Fresno — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Fresno Citywide Development Code (Chapter 15) requires for landscaping, buffers, screening, fences/walls, and tree/planting standards that apply to development reviews and site design. It focuses strictly on the Code provisions that govern landscape composition, buffer yards, parking-area landscaping, screening walls, security fencing, maintenance, and overlay-specific fence rules — with exact code citations for every rule cited. See Fresno Zoning for the broader zoning map and district rules and Fresno Development Standards for dimensional standards referenced below.

Key Code chapters used: Article 23 — Landscape (Article header and §§), the general site regulations in Article 20 (screening walls, fences), and applicable overlay district rules such as the California Avenue (CA) Overlay; specific use standards (e.g., tow yards, dealerships, truck storage) also include unique landscape/screening requirements. Where the Code refers to state landscape standards (MWELO / CalGreen) those also apply. See the California Building Standards Code for how state construction/green-landscape requirements interact with the local code.

What the Code requires — headline rules (plain-English, then citations)

• Landscapes must be designed for composition (texture, color, form), be water-wise/climate-adapted, and provide continuity with adjacent landscaping; these are program goals and decision-making criteria in § 15-2306 .
• Buffering/screening between incompatible uses must use natural materials (trees, shrubs, hedges) alone or combined with walls/berms; plantings must be mature enough at planting to provide an effective screen within five years and achieve canopy touch within 15 years where required § 15-2306-B; lot-perimeter buffer tables apply § 15-2305-C .
• Specific Buffer Yard Types (minimum widths and tree/shrub counts) are set in Table 15‑2305‑C‑2 (Type 1 = 10 ft; Type 2 = 15 ft; per-100ft tree/shrub counts listed) § 15-2305-C / Table 15-2305-C-2 .
• Parking-area landscaping and shading: parking lots must provide landscape elements and shade trees (minimum tree sizes and distribution), and a minimum portion of parking areas must be landscaped (example: a minimum of 10% of parking lot area for non‑RS commercial/mixed-use projects) § 15-2413 et seq. / Parking landscaping .
• Screening walls and fences: where non‑residential development abuts residential zones, masonry screen walls (or other approved walls) of specified heights are required; berms can be used but supply at most one‑third of required screening height; graffiti must be removed within 48 hours; pedestrian breaks may be required for connectivity § 15-2008 (Screening wall standards) .
• Security fencing restrictions: barbed/razor wire is broadly prohibited except in limited industrial/commercial situations and when required by other laws; height and adjacency rules apply (see § 15-2009) .
• Maintenance obligations: fences, hedges, landscaping, and trees must be kept in good repair and plantings maintained or replaced as needed; grass height limits and tree replacement requirements are enforced § 15-2505 .
• Local code defers to state landscape plumbing/water-efficiency and CalGreen where applicable; the Code states that MWELO/CalGreen/CPC prevail where there is conflict § 15-2302 .

(Throughout this page I link to Fresno Parking, Fresno Development Standards, Fresno Design Review, Fresno Overlay Districts, Fresno ADUs, and the California Building Standards Code at the first natural mention to help you find related local pages.)

District-by-district breakdown (Fresno-specific)

Below are Fresno districts and overlay areas where the Code gives explicit landscaping and screening requirements or special rules. I list the purpose, typical uses, and the landscaping/screening standards that appear in the Code text. If any material about a district’s permitted uses or dimensional standards is not present in the retrieved ordinance excerpts, I mark it "Not found in retrieved materials" and tell you to Verify with the jurisdiction.

Note on district naming: the Code uses district shorthand such as RS (single-unit residential), RM (multi-unit residential), MX/CMX/RMX/NMX (mixed-use variants), CR/CMS (commercial/regional commercial), and industrial/commercial categories. Where the Code refers to "Base District," that district's underlying development standards apply in combination with the Article 23 landscaping rules; see Fresno Zoning for base‑district maps and use tables.

RS (single-unit residential)

• Purpose & typical uses: single-family homes, accessory uses (see base district uses on the zoning map). Not found in retrieved materials: the full RS use table and dimensional standards — Verify with the jurisdiction and Fresno Zoning.
• Landscaping & screening rules that apply:
  • Article 23 applies to landscape projects above applicability thresholds (new projects, >500 sf of new landscape, additions other than single‑unit dwellings except in limited cases) § 15-2303 .
  • Measurement of setbacks in RS adjacent to landscape easements: setbacks are measured from the rear of the required landscape easement where a buffer/trail abuts a Major Street § 15-2002-A/B .
  • RS transition rules: when RM abuts RS, additional landscape and screening/setback standards apply (height limits, setback increases, screening measures where second stories are near single‑unit yards) § 15-1004-A .

RM (multi‑unit residential)

• Purpose & typical uses: multi-family housing (apartments, condos). For full permitted‑use lists see Fresno Zoning.
• Landscaping & screening rules:
  • RS transition standards impose extra setback and screening where RM parcels abut RS parcels (height caps, 10 ft interior side, 20 ft rear in this transition area) § 15-1004-A.1–3 .
  • Screening measures (landscape, window placement, wing walls, etc.) may be required to preserve privacy where multi‑story units are near single‑unit lots § 15-1004-A.3 .
  • Buffer yard types (Table 15‑2305‑C‑2) apply to lot perimeters between residential and other uses; use the table to pick Type 1 or Type 2 based on use adjacency § 15-2305-C .

MX / CMX / NMX / RMX (mixed‑use districts)

• Purpose & typical uses: mixed residential and commercial uses (higher density housing over retail/office). See Fresno Zoning for exact use permissions in each mixed-use district.
• Landscaping & screening rules:
  • Parking-lot landscaping/shade-tree rules apply for multi‑unit and mixed‑use projects: minimum landscaped area for parking (e.g., 10% of the parking area), end-of-row islands with minimum tree sizes, planters and tree spacing rules § 15-2422 / Perimeter Parking Lot Landscaping .
  • Building perimeter planting requirement: building faces that front a public street must include planters along a minimum of 20% of the facade (unless building within three feet of sidewalk) and planters must be at least three feet wide § 15-2305-E .
  • Buffer yards between mixed-use parcels and other uses are governed by Table 15‑2305‑C‑2 § 15-2305-C .

CR, CMS, Office, Business Park, Regional Business Park, Industrial

• Purpose & typical uses: commercial, regional retail, office parks, industrial uses. See Fresno Zoning for permitted uses by district.
• Landscaping & screening rules:
  • For commercial and industrial uses adjacent to residential a masonry screen wall is frequently required (examples: 6–7 ft screen walls for dealerships, tow yards, truck storage; see specific-use standards) § 15-2008-C; tow yard/dealership rules § 15-2765 & § 15-? .
  • Tow yards and transit storage: minimum 10‑ft landscape along streets; a 7‑ft screen wall per § 15‑2008‑C along property lines; additional screening as Director requires § 15-2765 .
  • New automobile dealerships: 10‑ft landscaped planter along front and street‑side property lines (6‑inch curb), display vehicles prohibited in required planter; 7‑ft screen wall required where adjacent to residential § 15-? (Dealership standards) .
  • Commercial truck storage: minimum 10‑ft landscape area along streets and chain link fences prohibited along major streets; additional screening as Director requires § 15‑2718 .
  • Parking-area landscape/shade-tree standards (minimum tree size, tree-count spacing, planters) apply to these non-residential districts as well § 15-2413 et seq. .

Overlay Districts — selected rules

• California Avenue Transit Corridor (CA) Overlay: special front-yard fence rules — front yard fences in CA are limited to 3 ft max height; allowed materials and opacity limits are specified (wrought iron/tubular steel ≤20% opacity or wooden pickets ≤50% opacity); walls are not permitted in the required front yard § 15-1613-C . See Fresno Overlay Districts for a map and overlay extents.
• Focused Infill (FI) Overlay: uses and development standards follow the Base District except where modified; fence/wall rules default to base standards unless overlay exception exists § 15-1614 .

If you need a district not listed here (for example C‑N or specific numeric R‑1 variants), Verify with the jurisdiction — the retrieved excerpts do not include all base‑district permitted‑use tables or full dimensional charts. Not found in retrieved materials: a complete list of base-district permitted uses and the exact R‑1 landscaping-trigger thresholds by lot size. Verify with Fresno Zoning.

Key decision-relevant standards (table)

Checklist — what an applicant must provide for landscaping & screening compliance

• Confirm whether the project triggers Article 23 applicability (new construction, >500 sf landscape, >300 sf building addition threshold, change of use, etc.) § 15‑2303 .
• Submit a landscape plan showing buffer yards per Table 15‑2305‑C‑2 (select Type 1 or Type 2 and show tree/shrub counts per 100 linear ft) § 15‑2305‑C .
• Show building‑perimeter planters meeting the 20%/3‑ft requirements where the building faces a public street § 15‑2305‑E .
• For parking: show parking‑lot landscaping meeting the minimum landscaped area (example: 10% for multi‑unit/commercial), tree species/sizes and planter dimensions, end‑of‑row islands, and tree distribution (Article 24 parking landscaping) .
• If project abuts residential, show screening wall details per § 15‑2008‑C (wall type, height, footing details, and if berms are used show combined height calculations) .
• Show species list with drought‑tolerant/water‑wise plants and irrigation design consistent with MWELO/CalGreen; note that state standards prevail § 15‑2302 .
• Maintenance plan showing who maintains plantings, replacement schedule, graffiti removal protocol (48 hours where applicable), and tree replacement specs § 15‑2505 .
• If in an overlay district (e.g., CA Overlay) show front‑yard fence details to match overlay opacity and height rules § 15‑1613‑C .
• Verify compliance with screening/security fencing rules (barbed/razor wire limitations) if proposing high‑security fencing § 15‑2009 .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

If you build or change a property in Fresno and your project meets the Code’s landscape triggers, you must submit a landscape plan that uses water‑wise plants, provides required buffer yards and parking‑lot planting (including trees and planters), and supplies screening walls/fences where your use meets or borders incompatible uses; walls and fences have height and material rules (and some overlays add stricter front‑yard fence limits). Inspectors and the Review Authority will expect maintenance commitments and state landscape rules to be followed. For parcel‑specific questions (which buffer type applies, exact wall detail, or species lists), Verify with the City. See § 15‑2306, § 15‑2305‑C, § 15‑2008‑C, and § 15‑2302 for the controlling language .

Information Gaps

• Full base‑district permitted uses, complete dimensional tables (setbacks, lot coverage) and the exact mapping of which buffer‑yard Type applies to each zone adjacency were not included in the retrieved excerpts. Not found in retrieved materials — Verify with Fresno Zoning and the City Planning Department.
• The City’s current approved species/tree list used for parking shading calculations (the species list referenced in the parking shade tree standards) is not in the excerpts. Not found in retrieved materials — request the city tree/plant species list.
• Full technical construction details and footings for screen walls (beyond the policy-level heights and berm allowances) are referenced but detailed engineering requirements likely live in Public Works standards or Building/Engineering handouts. Not found in retrieved materials — Verify with Public Works and Building.

Source References

• Article 23 — Landscape (purpose and applicability): § 15‑2301, § 15‑2302, § 15‑2303 .
• Landscape design standards and buffering/screening rules: § 15‑2306 (Composition, Buffering and Screening, Water‑Wise landscaping) .
• General landscaping standards, planting widths, building perimeters, planter widths: § 15‑2307 and § 15‑2305 (Lot perimeters and Buffer Yard Requirements, Table 15‑2305‑C‑2) .
• Lot perimeter and landscape setback rules (trees canopy timelines, wall screening within five years): § 15‑2305‑D/E .
• Buffer yard Table: Table 15‑2305‑C‑2 (Buffer Yard Requirements) § 15‑2305‑C .
• Screening wall standards and berm allowance, graffiti removal, pedestrian breaks: § 15‑2008‑C / Screening Wall Standards .
• Security fencing exceptions and rules (barbed/razor wire): § 15‑2009 .
• Maintenance of fences, hedges, landscaping, trees (maintenance, replacement, grass height): § 15‑2505 .
• Parking lot landscaping and shading tree standards (minimum landscaped parking area, tree sizing/planters, visibility triangle limits): Article 24 excerpts on parking landscaping (Perimeter Parking Lot Landscaping) (see parking landscaping text) .
• Overlay district fence rules — California Avenue Transit Corridor (CA) Overlay (front yard fence height/opacities): § 15‑1613‑C .
• Tow yards, vehicle impound, dealerships, and truck storage-specific landscape & screening: § 15‑2765 (Tow yards), § 15‑2718 (Commercial truck storage), dealer standards (dealership standards sections) .
• State code cross-reference: MWELO, CalGreen, CPC prevail where conflict — § 15‑2302 .

Additional internal Fresno resources (linked inline above for related topics): Fresno Zoning, Fresno Development Standards, Fresno Parking, Fresno Design Review, Fresno Overlay Districts, Fresno ADUs, California Building Standards Code.

Retrieved passages

• Fresno Zoning Code (Chapter 13) High relevance show source text
• Fresno Zoning Code (Section 15-2008-C) High relevance show source text
• Fresno Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Fresno Zoning Code (article and) High relevance show source text
• Fresno Zoning Code (Section 15-2008) High relevance show source text
• Fresno Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• CWUIC § 65850.6 (Title 24) High relevance show source text
• Fresno Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Article 23 — Landscape (purpose and applicability): **§ 15‑2301**, **§ 15‑2302**, **§ 15‑2303** . (Article 23)
• Landscape design standards and buffering/screening rules: **§ 15‑2306** (Composition, Buffering and Screening, Water‑Wise landscaping) . (§ 15)
• General landscaping standards, planting widths, building perimeters, planter widths: **§ 15‑2307** and **§ 15‑2305** (Lot perimeters and Buffer Yard Requirements, Table 15‑2305‑C‑2) . (§ 15)
• Lot perimeter and landscape setback rules (trees canopy timelines, wall screening within five years): **§ 15‑2305‑D/E** . (§ 15)
• Buffer yard Table: **Table 15‑2305‑C‑2 (Buffer Yard Requirements)** **§ 15‑2305‑C** . (§ 15)
• Screening wall standards and berm allowance, graffiti removal, pedestrian breaks: **§ 15‑2008‑C / Screening Wall Standards** . (§ 15)
• Security fencing exceptions and rules (barbed/razor wire): **§ 15‑2009** . (§ 15)
• Maintenance of fences, hedges, landscaping, trees (maintenance, replacement, grass height): **§ 15‑2505** . (§ 15)
• Parking lot landscaping and shading tree standards (minimum landscaped parking area, tree sizing/planters, visibility triangle limits): Article 24 excerpts on parking landscaping (Perimeter Parking Lot Landscaping) **(see parking landscaping text)** . (Article 24)
• Overlay district fence rules — California Avenue Transit Corridor (CA) Overlay (front yard fence height/opacities): **§ 15‑1613‑C** . (§ 15)
• Tow yards, vehicle impound, dealerships, and truck storage-specific landscape & screening: **§ 15‑2765** (Tow yards), **§ 15‑2718** (Commercial truck storage), dealer standards **(dealership standards sections)** . (§ 15)
• State code cross-reference: MWELO, CalGreen, CPC prevail where conflict — **§ 15‑2302** . (§ 15)
• Fresno_ZoningCode.md

• Official Fresno code library