Local zoning · King City

King City — Landscaping and Screening

Q: How much of my parking lot must be landscaped and how many trees do I need?

The code sets parking‑lot landscaping minimums (commonly 10–15% of parking area) and typically requires canopy trees at approximately 1 tree per 4 parking spaces ; the detailed plant container sizes and shrub mixes are in the parking‑landscaping table (see § 17.26.130 ) .

Landscaping and Screening under the King City local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

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Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the King City zoning and planning ordinance requires for landscaping and screening (trees, hedges, berms, fences, walls, and parking-lot planting) under the city's zoning code (Title 17). It focuses on the rules that appear in the code chapters for each district, how landscape plans and screening are reviewed, and where applicants must look first. For citywide review and procedure basics see the King City zoning & planning overview. The rules below are drawn directly from the King City Municipal Code; verify parcel-specific questions with the Community Development Department.

How to read this page

Bolded district names and numeric standards call out the exact district or numeric requirement in the code (for quick scanning).
Each requirement is grounded to the municipal code with the cited controlling § and the file-search result that contains it.
For related topics referenced by the code, see King City Parking, King City Design Review, King City Overlay Districts, King City ADUs, and King City Development Standards. For building-code overlap (e.g., when hardscape or retaining walls trigger construction permits) consult the California Building Standards Code.

District-by-district landscaping & screening (what the ordinance actually says)

Notes: King City establishes district chapters by chapter/section numbers (see § 17.06.010) . The excerpts below summarize the code language applying to landscaping, screening and fences in the named district chapters. Where the code provides near-identical landscaping language across multiple districts the citation points to that district's §.

R-2 — R-2 (Medium Density Residential)

Purpose & typical uses: medium-density family housing (duplexes, triplexes), accessory dwelling units are explicitly allowed in conformance with Chapter 17.47 (§ 17.14.020) .
Screening / fences: Fence, wall and hedge height standards for the R-2 district are given in § 17.14.090; front/street-side maximums are 3 ft without a permit and 4 ft with a fence permit; interior/rear yard maximum 7 ft (with special rules on decorative columns and vision clearance) .
Landscaping plan & review: Site and landscaping plans for residential developments are reviewed under Architecture/Design control per § 17.50.010 and a separate landscape permit is required where that section applies (§ 17.50.017) .

R-3 — R-3 (Medium‑High Density Residential)

Purpose & typical uses: multi-family, apartments, townhouses; ADUs allowed per Chapter 17.47 (§ 17.16.010–.020) .
Screening / fences: Fences and walls intended to screen service, docking or storage areas are addressed in § 17.16.090 — maximum height 8 ft for required screening fences where permitted uses (industrial/servicing scenarios) and 3 ft at access points adjacent to public streets as a visibility/safety limit; chain link must be slatted where visible from the street (see related industrial sections) .
Minimum landscape: Multifamily developments must submit landscaping plans; the architectural committee reviews elevations, site plans and landscaping prior to permits (see § 17.16.120–.130) .

R-4 — R-4 (High Density / Residential + Professional)

Purpose & uses: higher-density residential and professional office uses (see § 17.18.010). Development plan submittals must include location and type of landscaping; required open areas must be landscaped and maintained (§ 17.18.140–.150) .

C-N — C-N (Limited Neighborhood Commercial)

Purpose & uses: small‑scale retail and neighborhood commercial services (§ 17.20).
Fences / screening: fences are permitted but limited: 6 ft maximum generally; where located in a front/street side yard the limit is 3 ft (§ 17.20.070) .
Minimum landscaping: minimum landscaping for a C‑N building site is 10% of the gross area of the building site; landscape plans and irrigation are required and reviewed by the architectural committee (§ 17.20.110) .

C-1 — C-1 (Retail Business District)

Purpose & uses: street-front retail commercial (chapter heading appears in the code; see § 17.22 for the C-1 chapter) .
Screening / landscaping: C-1 developments are subject to the general site-design and landscaping review requirements described in the code (design, screening of mechanicals, trash enclosure screening) — see the Architectural Control provisions and the district development standards summarized under the C chapters (e.g., § 17.50.010 and district-specific site plan requirements) .

C-2 — C-2 (General Commercial)

Purpose & uses: larger commercial uses and services (Chapter 17.24).
Fences / screening: for C‑2 the code explicitly allows screens for storage/outside industrial uses and caps screening walls at 8 ft (but 3 ft where adjacent to public street access) in § 17.24.090 .
Site plan & landscaping review: building elevations, site plans and landscaping are subject to approval (see § 17.24.130) and front/side setbacks change when abutting R districts — these yard adjacencies affect the extent of required landscaping (§ 17.24.080–.130) .

M-1 / M (Industrial) — M-1, M

Purpose & uses: light and sound industrial uses; the code emphasizes screening of industrial activities from the public (see Chapter 17.30 M-1 and 17.31/17.32 for M districts) .
Fences / screening: industrial districts require screening of docking, production, storage and maintenance areas; maximum screening wall/fence height 8 ft, and 3 ft where adjacent to public street accesses; chain link must use woven slats when visible from the street (see § 17.30.090, § 17.31.090, § 17.32.090) .
Minimum landscaping: each industrial chapter includes a minimum landscaping subsection requiring street-facing setbacks to be landscaped (typically 10–20 ft setbacks with mounds, groundcover and trees every 50 ft), and requires automatic irrigation for planted areas (see § 17.30.130, § 17.31.130, § 17.32.130) .

P‑D — P‑D (Planned Development)

Purpose & uses: planned developments adopt a specific plan; the P‑D chapter allows the planning commission to require landscaping as part of the P‑D development standards; P‑D uses must at least meet the standards of the basic district and landscaping may be required as part of the development plan (§ 17.33.040–.050) .

S‑C (Scenic Corridor) combining district — S‑C

Purpose & uses: combining scenic corridor standards that overlay base districts; the S‑C combining district may add landscape and design requirements and requires the minimum standard to be the more restrictive of the base district or the S‑C provisions (see § 17.42.040(4)(e) referencing required landscaping in an SC context) .

Key citywide rules and process

Landscape permit required where architectural/site review applies: a separate landscape permit is required in connection with projects needing architectural review pursuant to § 17.50.017; the landscape permit must show planting areas, species, tree locations and irrigation and the city inspects and enforces maintenance obligations (§ 17.50.017) .
Architectural/site plan review: projects in many districts (R‑3, R‑4, H‑S, C‑N, M, P‑D and others) require architectural/site plan submittal showing landscape treatments (§ 17.50.010) .
General fence/wall standard (all districts): the code includes a general fence/wall provision that applies to any district (§ 17.48.100) and then district sections give more specific caps (front yard vs rear yard) — always check both the district chapter and § 17.48.100 for any variance or special circumstance .
Parking-lot landscaping: the code requires parking lot planting and shading: minimum landscaped area percentages and tree counts are specified (for example, many commercial standards call for 10% parking-area landscaping and canopy trees at roughly 1 tree per 4 spaces) — see the parking/landscaping table in the code (parking-lot standards and plant container size requirements) in § 17.26.130 and related parking sections; these standards aim to reduce heat-island impacts and require irrigation and maintenance .
Screening of mechanicals & trash enclosures: mechanical equipment and trash enclosures must be screened from public view by landscaping, fences, walls or architectural elements; trash enclosures should be enclosed or screened with masonry walls (refer to district site‑design and Architectural Control provisions such as § 17.20.120, § 17.50.010 and related district sections) .

Most decision-relevant standards (quick table)

Topic	Requirement (code language)	Code Reference
Landscape permit required with architectural review	Applicants must submit a specific landscaping plan showing proposed planting areas, trees and irrigation; landscape permit is required and annual inspection/enforcement applies	§ 17.50.017
General fence/wall allowance (citywide)	Fences/hedges/walls may be erected subject to height and vision-area limits; higher enclosures in rear yards are allowed per district rules	§ 17.48.100
Front‑yard fence height (residential)	Front/street-side: 3 ft max without permit; 4 ft with permit (district chapters repeat/reflect this)	§ 17.14.090 / similar (R‑2 example)
Rear / interior side fence height	Rear/interior side: 7 ft max in many R districts (with column exceptions)	§ 17.14.090
Industrial screening walls	Required to screen docking/production/storage; max 8 ft, 3 ft at public-street access points; chain link visible from street must use woven slats	§ 17.30.090, § 17.32.090
Parking‑lot landscaping minimum	Typical minimum landscaped area 10–15% (parking area); trees: roughly 1 tree per 4 spaces; minimum container sizes specified for tree/shrub mixes; irrigation and maintenance required	§ 17.26.130 and tables (parking landscaping standards)
Street‑facing setbacks landscaping	Many non‑residential/industrial districts require landscaped front and side yards: examples are 10–20 ft setback landscaping with mounds and trees every 50 ft (see district landscaping subsections)	§ 17.30.130, § 17.31.130, § 17.32.130

Practical guidance / interpretation (plain-English synthesis)

If your project triggers architectural/site-plan review (multi‑family, most commercial, and many industrial projects), plan to prepare a full landscape plan meeting the landscape permit requirements in § 17.50.017 — the city will expect irrigation details and a maintenance program and will inspect the site after installation .
Fences: think in two parts — (1) the district-level caps (front = 3–4 ft with permit; rear/interior = up to 7–8 ft in many zones) and (2) the citywide § 17.48.100 restrictions (vision clearance, columns, decorative entries). Where industrial screening is required, expect masonry or substantial screening up to 8 ft with limited exceptions near street access (3 ft) .
Parking-lot trees and planting islands are required both to meet the percentage and to provide shade — count trees toward the landscaped percentage and use the specified container-size/plant-mix rules in the parking-landscaping table when designing the plan (§ 17.26.130) .
Mechanical equipment, trash enclosures and outdoor service areas must be screened by either landscaping, walls or architectural elements — provide elevations showing the screening approach in the site plan to avoid a review delay (§ 17.20.120, § 17.50.010) .
Irrigation is mandatory for planted areas: the code repeatedly requires permanent/automatic irrigation for planted landscapes in the district landscaping subsections (§ 17.30.130, § 17.31.130, § 17.32.130) .

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy)

Confirm the base zoning district on the city zoning map (see § 17.06.010) .
Determine if your project requires architectural/site plan review (multi‑family, most commercial, industrial) — if so, include landscaping on the package (§ 17.50.010) .
Prepare a Landscape Plan that shows plant species, sizes, tree spacing, irrigation, and maintenance responsibilities per § 17.50.017 .
Make parking-lot calculations to provide the minimum landscaped percent and tree counts (use the parking-landscape table in § 17.26.130) .
Show screening for mechanical equipment, trash enclosures, loading/dock areas and any outside storage; follow the district fence/wall height caps (see the relevant district §) .
If you propose fences or walls, dimension them on the site plan and identify if a fence permit is needed (front/street-side limits and vision clearance rules apply — see § 17.48.100 and district fence sections) .
If the site is in an overlay (e.g., S‑C), confirm combining-district requirements and include any additional landscaping or design elements (§ 17.42.040) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Which district chapter controls a particular parcel	Many landscaping/fence rules are repeated but phrased slightly differently in each district chapter; the base district determines the applicable caps and landscaping minimums	Confirm the parcel’s zoning on the official map and start with the base district chapter in Title 17 (see § 17.06.010)
Front‑yard vs rear‑yard fence heights	The code has different height limits depending on whether the fence is in a front/street-side yard or rear/interior side yard; decorative columns and berms affect measured heights	Identify the fence location relative to the property line and vision clearance area, and cite both § 17.48.100 and the district fence section (e.g., § 17.14.090 for R-2)
Exact parking-lot planting counts and container sizes	The parking-landscape table has detailed mix and container size requirements that affect tree counts and landscape percentage	Use the parking-lot landscaping rules in § 17.26.130 and related parking sections and include those calculations in the landscape plan
When a landscape plan triggers building or construction permits	Large retaining walls, substantial masonry screening walls, or irrigation hardscaping may require separate construction permits (building, grading)	Verify with the building division and reference the California Building Standards Code as needed (building-triggered items are not governed only by Title 17) — Verify with the jurisdiction

Plain-English Summary (homeowner)

King City's zoning code requires most new commercial, industrial and many multi‑family projects to submit a landscape plan that shows trees, planting and automatic irrigation. Fences in front yards are limited to about 3–4 feet; rear fences can be taller (often up to 7–8 feet) but industrial screening walls near public access are capped lower. Parking lots must plant a certain percent and provide trees for shade. For small single‑family work check your base residential chapter and whether a landscape permit is needed; always include irrigation and a maintenance plan in your submittal and verify exact fence heights with the city. See § 17.50.017 and the district chapters cited above for the controlling language .

Source References

King City Municipal Code — District designations and zoning map authority: § 17.06.010 .
Architectural control and landscape permit requirements: § 17.50.010 and § 17.50.017 (landscape permit) .
General fence/wall rules: § 17.48.100 (fences/hedges/walls may be erected subject to conditions) .
R-2 district fence and yard rules: § 17.14.090 (fence/wall height caps) and Chapter 17.14 for R-2 permitted uses (§ 17.14.020) .
R-3 district: Chapter 17.16, fence/wall provisions § 17.16.090 and site/landscaping review (§ 17.16.120–.130) .
C‑N district (limited neighborhood commercial): fence limits and minimum landscaping § 17.20.070, § 17.20.110 .
C‑2 district fencing & site plan/landscaping review: § 17.24.090, § 17.24.130 .
Industrial / M‑1 district screening and landscaping: § 17.30.090, § 17.30.130; similar requirements in § 17.31.090/.130 and § 17.32.090/.130 .
Parking‑lot landscaping / tree counts and container sizes: parking-landscaping standards and tables (parking landscaping minimums) — see § 17.26.130 and related tables in Chapter 17.52 materials .
Scenic Corridor / S‑C combining district landscaping reference: § 17.42.040 (S‑C overlay standards and landscaping) .

(If you need PDF or chapter extracts with exact code wording for a specific parcel, ask and I will pull the controlling chapter/§ text and point to the precise lines to include in your submittal. Verify parcel-specific interpretations with the Community Development Department.)

Sources

Retrieved passages

King City Zoning Code High relevance
King City Zoning Code (§ 6) High relevance
King City Zoning Code (§ 4.28.7) High relevance
CFC § 1 (§ 1) High relevance
King City Zoning Code (§ 17.26.070.) High relevance
King City Zoning Code (§ 4.29.13) High relevance
King City Zoning Code (§ 17.20.090.) High relevance
King City Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance
King City Zoning Code (§ 4.25.13) Medium relevance
King City Zoning Code (§ 6) Medium relevance
King City Zoning Code (section is) Medium relevance
King City Zoning Code (§ 4.28.4) Medium relevance
King City Zoning Code (§ 4.32.6) Medium relevance
King City Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance
King City Zoning Code (§ 4.23.9) Medium relevance

Cited sections

Official King City code library

Frequently asked questions

Do I always need a landscape permit in King City?

If your project is subject to the architectural/site‑plan review requirements in § 17.50.010, you must file a separate landscape permit showing planting areas, trees, irrigation and maintenance; the code requires the city to inspect and enforce maintenance for projects covered by that section (§ 17.50.017) .

What fence height can I build in my front yard in King City?

Front or street‑side property line fences are generally limited to 3 ft without a fence permit and 4 ft with a fence permit; vision‑clearance and other conditions apply. See the general fence rules and your district’s fence subsection (e.g., § 17.48.100 and district fence sections such as § 17.14.090 for R‑2) .

Are there maximum fence heights for rear yards or interior side yards?

Yes — the code permits taller fences in rear or interior side yards (commonly up to 7 ft in many residential districts; industrial districts may allow up to 8 ft for required screening). Check the district chapter (for example § 17.14.090 or § 17.30.090) for the exact cap and column/berm measurement rules .

How much of my parking lot must be landscaped and how many trees do I need?

The code sets parking‑lot landscaping minimums (commonly 10–15% of parking area) and typically requires canopy trees at approximately 1 tree per 4 parking spaces; the detailed plant container sizes and shrub mixes are in the parking‑landscaping table (see § 17.26.130) .

Does the city require irrigation for planted areas?

Yes — several district landscaping subsections require permanent and automatic irrigation systems for planted landscape areas; plan to include irrigation details on the landscape plan and show maintenance provisions (see district landscaping subsections such as § 17.30.130, § 17.31.130, § 17.32.130) .

Do I have to screen mechanical equipment and trash enclosures?

Yes — the municipal code requires mechanical equipment and trash enclosures to be screened from public view using landscaping, walls, fences or architectural elements and often requires trash enclosures to be enclosed or screened to approved dimensions and materials (see Architectural Control and district site‑design rules under § 17.50.010 and district-specific sections) .

Where do I find the fence, wall, and hedge standards that apply to my property?

Start with the district chapter for your property (findable from the zoning map and § 17.06.010), then check the district fence section (e.g., § 17.14.090, § 17.16.090, § 17.30.090) and the general fence rules § 17.48.100 for cross‑cutting limits and exceptions .

If my lot is in a combining overlay (e.g., Scenic Corridor), which standard wins?

The code directs that the minimum standard shall be the more restrictive of the basic district or the combining district (see S‑C combining-district provisions and § 17.42.040) — so you must comply with both, and where they differ the stricter requirement governs .

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