Maywood — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

Maywood’s Zoning Ordinance sets district-specific rules for planting, trees, fences, walls, and how outdoor areas are screened from view. Most non-residential sites must provide a minimum amount of live landscaping, plant a street-front border, and install solid walls when abutting homes. Residential areas control fence heights tightly and use landscaping to help with privacy between units. Where parking or loading is allowed, additional landscape and screening standards apply.

The most universal rule: non-residential sites in the C, CM, M, and PF districts must landscape at least 2% of the site, add a planted border at the street, and provide street trees and irrigation; adjacent residential edges usually trigger a 6–8 ft solid masonry screen wall (§ 4030.150; § 4040.160; § 4060.150; § 4030.140.A; § 4040.150.A ).

Before you apply, review your base zoning in the citywide Maywood Zoning map, cross-check permitted uses in Maywood Land Use, and confirm any applicable Maywood Overlay Districts. Landscape plans are often coordinated with Maywood Design Review and tied to Maywood Development Standards. Parking-lot planting and loading-area screening are enforced with the Maywood Parking standards; signs for landscape walls follow Maywood Signage.

Citywide rules that affect landscaping and screening

• Maintenance: All required landscaping, fences, and walls must be kept “neat, clean, orderly” citywide (§ 4070.20 ).
• Visibility triangles: Nothing may block sightlines in corner cut‑off areas; only open fencing is allowed there to maintain safety (§ 4070.100 ).
• Loading areas near homes: Must be screened by a solid masonry wall at least 6 ft high (§ 4100.130.E ).
• Parking lots (unenclosed): Trigger interior planting, tree counts, curb protection, and irrigation (see § 4100.100.F for landscaping within parking facilities ).

District-by-District standards

Residential (R-3)

• Purpose and uses: Multifamily residential district; uses and purpose are organized under § 4010 (uses listed in § 4010.20). Not found in retrieved materials for a purpose statement excerpt; verify with the jurisdiction (index at § 4010 ).
• Key landscaping and screening:
  • Visual screening between units: Windows must be offset/angled to avoid direct views; landscaping may be required to achieve screening (§ 4010.160.B ).
  • Open space landscaping: All required open space not used by structures or hardscape must be landscaped; front yard must include at least one 15‑gallon tree; ongoing maintenance required (§ 4010.170.C(1)–(3) ).
• Fences, walls, hedges:
  • Front yard: Max 36 in for solid walls/fences; wrought-iron + pilasters up to 66 in; all‑wrought-iron up to 72 in; chain link up to 48 in; picket width/spacing limits apply (§ 4010.200(3) ).
  • Side/rear: Max 6 ft at interior side/rear lines; exterior side near street limited to 4 ft within 5 ft of the lot line (§ 4010.200(1)–(2) ).
• Where it applies: All R‑3‑zoned parcels per the adopted zoning map (§ 3020.10; R‑3 header at § 4010 ).

Residential, Specialty (RS) Overlay

• Purpose and uses: RS overlay relates to very low/lower income housing and specialized residential provisions (§ 4025; RS mention at § 4025.70). Landscaping/screening standards unique to RS were not found in retrieved materials; RS projects default to the underlying residential standards (§ 4025; § 4010 index ).
• Not found in retrieved materials: RS‑specific fence, wall, or planting ratios beyond underlying zone. Verify with the jurisdiction.

Commercial (C and CM)

• Purpose and uses: Commercial districts for retail and service; uses are listed in Appendix A (commercial chapter index at § 4030 ).
• Landscaping:
  • Street frontage: Planting border required along every setback from a public right‑of‑way (§ 4030.150.A ).
  • Site minimum: At least 2% of the gross lot/project area landscaped (parking‑area landscaping does not count toward the 2%) (§ 4030.150.B ).
  • Street trees: One tree per 40 linear feet of street frontage; drought‑resistant palette; 24‑gallon minimum tree size (§ 4030.150.C, F ).
  • Coverage: Landscape all open areas not covered by buildings or paving; maintain and irrigate (§ 4030.150.D–E ).
• Fences/walls:
  • Abutting residential: Provide a 6–8 ft solid wall of six‑inch decorative block (or equivalent approved) (§ 4030.140.A ).
  • Heights elsewhere: Front yard max 3 ft; open fences up to 6 ft; overall max 8 ft (§ 4030.140.B(1)–(2) ).
  • Sharp materials: Barbed wire prohibited in C; allowed in CM only with a Conditional Use Permit (§ 4030.140.B(3) ).
• Where it applies: Parcels zoned C or CM per the zoning map (§ 3020.10; commercial chapter index at § 4030 ).

Manufacturing (M)

• Purpose and uses: Light industrial/manufacturing area, with emphasis on compatibility near homes (§ 4040.10–.20 ).
• Landscaping:
  • Street frontage and site minimum: Same basic framework as commercial—planting border at ROW, at least 2% of gross site area landscaped (parking area landscaping does not count toward the 2%), drought‑resistant materials (§ 4040.160.A–C ).
  • Street trees: One tree per 40 linear feet of street frontage; 24‑gallon minimum tree size (§ 4040.160.C, F ).
  • Coverage/irrigation/maintenance: Landscape all unpaved areas; maintain and use water‑conserving automatic irrigation (§ 4040.160.D–E ).
• Fences/walls:
  • Abutting residential: 6–8 ft solid masonry wall of decorative block (or Director‑approved equivalent) (§ 4040.150.A ).
  • Heights elsewhere: Front yard max 3 ft; open fences up to 8 ft; overall max 8 ft (§ 4040.150.B(1)–(2) ).
  • Sharp materials: Barbed wire and razor ribbon allowed only atop fences/walls and only when at least 8 ft above grade (§ 4040.150.C ).
• Where it applies: Parcels zoned M per the zoning map (§ 3020.10; M chapter index at § 4040 ).

Open Space (OS)

• Purpose and uses: Public parks and open‑space resources (§ 4050.10–.20 ).
• Landscaping: No minimum percentage is specified, but public parks must be appropriately landscaped and provided with shade trees (§ 4050.70 ).
• Fences/walls: Max 8 ft; sharp materials limited to barbed wire/razor ribbon only on top and 8 ft+ above grade (§ 4050.60 ).
• Where it applies: Public lands designated OS (§ 4050.10 ).

Public Facilities (PF)

• Purpose and uses: Public/quasi‑public institutions (schools, libraries, civic facilities) (§ 4060.10–.20 ).
• Landscaping:
  • Front/side yards must be landscaped with live plants; at least 2% of the net lot area landscaped (parking‑area landscaping does not count toward the 2%); maintenance and regular watering required (§ 4060.150.A–C ).
  • Side yards next to a public ROW: provide a landscaped setback of ≥5 ft; abutting a residential district: provide a landscaped setback of ≥15 ft (§ 4060.100.B(1)–(2) ).
• Fences/walls: Front yard max 3 ft (open fences up to 4 ft); otherwise up to 8 ft; barbed wire allowed only atop fences/walls at 8 ft+; height limits don’t apply to school/park/jail properties (§ 4060.140.A–D ).
• Where it applies: Parcels zoned PF per the zoning map (§ 3020.10; PF chapter index at § 4060 ).

Civic Center (CC) Overlay

• Purpose and uses: Overlay for civic buildings (e.g., City Hall, police/fire, auditoriums). Underlying district rules still apply unless modified (§ 4065.10, § 4065.30, § 4065.20 ).
• Landscaping/screening: No unique CC landscaping chapter—follow underlying district standards (commercial yard standards typically apply per § 4065.70) (§ 4065.70 ).
• Where it applies: Parcels mapped within the Civic Center overlay (§ 4065 header ).

Parking- and frontage-related planting (applies where parking is allowed)

• Parking lot landscaping: Unenclosed facilities must landscape at least 2% of the interior parking area (distinct from the site’s 2% minimum), provide one tree per 10 stalls (15‑gallon min., broad canopy, clustered allowed), curb all interior planters (6 in min.), and irrigate with water‑conserving systems (§ 4100.100.F(1)–(5) ).
• Screen walls along front lot lines at non-residential sites: If six or more spaces front the lot line, a 30–42 in screen wall set back at least 5 ft is required; landscape the strip in front of the wall (§ 4100.100.D–F(2) ).

Quick-reference standards

Practical pointers

• Coordinate your street‑front planting border and street‑tree count early; both are checked during Maywood Design Review and at final inspection (§ 4030.150; § 4040.160 ).
• When a commercial or industrial site touches a home, plan on a 6–8 ft decorative block wall at the property line—and keep any outside storage below the wall height if allowed (§ 4030.140.A; § 4040.150.A ).
• Parking lots must add interior landscaping and one tree per ten stalls; these trees do not count toward the site’s 2% minimum (§ 4100.100.F(1)–(3) ).
• In R‑3, use landscaping strategically with window placement to meet the visual screening rules between adjacent units (§ 4010.160.B ).
• Fence construction materials/structural specs reference another title of the Municipal Code; coordinate details with City staff (§ 4030.140.B(4); § 4040.150.D ).

Checklist

• Confirm your base zoning and any overlays for the parcel on the Maywood Zoning map.
• Provide required planted border along any frontage (C/CM/M) and meet the minimum site landscaping percentage (§ 4030.150.A–B; § 4040.160.A–B ).
• Count and size your trees correctly (street frontage; parking lot trees as applicable) and specify drought‑resistant species (§ 4030.150.C,F; § 4040.160.C,F; § 4100.100.F(3) ).
• If your site abuts residential, include the 6–8 ft solid wall and any required landscaped setback (PF next to residential requires 15 ft landscaped side yard) (§ 4030.140.A; § 4040.150.A; § 4060.100.B(2) ).
• Design fences/walls to meet height and material rules for your district (and visibility at corners) (§ 4010.200; § 4030.140.B; § 4040.150.B–C; § 4060.140; § 4070.100 ).
• For parking lots, provide interior landscaping, trees, curbing, irrigation, and any required front screen wall/landscape strip (§ 4100.100.D–F ).
• Keep all landscaping and screening in “neat, clean, healthy” condition with permanent irrigation (§ 4030.150.E; § 4040.160.E; § 4070.20 ).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

If you’re building in Maywood, plan on real landscaping, not just paving: most commercial, industrial, and public‑facility sites must landscape at least 2% of the lot, plant a border along the street, and add street trees with irrigation. Where businesses or industrial uses touch homes, a 6–8 ft decorative block wall is mandatory, and parking lots need interior planters and one tree for every ten spaces. Homes in R‑3 have tighter front‑yard fence limits and must use thoughtful window placement—and sometimes landscaping—to protect neighbor privacy.

Source References

• § 4010.160.B Visual screening in residential (R‑3)
• § 4010.170.C Residential open space landscaping; front‑yard tree; maintenance (R‑3)
• § 4010.200 Residential fences, walls, and hedges (heights, materials)
• § 4030.140 Commercial/CM fences, walls, hedges; adjacency to residential; barbed wire rules
• § 4030.150 Commercial/CM landscaping (2% min, frontage border, trees, irrigation)
• § 4040.150 Manufacturing fences/walls; sharp materials allowances
• § 4040.160 Manufacturing landscaping (2% min, frontage border, trees, irrigation)
• § 4050.60; § 4050.70 Open Space fences/walls; landscaping approach for parks
• § 4060.100.B PF landscaped side‑yard setbacks to ROW and next to residential
• § 4060.140; § 4060.150 PF fences/walls and landscaping (2% min)
• § 4065.10; § 4065.30; § 4065.70 Civic Center overlay purpose; underlying standards apply; yards per C district
• § 4070.20 Citywide maintenance of landscaping/fences/walls
• § 4070.100 Corner cut‑off (visibility)
• § 4100.100.D–F Parking facility landscaping and front screen wall provisions
• § 4100.130.E Loading area screening by 6‑ft masonry wall adjacent to residential

Retrieved passages

• Maywood Zoning Code (Chapter 4) High relevance show source text
• Maywood Zoning Code (Chapter 4) High relevance show source text
• Maywood Zoning Code (Section 5100) High relevance show source text
• Maywood Zoning Code (Section 4010.160) High relevance show source text
• Maywood Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Maywood Zoning Code (Section 5100) High relevance show source text
• Maywood Zoning Code (Section 4070.90.) High relevance show source text
• Maywood Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Maywood Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Maywood Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Maywood Zoning Code (Section 4010.160) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• § 4010.160.B Visual screening in residential (R‑3) (§ 4010.160.B)
• § 4010.170.C Residential open space landscaping; front‑yard tree; maintenance (R‑3) (§ 4010.170.C)
• § 4010.200 Residential fences, walls, and hedges (heights, materials) (§ 4010.200)
• § 4030.140 Commercial/CM fences, walls, hedges; adjacency to residential; barbed wire rules (§ 4030.140)
• § 4030.150 Commercial/CM landscaping (2% min, frontage border, trees, irrigation) (§ 4030.150)
• § 4040.150 Manufacturing fences/walls; sharp materials allowances (§ 4040.150)
• § 4040.160 Manufacturing landscaping (2% min, frontage border, trees, irrigation) (§ 4040.160)
• § 4050.60; § 4050.70 Open Space fences/walls; landscaping approach for parks (§ 4050.60)
• § 4060.100.B PF landscaped side‑yard setbacks to ROW and next to residential (§ 4060.100.B)
• § 4060.140; § 4060.150 PF fences/walls and landscaping (2% min) (§ 4060.140)
• § 4065.10; § 4065.30; § 4065.70 Civic Center overlay purpose; underlying standards apply; yards per C district (§ 4065.10)
• § 4070.20 Citywide maintenance of landscaping/fences/walls (§ 4070.20)
• § 4070.100 Corner cut‑off (visibility) (§ 4070.100)
• § 4100.100.D–F Parking facility landscaping and front screen wall provisions (§ 4100.100.D)
• § 4100.130.E Loading area screening by 6‑ft masonry wall adjacent to residential (§ 4100.130.E)
• Maywood_ZoningCode.md

• Official Maywood code library