Hawaiian Gardens — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the City of Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code requires for landscaping, screening, buffers, fences, walls, and street trees. It is grounded in the City's Zoning Code provisions such as § 18.70.020, § 18.50.020, and the fences/walls rules in § 18.50.040 / § 18.70.040; citation markers point to the local code excerpts used below. For related topics see the citywide Hawaiian Gardens zoning & planning overview, and cross-check site-level rules for parking, development standards, design review, overlays, and ADU rules via the linked pages below.

(Links used in this page: Hawaiian Gardens Parking, Hawaiian Gardens Development Standards, Hawaiian Gardens Design Review, Hawaiian Gardens Overlay Districts, Hawaiian Gardens ADUs, California Building Standards Code, Hawaiian Gardens Zoning.)

Citywide rules that apply to all zones (summary of controlling provisions)

• Minimum landscaped area for projects: 10% of the project site (landscaping may include required setbacks and parking-lot planter areas) — § 18.70.020(A)(1) and § 18.50.020(A)(1).
• Landscape planting minimum sizes: trees 24–36" box, shrubs 15-gallon, groundcover spacing and mulch requirements — § 18.70.020(A)(2) / subsections.
• One tree per 200 sq ft of landscaped area (projects) and street-tree minimum one tree per 25 linear feet of frontage for non-single-family projects — § 18.70.020(A)(2) and § 18.70.020(D)(6).
• Parking-lot and perimeter screening: minimum 5 ft perimeter landscape strip adjacent to ROW; perimeter buffers required where nonresidential abuts residential — § 18.70.020(B) / § 18.70.020(D) and parallel residential rules in § 18.50.020(C).
• Irrigation & water-conservation: automated irrigation required; comply with the State Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance; drip irrigation preferred; runoff to ROW prohibited — § 18.70.020(A)(5) / § 18.50.020(A)(4).
• Landscape plans must be reviewed/approved by the Community Development Director; plans prepared by a landscape designer and specifying species, spacing, quantities — § 18.70.020(E) / § 18.50.020(E).

Note: Mixed-use design standards for C-2 and C-4 refer applicants to § 18.55.010 for zone-specific landscaping/screening (see individual district notes where cited). Not all mixed-use text is reproduced here; verify with the Director.

District-by-district breakdown

R-1 (Single-family estate / Single-family)

• Purpose & typical uses: single-family residences and accessory uses (permitted uses listed in § 18.40.070). § 18.10.010–.030 provides code scope.
• Landscaping & screening rules that apply here: single-family projects follow the residential landscaping chapter: minimum 10% landscaping of the site; front setback plantings and turf limits; street trees where applicable; perimeter buffering rules apply when a nonresidential use adjoins a residential lot (see Buffer Areas below) — § 18.50.020 & § 18.50.040.
• Fences/walls: front-yard fences limited to 36–42 in. (solid) or up to 48 in. if open iron; side/rear yards generally max 6 ft; plant buffers in side/rear yards may exceed 8 ft height where used for buffering (but cannot obstruct driveway sight lines) — § 18.50.040(A).
• Where this applies: all parcels zoned R-1 (see the zoning map and Hawaiian Gardens Zoning). For small ADU projects consult the ADU rules at Hawaiian Gardens ADUs.

R-2 / R-3 (Medium / Intermediate density residential)

• Purpose & typical uses: multi-family and duplex uses per § 18.40.070; same landscaping minimums as R-1 for open areas; multi-family developments have additional common open-space and landscape requirements (e.g., per-unit open space) — see § 18.40.050–.070 and § 18.50.020.
• Key dimensional standards: setbacks, lot coverage and open-space requirements differ by zone (see § 18.40 tables); multi-family projects must provide landscaped private and common areas and comply with tree/groundcover minimums — § 18.40.050 & § 18.50.020.

R-4 (High-density residential)

• Purpose & typical uses: apartments, condos, higher density residential uses; development standards include minimum lot size, setbacks, maximum lot coverage, and open space; landscaping covering at least 10% of the site — see § 18.40.050 and § 18.50.020.
• Screening: trash enclosures, mechanical equipment and parking screening requirements are enforced (see Trash & Recycling Enclosures § 18.70.030 / residential equivalents § 18.50.030).

C-2 (Downtown commercial)

• Purpose & typical uses: small-scale retail, restaurants, pedestrian-oriented retail — § 18.60.010. Non-residential landscaping and design guidelines are in Chapter 18.70 and mixed-use provisions in § 18.55.010.
• Key landscaping items: perimeter landscape strip min 5 ft where required; parking-lot landscaping and screening (trees, shrubs, groundcover) per § 18.70.020 and parking design specifics in the parking chapter (see Hawaiian Gardens Parking).

C-4 (General commercial)

• Purpose & typical uses: larger commercial uses and services; landscaping and screening requirements for commercial development fall under Chapter 18.70 non-residential regulations; mixed-use development in C-4 refers to § 18.55.010 for special rules.

PD (Planned Development Overlay)

• Where landscaping differs: PD projects must meet master development plan standards; PDs require at least 10% landscaping, and PDs may prescribe 15% open space and 15-ft buffers where adjacent to residential — § 18.80.020(C)(3–4). Verify the approved master plan because the plan controls where it conflicts with underlying zones.

SP (Specific Plan)

• Where landscaping differs: SP zones follow a site-specific plan; the SP must be consistent with the General Plan and include design guidance for landscaping and buffers — § 18.80.030. For the two adopted SPs see the specific plan listings in the code.

Quick standards table (most decision-relevant)

Checklist

• Prepare a landscape plan showing existing and proposed trees, shrubs, groundcover, irrigation, and maintenance responsibility. (Must satisfy § 18.70.020(E) / § 18.50.020(E).)
• Demonstrate 10% minimum landscaped area, show tree counts (1 per 200 sq ft) and street-tree spacing (1 per 25 ft) where applicable (§ 18.70.020(A)).
• Show 5 ft perimeter landscape strips where required and buffering where nonresidential abuts residential (§ 18.70.020(D)(2–3)).
• For parking lots: show internal parking-lot landscaping and screening of utilities/trash/loading (§ 18.70.020(B) / § 18.70.030 for trash enclosures).
• Specify irrigation system (automated) and water-conservation measures; show compliance with the State Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (§ 18.70.020(A)(5)).
• If installing/altering walls/fences, include fence plans and confirm heights: front 36–48 in, rear/side 6 ft max (§ 18.50.040 / § 18.70.040).
• Coordinate street-tree work with Public Works (ownership and maintenance obligations noted in § 18.70.020(A)(7)).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Hawaiian Gardens requires most developments to landscape at least 10% of the site, plant trees at specified spacing and sizes, screen parking/utility/trash areas with planting and low walls, install an automated irrigation system, and follow fence-height limits (front yards low, side/rear up to 6 ft). Submit a stamped landscape plan for approval by the Community Development Director and coordinate street trees with Public Works; check mixed-use or PD/SP plans for site-specific exceptions. See § 18.70.020, § 18.50.020, and fence rules in § 18.50.040 / § 18.70.040 for the controlling language.

Source References

• § 18.70.020 — Landscaping and screening (non-residential / citywide landscaping standards).
• § 18.70.030 — Trash and recycling enclosures (screening of trash areas).
• § 18.70.040 — Fences, walls, gates, and hedges (non-residential).
• § 18.50.020 — Landscaping and screening (residential regulations).
• § 18.50.030 — Enclosures (trash) for residential developments.
• § 18.50.040 — Fences, walls, gates, and hedges (residential).
• § 18.40.050 / § 18.40.070 — Zone development standards and permitted uses (R-4 and residential uses).
• § 18.60.010 — C-2 Downtown commercial zone (purpose & development standards).
• § 18.80.020–.030 — PD and SP overlay rules (buffers, open space, landscaping inside master plans).

Official municipal code source for the excerpts above: library.municode.com (City of Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code, Title 18). Verify local code online at the City's published Zoning Code for final text.

Retrieved passages

• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code (§ 2) High relevance show source text
• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code (section is) High relevance show source text
• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code (§ 2) High relevance show source text
• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code (Section 18.100.050.) High relevance show source text
• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code (§ 2) High relevance show source text
• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code (Section 18.100.090) High relevance show source text
• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code (Chapter 18.50) Medium relevance show source text
• Hawaiian Gardens Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• **§ 18.70.020** — Landscaping and screening (non-residential / citywide landscaping standards). (§ 18.70.020)
• **§ 18.70.030** — Trash and recycling enclosures (screening of trash areas). (§ 18.70.030)
• **§ 18.70.040** — Fences, walls, gates, and hedges (non-residential). (§ 18.70.040)
• **§ 18.50.020** — Landscaping and screening (residential regulations). (§ 18.50.020)
• **§ 18.50.030** — Enclosures (trash) for residential developments. (§ 18.50.030)
• **§ 18.50.040** — Fences, walls, gates, and hedges (residential). (§ 18.50.040)
• **§ 18.40.050 / § 18.40.070** — Zone development standards and permitted uses (R-4 and residential uses). (§ 18.40.050)
• **§ 18.60.010** — **C-2** Downtown commercial zone (purpose & development standards). (§ 18.60.010)
• **§ 18.80.020–.030** — PD and SP overlay rules (buffers, open space, landscaping inside master plans). (§ 18.80.020)
• HawaiianGardens_ZoningCode.md

• Official Hawaiian Gardens code library