Highland — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the City of Highland zoning ordinance requires for landscaping and screening (trees, buffers, fences, walls, and planting/irrigation) and where those rules differ by district. It is grounded in the Highland zoning text and highlights the rules most relevant to project design and entitlement (plan submittal, staff/design review, and conditions of approval). Where the local code is silent, I note that fact so you can Verify with the jurisdiction. Key related city processes referenced below include design review Highland Design Review, parking Highland Parking, setbacks / development standards Highland Development Standards, overlay considerations Highland Overlay Districts, and rules for ADUs Highland ADUs; and where state construction rules matter see the California Building Standards Code California Building Standards Code.

District-by-district landscaping & screening summary

Note: the ordinance uses specific district labels (for example R-1, R-2, R-2C, R-3, R-4, Village Residential, Commercial and Office Professional, and Industrial / Business Park). Below I describe purpose, typical uses (where the code itself indicates them), the landscaping/screening rules that apply, and the sections that control those rules. Always verify the parcel’s actual zoning on the city zoning map; where the code does not identify permitted uses for a district in the retrieved text I note that as "Not found in retrieved materials."

R-1 (Single-Family Residential) / R-2 / R-3 / R-4 (Residential Districts)

• Purpose & typical uses: Residential districts for single- and multi-family development (the code discusses multi-unit project landscaping requirements for R-1, R-2, R-2C, R-3, R-4) (see § 16.40.100) .
• Landscaping/screening highlights:
  • Front-yard fences/walls in required front yards generally may not exceed 4 ft; exceptions allow up to 5 ft if portion above 3 ft is at least 90% light-admitting (e.g., wrought iron) (§ 16.40.100(A)(1)) .
  • Rear, interior side and street-side yards: fences/walls up to 6 ft measured from highest adjacent grade (§ 16.40.100(A)(2)) .
  • For multi-unit projects (5+ units) within these residential districts required front and street-side yards must be landscaped with predominantly drought-tolerant plants and automatic irrigation (§ 16.40.100(C)(4)) .
  • Where retaining walls are visible from public right-of-way they must be mitigated (raised planters or 2:1 landscape slope) (§ 16.40.100(A)(2)) .
• Where it applies: city residential zoning; design exceptions (e.g., modulation, materials) handled through design review (§ 16.40.020) .

Corridor Residential (R-2C) and East Highland Village (EHV)

• Purpose & typical uses: Specific residential overlay/standards for corridors and East Highland Village; the code includes special landscaping and streetscape requirements for these districts (see § 16.16.040 and § 16.40.100 references) .
• Landscaping/screening highlights:
  • R-2C/EHV have special minimum usable flat-area and planting expectations and require landscaping consistent with the city streetscape plans; R-2/R-2C need at least 35% of site area (exclusive of patios) landscaped for developments in R-2/R-2C (§ 16.40.100(B)(5) and related provisions) .
  • EHV two-story designs must comply with East Highland Village Design Guidelines (§ 16.16.040(F)) — landscaping and streetscape designs are part of that review (design review and specific-plan processes apply) .

Village Residential (historic/overlay)

• Purpose & typical uses: Applies in historic or village residential areas; fencing and landscape treatments must comply with the historic board’s guidelines (§ 16.40.100(B)) .
• Landscaping/screening highlights:
  • All new fencing must conform to the guidelines of the Historic and Cultural Preservation Board (§ 16.40.100(B)) .

Commercial and Office Professional Districts

• Purpose & typical uses: Commercial and office uses; where commercial or industrial properties abut residential parcels, the code requires robust screening (§ 16.40.280) .
• Landscaping/screening highlights:
  • Within front or street-side setbacks, walls/fences not to exceed 4 ft; in rear or interior side setbacks walls/fences not to exceed 6 ft (§ 16.40.100(C)) .
  • When commercial/industrial abuts residential zoning, a decorative masonry wall sufficient for sound attenuation with a minimum 6 ft height on the commercial side is required; additional landscaping must be installed on the commercial side to create intermittent screening up to 20 ft tall with no unobstructed openings greater than 10 ft at maturity (§ 16.40.280(A)(1–2)) .
  • Outdoor storage and refuse areas require screening with solid opaque walls/gates of at least 5 ft (§ 16.40.280(B–C)) .

Industrial Districts and Business Park

• Purpose & typical uses: Industrial/manufacturing/warehousing uses.
• Landscaping/screening highlights:
  • Front setback walls up to 6 ft; fences may be allowed up to 10 ft if 90% light-admitting (e.g., chain or wrought iron) (§ 16.40.100(D)(1)) .
  • For solid walls over 4 ft within setbacks a minimum 6 ft landscaped strip between wall and property line is required; fences over 6 ft within setbacks must have 6 ft of landscaping from the property line (§ 16.40.100(D)(2–3)) .
  • Solid screening for commercial activities or sound attenuation can be required as a condition of approval; the planning commission can set height/placement based on need (§ 16.40.100(C)(3) and (D)(6)) .

Key standards (decision-relevant) — quick reference table

How the rules affect common project types (brief)

• New single-family front fences: keep the visible front portion at or below 4 ft or make the upper portion open (90% light-admitting) to reach 5 ft (§ 16.40.100(A)(1)) .
• Multi-family projects: expect landscape plans showing automatic irrigation, drought-tolerant species, and for 5+ unit projects, larger front/street-side plantings; prepare a certified completion letter from a licensed landscape architect (§ 16.40.100(C)(4); § 16.64.020) .
• Commercial or industrial next to homes: plan for a decorative masonry sound wall and a planting plan that creates intermittent screening to 20 ft; the city may require the developer to install/maintain the residential-side planting if needed to reduce visual obtrusiveness (§ 16.40.280(A)) .
• Visible retaining walls: expect modulation, texturing, terracing, raised planters or landscape buffers rather than long, smooth concrete block walls (textured walls required; smooth block walls are not permitted) (§ 16.40.100(I)) .

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy (pre-submittal & at approval)

• Submit a site landscape plan showing plant species (from the City-approved list for street trees), quantities, sizes, locations, and irrigation plans (show SMART controller and irrigation schedule) — see § 16.64.060 and § 16.64.020 .
• Demonstrate compliance with district fence/wall heights and materials (front 4 ft, rear 6 ft, industrial exceptions) and show sightline diagrams for corner lots (§ 16.40.100) .
• If commercial/industrial adjacent to residential, include decorative masonry wall details and planting schedule designed to achieve intermittent screening to 20 ft (§ 16.40.280) .
• For multi-family 5+ unit projects, show 35% landscaped area (R-2/R-2C) and automatic underground irrigation (§ 16.40.100(B)(5)) .
• If landscaping uses recycled water, provide dual distribution design and city engineer exemption if not using recycled water (§ 16.64.020(J)) .
• Be prepared to obtain design review or staff review approval; screening/landscaping/fence details are frequently conditions of approval (§ 16.40.020; § 16.08.060(D)) .
• Provide a certificate of completion signed by a licensed landscape architect before final inspection / certificate of occupancy (§ 16.64.020(2–3)) .
• If proposing tree removal in riparian areas or public waterways, obtain the required permits per riparian protection rules (§ 16.64.050) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English summary

Highland requires landscaped front and street-side yards, drought-tolerant plantings and irrigation for many developments, sets clear maximum fence/wall heights (4 ft front, 6 ft rear/interior), and forces robust masonry wall plus planting buffers where commercial or industrial uses abut homes; most projects need a landscape plan, irrigation certification, and likely design/staff review conditions tied to screening and maintenance (§ 16.40.100; § 16.40.280; § 16.64.020; § 16.64.060) .

Source References

• Highland Zoning — Fences and Walls, General fence standards: § 16.40.100
• Highland Zoning — Screening requirements (commercial/industrial adjacent to residential; refuse/storage screening): § 16.40.280
• Highland Zoning — Design review / conditions (authority to require screening, buffering, fences/walls, landscaping): § 16.40.020 and § 16.08.060(D)
• Highland Zoning — Landscaping: street trees / planting standards: § 16.64.060
• Highland Zoning — Landscape completion, irrigation audits, recycled water: § 16.64.020 (J) and related subsections on certification and MAWA (§ 16.64.020(2–5))
• Highland Zoning — Planned development / design guidelines (landscaping, fences, walls, materials): various specific plan and design guideline excerpts (see § 16.40.100(I) and specific plan guidance)
• Highland Zoning — Residential district landscaping and multi-unit standards (R-2/R-2C): § 16.40.100(B)(4–6)
• (Context on wildfire/fuel modification referenced in staff review conditions) § 16.08.060(D)(9)
• Supplementary uploaded reference: 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (uploaded file) — Not a Highland ordinance but relevant to fire/fuel modification and non-combustible landscaping/fencing details

Retrieved passages

• CFC § 11.160 (§ 11.160) High relevance show source text
• Highland Zoning Code (section shall) High relevance show source text
• Highland Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Highland Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Highland Zoning Code (section before) High relevance show source text
• Highland Zoning Code (§ 10.100) High relevance show source text
• Highland Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Highland Zoning Code (§ 16.40) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Highland Zoning — **Fences and Walls**, **General fence standards**: **§ 16.40.100** (§ 16.40.100)
• Highland Zoning — **Screening requirements** (commercial/industrial adjacent to residential; refuse/storage screening): **§ 16.40.280** (§ 16.40.280)
• Highland Zoning — **Design review / conditions** (authority to require screening, buffering, fences/walls, landscaping): **§ 16.40.020** and **§ 16.08.060(D)** (§ 16.40.020)
• Highland Zoning — **Landscaping: street trees / planting standards**: **§ 16.64.060** (§ 16.64.060)
• Highland Zoning — **Landscape completion, irrigation audits, recycled water**: **§ 16.64.020 (J)** and related subsections on certification and MAWA (§ 16.64.020(2–5)) (§ 16.64.020)
• Highland Zoning — **Planned development / design guidelines (landscaping, fences, walls, materials)**: various specific plan and design guideline excerpts (see § 16.40.100(I) and specific plan guidance) (§ 16.40.100)
• Highland Zoning — **Residential district landscaping and multi-unit standards (R-2/R-2C)**: **§ 16.40.100(B)(4–6)** (§ 16.40.100)
• (Context on wildfire/fuel modification referenced in staff review conditions) **§ 16.08.060(D)(9)** (§ 16.08.060)
• Supplementary uploaded reference: 2025 **California Wildland-Urban Interface Code** (uploaded file) — Not a Highland ordinance but relevant to fire/fuel modification and non-combustible landscaping/fencing details
• Highland_ZoningCode.md
• 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code.md

• Official Highland code library