Montague — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

In Montague, “landscaping and screening” under Title 17 Zoning focuses on how sites use fences, hedges, walls, and planted or hardscape treatments to buffer views, protect neighbors, and support safe streets. The core citywide rules live in the General Use Restrictions for fences/hedges/walls, and in commercial and manufacturing districts additional submittals and screening are required through architectural review. If you are designing a project, read these rules together with your base zoning district on the Montague Zoning map, the city’s Development Standards, and any applicable overlays.

The single biggest rule to remember: front-yard fences, hedges, and walls are capped at 4 ft, side/rear yard fences are capped at 6 ft, and taller security fencing is allowed only in the C-2 and M districts under specific conditions and approvals per § 17.32.110.

Citywide landscaping and screening rules that apply in every district

• Fences/hedges/walls in required front yards: maximum height is 4 ft. Encroachments up to the sidewalk across a city easement require an encroachment permit and acceptance of maintenance/liability conditions per § 17.32.110.
• Side and rear yards: allowed up to 6 ft, measured with the fence following the land’s contour. On corner lots, the portion of a “side” fence that extends into the front 20-ft setback along the main street is limited to 4 ft per § 17.32.110.
• Along side streets/alleys and within easements: encroachments to the sidewalk/property line may be allowed but are generally limited to 4 ft and require an encroachment permit with safety visibility maintained per § 17.32.110.
• Construction details: braces/beams must face inward; fences may not block city water meter access; easement locations must be field-verified by Public Works before approval per § 17.32.110.
• Architectural Review (commercial/manufacturing only): applications must include elevations and a site plan showing proposed landscape or other treatment of the grounds; approval is required before the building permit is issued per § 17.32.220.
• Airport hazard areas: the City’s airport zoning imposes height controls and use restrictions within designated approach/transitional/horizontal/conical zones that can limit the height of structures and trees; confirm if your site lies in these zones per Chapter 17.24 (including §§ 17.24.050 and 17.24.060).

Quick standards for fences, hedges, and walls

Tip: If your proposal includes a parking lot near residences or an R-district edge, review Montague Parking and district rules below. In some residential districts, “landscaped public or private parking lots” are allowed by use permit only when adjacent to C or M districts (§§ 17.16.030(C)(2), 17.16.040(C)(2)).

District-by-district guidance (Landscaping and Screening)

Below is how the City’s landscaping/screening rules play out in each district established by § 17.12.010. Use this with the Montague Land Use and Montague Overlay Districts pages when planning a project.

R-1 — Single-family residential

• Purpose/typical uses: single-family homes and related residential uses per § 17.16.030.
• Landscaping/screening: citywide fence/hedge/wall limits apply (4 ft front; 6 ft side/rear). If you propose a “landscaped public or private parking lot” adjacent to C or M, it requires a use permit (§ 17.16.030(C)(2)).
• Key dimensional items tied to screening: none beyond the fence heights in § 17.32.110. Setback-based landscaping standards not found in retrieved materials.

R-1A — Expanded single-family residential

• Purpose/typical uses: larger-lot single-family; similar to R-1 with larger minimum lot size; see § 17.16.040.
• Landscaping/screening: same fence rules as citywide; landscaped parking lots when adjacent to C or M need a use permit (§ 17.16.040(C)(2)).
• Key dimensional items tied to screening: Not found in retrieved materials.

R-2 — Medium-density residential

• Purpose/typical uses: duplex/triplex and R-1 uses; see § 17.16.050.
• Landscaping/screening: apply citywide fence limits; no district-specific landscape standard located.
• Key dimensional items tied to screening: Not found in retrieved materials.

R-3 — High-density residential

• Purpose/typical uses: multifamily not more than four units per lot (with architectural review per general plan) and R-1/R-2 uses; see § 17.16.060.
• Landscaping/screening: citywide fence/hedge rules apply.
• Key dimensional items tied to screening: Not found in retrieved materials.

R-AG-2½ — Residential-agricultural

• Purpose/typical uses: single-family and agricultural uses; see § 17.16.080.
• Landscaping/screening: citywide fence/hedge rules apply; confirm agricultural screening needs case-by-case via use permit conditions where applicable. Use-permit criteria are in Chapter 17.36.
• Key dimensional items tied to screening: Not found in retrieved materials.

C-1 — Commercial

• Purpose/typical uses: retail, service, office; see § 17.16.090.
• Landscaping/screening: architectural review is required for all C districts; submit a site plan showing proposed landscape or other treatment of the grounds per § 17.32.220.
• Fencing: default citywide heights apply; no special taller fence allowance identified for C-1 (the >6 ft provision is limited to C-2 and M).

C-2 — General commercial

• Purpose/typical uses: all C-1 uses plus heavier commercial/limited light industrial-type uses; see § 17.16.100.
• Landscaping/screening: architectural review required; site plan must show landscape/ground treatments per § 17.32.220.
• Tall security fencing: fences/hedges/walls exceeding 6 ft are allowed to enclose the rear half of a lot; security fences may include two strands of barbed wire (up to +2 ft), subject to preliminary inspection and a use permit per § 17.32.110(D).

M — Manufacturing

• Purpose/typical uses: light/heavy industrial. Many outdoor or yard-type operations are permitted only if conducted within a building or surrounded by a solid fence of suitable material at least 6 ft high (e.g., contractor’s yards, lumberyards, pipe yards, public utility service yards, warehousing) per § 17.16.110(B).
• Landscaping/screening: architectural review required; landscape/grounds design shown on site plan per § 17.32.220.
• Tall security fencing: same allowance as C-2 for over-6-ft fences with potential barbed wire and use permit per § 17.32.110(D).

MH — Mobile Home Zone Overlay

• Purpose/typical uses: mobile home overlay applied to base zones; see § 17.12.010 for designation. Specific landscaping/screening standards not found in retrieved materials.

How design review and permits shape landscaping/screening

• Architectural Review in C and M: You must show proposed landscaping or similar ground treatments; approval is required before permits are issued, and construction must match approved plans per §§ 17.32.220–.240. For submittal expectations and timing, also see Montague Design Review.
• Use permits/conditions: The Planning Commission may condition a use permit to include landscaping/screening to prevent detriment to neighboring properties per § 17.36.030. See also Montague Variances and Exceptions for relief pathways.
• Surface mining permits: Minor changes to approved “fencing or landscaping requirements” may be processed as “substantial conformance” if no adverse effect, per § 17.52.130(B) (surface mining regulations).

Practical tips

• At corners and near driveways, keep fences/hedges low and sightlines open; the City can require adjustments where visibility hazards would occur per § 17.32.110.
• If your fence or hedge crosses a city easement to the sidewalk, expect an encroachment permit, owner maintenance/liability covenants, and potential height tapering for safety per § 17.32.110.
• For projects near the airport, tree height growth can be limited by Airport Zoning; check the overlay early. See Montague Overlay Districts and Chapter 17.24.
• ADU sites follow the same fence/hedge basics; consult Montague ADUs for ADU-specific standards that may affect site layout; any building standards live under the California Building Standards Code. Not a substitute for zoning rules.

Checklist

• Confirm base zoning and any overlays on your parcel via Montague Zoning.
• Locate all city easements and verify with Public Works if any fence/hedge/wall will cross them (§ 17.32.110).
• Keep front-yard fences/hedges/walls at or below 4 ft; side/rear at or below 6 ft, with corner-lot front setback transitions at 4 ft (§ 17.32.110).
• In C or M districts, prepare elevations and a site plan with proposed landscaping/ground treatment for architectural review (§ 17.32.220).
• In M, fence outdoor yards with a solid 6-ft screen where required by use (e.g., contractor’s yards) (§ 17.16.110(B)).
• Seeking >6-ft security fencing in C-2 or M? Obtain required inspection and a use permit (§ 17.32.110(D)).
• If proposing a landscaped parking lot in R-1/R-1A adjacent to C or M, secure a use permit (§§ 17.16.030(C)(2), 17.16.040(C)(2)).
• If near the airport, confirm height limits for structures/trees under Chapter 17.24.

Risks & Ambiguities

Information Gaps

• Detailed planting, irrigation, and street-tree standards: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Objective parking-lot landscaping ratios (planter area/trees per stall): Not found in retrieved materials.
• Mechanical equipment screening specifics (HVAC, trash enclosures): Not found in retrieved materials.
• MH overlay-specific landscaping rules: Not found in retrieved materials.

Plain-English Summary

Most Montague projects rely on simple rules: keep front-yard fences/hedges to 4 ft, side/rear to 6 ft, and don’t block meters or visibility. Commercial and industrial sites must show landscaping or ground treatments during architectural review, and many industrial yards must be screened by a solid 6‑ft fence. Taller security fences are only for C‑2 and M with a use permit.

Source References

• Montague Title 17 Zoning (districts and map) — §§ 17.12.010–.060.
• General fence/hedge/wall rules — § 17.32.110.
• Architectural review, C and M: landscape/grounds plan required — §§ 17.32.220–.240.
• C-2/M tall security fencing conditions — § 17.32.110(D).
• M district: uses requiring solid 6‑ft fence or indoor location — § 17.16.110(B).
• R-1 and R-1A: landscaped parking lots by use permit when adjacent to C or M — §§ 17.16.030(C)(2), 17.16.040(C)(2).
• Airport zoning framework (height/use limits affecting trees) — Ch. 17.24 (incl. §§ 17.24.050–.060).
• Use permits and conditions of approval — Ch. 17.36 (incl. § 17.36.030).
• Surface mining: modifications to fencing/landscaping via substantial conformance — § 17.52.130(B).

Retrieved passages

• Montague Zoning Code (section and) High relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (Chapter 12.02) High relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (Chapter 12.02) High relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (Title 17) High relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (§ 6) Medium relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (Title 17) Medium relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (Section 17.40.060) Medium relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (Title 17) Medium relevance show source text
• CWUIC § 65850.6 (Title 24) Medium relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (§ 5.12) Medium relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (Title 17) Medium relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (Section 17.32.180) Medium relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (Chapter 17.30) Medium relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• CBC § 1 (chapter shall) Medium relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (Title 17) Medium relevance show source text
• Montague Zoning Code (Title 17) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Montague Title 17 Zoning (districts and map) — §§ 17.12.010–.060. (Title 17)
• General fence/hedge/wall rules — § 17.32.110. (§ 17.32.110.)
• Architectural review, C and M: landscape/grounds plan required — §§ 17.32.220–.240. (§ 17.32.220)
• C-2/M tall security fencing conditions — § 17.32.110(D). (§ 17.32.110)
• M district: uses requiring solid 6‑ft fence or indoor location — § 17.16.110(B). (§ 17.16.110)
• R-1 and R-1A: landscaped parking lots by use permit when adjacent to C or M — §§ 17.16.030(C)(2), 17.16.040(C)(2). (§ 17.16.030)
• Airport zoning framework (height/use limits affecting trees) — Ch. 17.24 (incl. §§ 17.24.050–.060). (§ 17.24.050)
• Use permits and conditions of approval — Ch. 17.36 (incl. § 17.36.030). (§ 17.36.030)
• Surface mining: modifications to fencing/landscaping via substantial conformance — § 17.52.130(B). (§ 17.52.130)
• Montague_ZoningCode.md