Loomis — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Town of Loomis requires for landscaping, screening, fences/walls, and tree protection under the Loomis zoning ordinance (Title 13—Zoning). It pulls the operational standards you will use at application and plan-check: screening between uses, required landscape area dimensions and plant counts, parking-lot landscaping, fence heights and design rules, and tree-plan/mitigation rules. For development standards and zone-specific dimensional rules see Loomis Zoning and the town's Loomis Development Standards. For matters that trigger building permits (separate review) see the California Building Standards Code. Links: the first mention of zoning is here: Loomis Zoning. The first mention of development standards is here: Loomis Development Standards. The first mention of parking is here: Loomis Parking. The first mention of design review is here: Loomis Design Review. The first mention of overlay considerations is here: Loomis Overlay Districts. The first mention of ADUs is here: Loomis ADUs. The first mention of the state code is here: California Building Standards Code.

Key controlling ordinance sections used below include § 13.34.030, § 13.34.040, § 13.34.050 (landscape plans and standards), § 13.30.100 (screening between uses), § 13.30.040 (fences and walls), and the town’s tree-protection chapter Chapter 13.54 (see § 13.54.120). These provisions are quoted and interpreted from the Loomis zoning code excerpts provided.

Townwide requirements (what applies to nearly every project)

• Screening between nonresidential uses and adjacent residential zones: where a commercial or industrial use borders a residential zoning district the site must provide a combined screen of plant materials and a solid masonry (or equivalent) wall with a minimum height of 6 ft and accompanying landscaping; maximum wall height is limited by the fence/wall rules (§ 13.30.100) .
• Landscaping plans: a preliminary and a final landscape plan are required for new development or major expansions. Final plans must be approved by the director before permits are issued; plans must be prepared by a qualified professional (landscape architect, contractor, certified nurseryman, or equivalent) (§ 13.34.030) .
• Minimum landscape widths and heights: landscape strips have minimum interior widths (commonly 8 ft in residential/commercial/BP zones, 5 ft in ILT/IL industrial zones) and plantings must be selected for water efficiency, slope stability, and fire-safety where applicable (§ 13.34.050; § 13.34.040) .
• Parking-lot landscaping and shade trees: multifamily, commercial and office parking areas require landscaping equal to 10% of the parking lot area and one shade tree per five parking spaces; industrial parking requires 6% landscaping and one tree per ten spaces. Landscaped buffers between a parking lot and adjoining residential use must be 10 ft wide and include a solid masonry wall or fence plus plantings (§ 13.34.040) .
• Fence and wall height controls: fences and walls are governed by § 13.30.040; typical maximums are 3 ft within front setbacks for solid walls (open fencing allowed up to 6 ft in RA/RE/RR front yards), 6 ft in side/rear yards, and up to 8 ft outside setbacks (with design-review or open-design conditions) (§ 13.30.040) .
• Screening of mechanical equipment, loading docks, refuse and outdoor storage: these features must be screened from public streets and adjacent residential uses in a manner compatible with site architecture and color/material palette (§ 13.30.100) .
• Trees and protected tree requirements: tree removal, mitigation, and tree-plan requirements are contained in Chapter 13.54; development projects must submit a tree plan prepared by a certified arborist with protected-tree mapping and mitigation proposals (§ 13.54.120) .
• Waterway/riparian setbacks: development next to mapped waterways must meet creek setbacks (2.5× bank height + 30 ft, or 30 ft minimum) and avoid grading or planting non-riparian species within the setback (§ 13.56.040) .

District-by-district breakdown (purpose, typical uses, key dimensional standards, where it applies)

Note: the zoning ordinance organizes district development standards in Division 2 tables (development‑standards tables for each zone). Landscape and screening rules above apply across zones unless the district table explicitly modifies them; specific dimensional values for setbacks and heights are governed by § 13.30.110 (setbacks) and § 13.30.050 (height limits). See the town’s development standards tables for full, parcel-level dimensional requirements.

RS, RM, RH (Residential — Single, Medium, High density)

• Purpose / typical uses: RS = single‑family dwellings; RM = medium‑density multiunit; RH = high‑density residential projects (townhomes/apartments). See Table 2‑4 for details.
• Key dimensional standards (examples drawn from the District tables): typical front setback ~ 20 ft (varies by RS subtype), side/rear setbacks and height limits vary by subzone (see Table 2‑4 and § 13.30.050). Landscaping requirements for residential developments follow Chapter 13.34 (minimum landscape strip widths, interior lot planting, and tree rates) (§ 13.34.050, § 13.34.040) .
• Where it applies: throughout residential neighborhoods shown in the zoning map; fences and walls in yard setbacks must comply with § 13.30.040 (solid vs. open fence rules and heights) .

RA, RE, RR (Rural/Agricultural)

• Purpose / typical uses: large‑lot rural residential and agricultural uses; more permissive open fencing in front/street‑side yards. These zones allow certain agriculturally related exemptions (see Chapter 13.54 for tree/agriculture exemptions) (§ 13.54.110) .
• Key dimensional standards: open fences in the front/street side may be up to 6 ft; berms and solid walls in front setbacks limited to 3 ft (with special entry‑structure allowances under § 13.30.045) (§ 13.30.040, § 13.30.045) .
• Where it applies: properties mapped RA, RE, RR on the zoning map.

CC (Central Commercial) and CT (Tourist/Destination Commercial)

• Purpose / typical uses: CC = downtown pedestrian‑oriented commercial; CT = tourist/destination commercial along Horseshoe Bar Road and sensitive corridors. See Table 2‑8 for full permitted uses and site standards.
• Key dimensional standards: maximum heights typically 35 ft (CT may have special allowances); landscaping requirements: project landscaping must meet Chapter 13.34 (including parking lot landscape ratios and buffer yards 10 ft where adjacent to residential) (§ 13.34.040, § 13.34.050) .
• Where it applies: downtown and arterial commercial corridors; note CT sites may have special front‑setback conditions along Horseshoe Bar Road (landscaping/preservation setbacks) — see district table. .

BP (Business Park), IL/ILT (Industrial/Light Industrial), PI (Public/Institutional)

• Purpose / typical uses: offices/business parks (BP), industrial/manufacturing (IL/ILT), public facilities (PI). See relevant district tables (Tables 2‑11 and IL tables) for uses and coverage requirements.
• Key dimensional standards (landscape-specific): minimum interior landscape width is 8 ft for BP (and for residential/commercial zones) and 5 ft in ILT/IL industrial zones; parking-lot interior landscaping minima and tree ratios vary by use (10% and 1 tree per 5 spaces for commercial/office; 6% and 1 tree per 10 spaces for industrial) (§ 13.34.050, § 13.34.040) .
• Where it applies: properties in the BP, IL, ILT and PI zoning districts on the zoning map.

Quick reference table — most decision‑relevant standards

Practical guidance and interpretation (plain-English, application‑focused)

• If your project puts a commercial or industrial use next to homes, plan for a 6‑ft masonry wall plus plantings at the property line or an equivalent alternative that the Director accepts; expect the town to require a 5–10 ft planting strip adjacent to that wall (§ 13.30.100) .
• For parking‑heavy proposals, budget for 10% of the parking area to be landscaping (commercial/office) and provide one tree per five spaces in the lot—these are minimums and the director may require more to meet design goals (§ 13.34.040) . See Loomis Parking for related stall/layout considerations.
• All significant developments must submit a preliminary landscape plan with the land‑use application and a final landscape/irrigation plan before building permits are issued; plans must be stamped by an appropriate professional (§ 13.34.030) .
• Fence/wall heights depend on location: solid walls in front setbacks are tightly limited (3 ft) but open fences and rural zones have greater flexibility—always check § 13.30.040 and measure fence height from the lower side of a sloped lot (§ 13.30.040(C)) .
• Tree work needs an arborist plan. For protected trees and removal-mitigation obligations see Chapter 13.54; some agricultural exemptions exist for the RA zone but they have conditions (§ 13.54.110) .
• If your proposal affects a mapped creek or blue‑line watercourse, expect a site‑specific streambed analysis and the strict creekside setbacks in § 13.56.040; planting within those setbacks is limited to native/riparian species (§ 13.56.020 – 13.56.040) .
• Where the code allows a director to approve alternatives or waivers (for example, substitutes for the standard screening), plan to show equivalent effectiveness (visual separation, noise/light mitigation) and include that request with your application; the director’s waiver authority is explicit in § 13.30.100 .

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy)

• Include a preliminary landscape plan with the land‑use application, prepared by a qualified professional (§ 13.34.030) .
• Show screening between nonresidential uses and adjacent residential property lines: 6 ft masonry/planting or approved substitute; landscape strip 5–10 ft depending on adjacency to parking (§ 13.30.100) .
• Show parking‑lot landscaping calculations (percent of lot landscaped and tree counts) and internal planting islands (§ 13.34.040) .
• Demonstrate compliance with fence/wall height rules and show fence height measurement on plan for sloped sites (§ 13.30.040) .
• Submit final landscape and irrigation plan and obtain director approval before building permit; post surety if required (§ 13.34.030(E)) .
• Include tree plan and protected-tree inventory if development affects trees; include mitigation or in‑lieu proposals where required (Chapter 13.54) .
• If project is adjacent to a creek, provide a streambed analysis and dimension setbacks per § 13.56.040 .
• If your walls/fences exceed the design triggers (e.g., >6 ft and >50 ft long), prepare for design review (§ 13.62.040) and link the landscape/wall design to architectural compatibility (see Loomis Design Review) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Loomis requires a professional landscape plan for most new development; if you put nonresidential uses or parking next to homes you will typically need a 6‑ft masonry fence plus plantings and a 5–10 ft planting strip, parking lots must provide minimum landscaped area and trees (10% and one tree per five spaces for commercial), and fences/walls have clear height limits with extra scrutiny for long, tall walls—trees and creek setbacks have their own protection rules, so include an arborist and a hydrologist where applicable (§ 13.34.030, § 13.30.100, § 13.30.040, Chapter 13.54, § 13.56.040) .

Source References

• § 13.34.030 — Landscape and irrigation plans (preliminary/final plan submittal requirements).
• § 13.34.040 — Landscape location requirements, parking‑area buffers and parking lot landscaping rules.
• § 13.34.050 — Landscape standards: minimum widths, plant selection, heights, curbing, interior widths (8 ft / 5 ft), tree/shade rules.
• § 13.30.100 — Screening between different land uses; required wall/planting combinations and waiver authority.
• § 13.30.040 — Fences and walls: applicability, height limits (Table 3‑1), measurement, prohibited materials, and design‑review triggers.
• § 13.30.110 — Setback regulations and measurement rules (applies to how landscaping and fences sit in setbacks).
• Chapter 13.54 (see § 13.54.120) — Tree protection, tree plans, mitigation, in‑lieu fees, and agricultural exemptions.
• § 13.56.040 — Waterway and riparian habitat protection: creek setbacks and planting/alteration limits.
• Table 2‑4, Table 2‑8, Table 2‑11 — District development standards for RS/RM/RH, CC/CT, and PI (district purpose, setbacks, heights referenced in Division 2 tables).

If you need direct copies of the ordinance language for any of the cited sections or the exact district table for a parcel, tell me the parcel or APN and I will point you to the exact table excerpt and the specific code text. Verify parcel‑specific interpretations with the Town of Loomis Planning Department.

Retrieved passages

• Loomis Zoning Code (Section 13.34.040) High relevance show source text
• Loomis Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Loomis Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Loomis Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 050 High relevance show source text
• Loomis Zoning Code (chapter to) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 1 (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• CWUIC § 65850.6 (Title 24) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• § **13.34.030** — Landscape and irrigation plans (preliminary/final plan submittal requirements).
• § **13.34.040** — Landscape location requirements, parking‑area buffers and parking lot landscaping rules.
• § **13.34.050** — Landscape standards: minimum widths, plant selection, heights, curbing, interior widths (8 ft / 5 ft), tree/shade rules.
• § **13.30.100** — Screening between different land uses; required wall/planting combinations and waiver authority.
• § **13.30.040** — Fences and walls: applicability, height limits (Table 3‑1), measurement, prohibited materials, and design‑review triggers.
• § **13.30.110** — Setback regulations and measurement rules (applies to how landscaping and fences sit in setbacks).
• Chapter **13.54** (see § **13.54.120**) — Tree protection, tree plans, mitigation, in‑lieu fees, and agricultural exemptions.
• § **13.56.040** — Waterway and riparian habitat protection: creek setbacks and planting/alteration limits.
• Table 2‑4, Table 2‑8, Table 2‑11 — District development standards for **RS/RM/RH**, **CC/CT**, and **PI** (district purpose, setbacks, heights referenced in Division 2 tables).
• Loomis_ZoningCode.md

• Official Loomis code library