, ground-mounted MEP (mechanical) equipment and rooftop equipment visible from streets must be screened architecturally consistent with the building — requirements appear in the C, BP and IL performance standards (§ 17.05.140(E–F); § 17.07.132(J–K)) .

Checklist

• Submit a labeled landscape and irrigation plan with the development review package (§ 17.01.730) .
• Confirm zone-specific minimum landscaped area (10% or 15%) and show calculations on the plan (§ 17.07.131; § 17.07.132) .
• Show a 10 ft street landscape strip (or zone-required alternative) and location of parkway trees if applicable (§ 17.07.132(I)(3)) .
• If adjacent to residential be prepared to show a 6 ft masonry wall and 5 ft landscaped buffer (commonly required in C zones) (§ 17.05.140(B)) .
• Detail screening for trash enclosures and ground mechanical equipment (6 ft walls for trash; architectural screening for MEP) (§ 17.07.132(K)(11); § 17.05.140(E–F)) .
• For long walls/fences visible from the street, show articulation or offsets (2 ft every 50 ft) or other architectural treatments (§ 17.07.131(E)(3)) .
• If you propose a taller fence than the code allows, include an administrative variance request or check for director-authorized administrative adjustments (fence height +2 ft max) (§ 17.20.040(1)) .
• Coordinate screening and landscape requirements with your parking plan and show tree placement in parking lots per parking-screening rules (§ 17.13.160(B) referenced from § 17.07.131–132) .
• Verify whether your project is subject to Design Review or Planned Development conditions that alter landscape/screening obligations (see Calexico Design Review and Calexico Overlay Districts).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Calexico requires a Planning‑Director‑approved landscape and irrigation plan for most commercial, industrial and many residential developments; typical rules include a 10–15% minimum landscaped area, a 10 ft planting strip along streets, masonry walls and buffers (6 ft) between commercial/industrial uses and homes, and prescriptive screening for trash, outdoor storage and mechanical equipment — all set out in the zoning ordinance (Title 17) and enforced during development review § 17.01.730; § 17.05.140; § 17.07.131; § 17.07.132 .

Source References

• § 17.01.730 — Plans and drawings submission; landscape plan requirement.
• § 17.01.740–780 — Development review procedures and director action timelines.
• § 17.01.140 — Establishment of zones (lists R, C, I, BP, MHP, PD).
• § 17.03.100 / § 17.03.120 / § 17.03.130 / § 17.03.150 — Residential zone purposes, development standards, performance standards and walls/fences rules.
• § 17.05.140 — Performance standards for C zones: landscaping, buffers, screening.
• § 17.07.131 — Property development standards — IL zone (landscaping, walls/fences, screening).
• § 17.07.132 — Property development standards — BP zone (landscaping percentages, landscape strips, parking screening).
• § 17.09.140 — Mobilehome park landscaping and perimeter screening requirements.
• § 17.09.230 / § 17.09.330 — PD / SP overlay requirements on site planning, buffers and irrigation.
• § 17.20.040(1) — Administrative variance: fence height adjustments (up to +2 ft).

Retrieved passages

• Calexico Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (Section 17.13.160) High relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (section shall) High relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (§ 4) High relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (section shall) High relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (section for) Medium relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (Section 17.03.110) Medium relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (Chapter 17.01) Medium relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (title shall) Medium relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code (section are) High relevance show source text
• Calexico Zoning Code High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• **§ 17.01.730** — Plans and drawings submission; landscape plan requirement. (§ 17.01.730)
• **§ 17.01.740–780** — Development review procedures and director action timelines. (§ 17.01.740)
• **§ 17.01.140** — Establishment of zones (lists R, C, I, BP, MHP, PD). (§ 17.01.140)
• **§ 17.03.100 / § 17.03.120 / § 17.03.130 / § 17.03.150** — Residential zone purposes, development standards, performance standards and walls/fences rules. fileciteturn1file6turn1file9turn1file0turn1file7 (§ 17.03.100)
• **§ 17.05.140** — Performance standards for C zones: landscaping, buffers, screening. (§ 17.05.140)
• **§ 17.07.131** — Property development standards — **IL zone** (landscaping, walls/fences, screening). (§ 17.07.131)
• **§ 17.07.132** — Property development standards — **BP zone** (landscaping percentages, landscape strips, parking screening). (§ 17.07.132)
• **§ 17.09.140** — Mobilehome park landscaping and perimeter screening requirements. (§ 17.09.140)
• **§ 17.09.230 / § 17.09.330** — PD / SP overlay requirements on site planning, buffers and irrigation. fileciteturn1file4turn2file17 (§ 17.09.230)
• **§ 17.20.040(1)** — Administrative variance: fence height adjustments (up to +2 ft). (§ 17.20.040)
• Calexico_ZoningCode.md

• Official Calexico code library