Local zoning · Monterey

Monterey — Landscaping and Screening

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

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

Monterey regulates landscaping and screening through its Zoning Ordinance, Title 38, with district-specific requirements and overlay add‑ons that shape what you plant, how you screen parking and equipment, and the height and type of fences or walls you use. The rules appear in the base commercial and industrial districts, in the Cannery Row coastal district, and in targeted overlays that can tighten buffers and screening along scenic corridors and historic areas. For context on how these standards fit with the city’s broader framework, see the Monterey zoning & planning overview and the base-district structure in Monterey Zoning.

The single most common rule in Monterey’s commercial and Cannery Row areas: any visible yard area not used for drives or walks must be landscaped as a planting area, and outdoor storage must be screened by a solid, uniform barrier. Cite: § 38-33; § 38-32

Core citywide levers that affect landscaping and screening

Design and Development Control overlays can add conditions for buffers, fences/walls, and parking area landscaping on top of base‑district rules (D2 and D3) per § 38-67; see Monterey Overlay Districts and Monterey Design Review for process and findings.
The Special Setback Overlay “S” can increase setbacks along scenic streets, highways, and the shoreline, indirectly expanding planting areas (§ 38-69).
Where rules reference parking visibility or driveway sight‑triangles, they tie into Article 18; see Monterey Parking for submittal/visibility constraints.

District-by-District requirements

CO Office and Professional District (CO)

Purpose and uses: Office and professional uses at appropriate locations; larger projects/hours near residences may require a use permit (§ 38-31).
Minimum site landscaping: The CO development standards set a 15% minimum site landscaping requirement (§ 38-31). See Monterey Development Standards for how this interacts with other site limits.
Planting areas and screening: CO relies on the commercial supplemental rules. Visible yards not used for parking must include a planting strip; outdoor storage/display can be required to add yards, screening, or planting areas, and if allowed, must be screened from street view with a solid fence or wall (§ 38-33).
Fences/walls: Max 6 ft generally; 4 ft in required front or corner side yards abutting a street (§ 38-33).
Where it applies: Office/professional parcels designated CO citywide.

C-2 Community Commercial

Purpose and uses: Broad shopping and service areas, including retail, restaurants, and services (§ 38-29).
Planting/screening standards: Governed by § 38-33 for all commercial districts—see “Commercial districts (all C)” below.
Where it applies: Community commercial corridors and nodes identified on the zoning map.

C-3 General Commercial

Purpose and uses: Heavier commercial; the code groups planting/screening rules under shared commercial standards. The C‑3 regulations explicitly reiterate planting strips, fence/wall heights, and screening of outdoor uses (§ 38-33; C‑3 development pages).
Planting areas: Provide a three‑foot planting strip along interior property lines within 50 ft of a street property line; front/corner yards not used for drives/walks must be planting area (§ 38-33).
Screening: All uses not within a completely enclosed building must be fully enclosed by a tight, uniform screen at least 6 ft high, with exceptions for certain display uses (§ 38-33).
Fences/walls: Max 6 ft (or 4 ft in front/corner side yards) (§ 38-33).

Commercial districts (all C) — shared supplemental rules

Planting areas: Required three‑foot planting strip along interior property lines near the street; visible yards not used for drives/walks are planting areas (§ 38-33).
Outdoor storage/display: May be permitted only with a use permit; must be screened from streets by a solid fence or wall; the height of stored materials may not exceed the screen (§ 38-33.C.4; numbering not shown in snippet, within § 38-33).
Fences/retaining walls: Combined heights and siting rules; generally 6 ft max fence height; special retaining wall + fence combinations are capped unless separated (§ 38-33.B).
Scenic entrances: Landscaping at scenic entrances is called out in § 38-33(J) by reference in the district articles; implementation details were not present in retrieved excerpts. Not found in retrieved materials.

CR Cannery Row Commercial District (CR)

Purpose and uses: Visitor‑commercial mix consistent with the Cannery Row Plan (§ 38-32).
Planting areas: Any visible setback area not used for drives, walks, or parking shall be a planting area (§ 38-32).
Screening and yards: No parking is allowed in front or corner side setback areas, preserving these as landscaped edges (§ 38-32; tie‑in to parking).
Fences/walls: Max 8 ft generally; 4 ft in required front or corner side yards abutting a street; a 6 ft solid wall (reduced to 3 ft within 15 ft of a street property line) is required along lot lines adjoining ground‑floor residential or an R district (§ 38-32).
Where it applies: Parcels within the Cannery Row LCP area.

I-R Industrial/Research Districts (I-R-130, I-R-85, I-R-40)

Minimum site landscaping: The district development table sets a 20% minimum site landscaping requirement citywide for I‑R (§ [I‑R Development Regulations table], Ch. 38). Exact § number Not found in retrieved materials.
Planting areas: Visible yards not used for parking must be planting areas; front and corner side yards not used for drives/walks are planting areas (§ [I‑R Development Regulations content], plus § 38-41 cross‑references).
Screening of outdoor facilities: Outdoor storage/display requires a use permit and must be screened from streets by a solid fence or wall; merchandise height cannot exceed the screen (§ 38-41.B.3).
Service stations/auto wash: Perimeter planting areas must meet parking‑lot landscaping standards (cross‑ref to Article 16 in the code excerpt), and buffering/planting may be imposed to avoid off‑site impacts (§ 38-41.C).
Scenic Highway 68 buffer (selected uses): Restaurants and convenience markets must provide a 100‑ft landscape buffer from the ultimate Highway 68 right‑of‑way (§ 38-41.D.2).
Fences/walls: Max 8 ft generally; 3 ft in front or corner side yards abutting a street (§ [I‑R Development Regulations content]).
Where it applies: I‑R districts mapped in industrial corridors; see Monterey Land Use for context.

Multifamily Overlays — Pacific/Munras/Cass (MF2) and Aguajito Road (MF3)

Where they apply and purpose: Targeted overlays to facilitate multifamily housing in specific corridors; they provide explicit landscaping and screening rules alongside height/setback frameworks (§ 38‑99, Article 16C).
MF2 key landscaping/screening:
- At least 50% of the front setback must be landscaped; species must be from the City Urban Forestry list, minimum 15‑gallon size (§ 38‑99, MF2 standards).
- Parking lot street‑edge screening: landscaping or a wall with a minimum 3‑ft height; in a street‑facing setback, screening may not exceed 3 ft (§ 38‑99, MF2).
- Mechanical/waste: Ground and roof equipment, and waste enclosures, must be screened by landscaping, walls/fences, or enclosures; roof screens may use parapets up to 4 ft (§ 38‑99, MF2).
MF3 key landscaping/screening and buffers:
- Large setbacks in Aguajito area (30 ft yards) and a required 100‑ft landscape buffer from Highway 1 right‑of‑way for new development; tree planting at a ratio of 1 per 200 sq ft may be required in certain redevelopment scenarios (§ 38‑99, MF3).
- Same approach to mechanical/waste and parking screening as MF2 (§ 38‑99).
Note: Some MF overlay subsections appear in Article 16C; the precise subsection numbers for landscaping/screening lines were not visible in the retrieved excerpts. Verify with the jurisdiction.

Design and Development Control Overlays (D1, D2, D3)

What they can add: Conditions pertaining to special setbacks/buffers, fences/walls, parking‑area landscaping, and overall landscaping can be imposed at project approval in D2 and D3 overlay areas (§ 38‑67). See Monterey Historic Preservation for how D3 coordinates with historic resources.
Review path: Two‑part review in D2/D3 with Planning Commission (and Historic Preservation Commission advising in D3); then Development Review Committee and Architectural Approval (§ 38‑68).

Decision standards at a glance

Topic	Standard	Applies To	Code Reference
Visible yard planting	Provide planting area where yards are not used for drives/walks	All C districts; CR	§ 38-33; § 38-32
Interior planting strip	3‑ft planting strip along interior property line within 50 ft of street	All C districts	§ 38-33
Outdoor storage screening	Fully screen from streets; stored height ≤ screen height	C districts; I‑R districts	§ 38-33; § 38-41.B.3
Parking in setbacks	No parking in front/corner side setbacks	CR district	§ 38-32
Fence/wall max height (street‑facing yard)	4 ft (C, CR); 3 ft (I‑R)	C, CR, I‑R	§ 38-33; § 38-32; [I‑R Development Regs]
Required solid wall next to R/residential	6‑ft solid wall (3 ft within 15 ft of street) at shared property line	C, CR, I‑R	§ 38-33; § 38-32; [I‑R Development Regs]
Min site landscaping	15% (CO); 20% (I‑R)	CO; I‑R	§ 38-31; [I‑R Development Regs]
Parking lot street‑edge screening	3‑ft landscape/wall where lots face a street	MF overlays	§ 38‑99 (MF2/MF3)
Highway buffers	100‑ft landscape buffer from Hwy 68/1 (as specified)	I‑R (selected uses); MF3	§ 38-41.D.2; § 38‑99 (MF3)

Practical guidance and comparisons

Commercial vs. Cannery Row: Both require landscaped street edges; Cannery Row also forbids parking in those setbacks, effectively ensuring a strong planted frontage (§ 38-32; § 38-33). Coordinate early with design review if you seek to consolidate entries or push parking near the street.
Industrial corridors: Budget for a meaningful, designed landscape—baseline is 20% of site area in I‑R, plus solid screening of any outdoor storage (§ 38-41; I‑R table).
Multifamily overlays: Treat street‑edge planting and screening of lots, equipment, and waste as non‑negotiable façade elements in MF2/MF3 (§ 38‑99). In MF3, expect large setbacks and highway buffers that function as landscaped open space.
Fences/walls strategy: Frontage fences are low (4 ft in C/CR; 3 ft in I‑R). Side/rear transitions next to residences typically use a 6‑ft solid wall, but roadway corners step down to 3 ft for visibility (§ 38-33; § 38-32; I‑R table). Coordinate any higher barrier requests under Monterey Variances and Exceptions.
Scenic corridors: Overlays and district‑level provisions may require enhanced buffers (e.g., 100‑ft along Highway 68/1), and the S overlay can deepen setbacks on scenic streets (§ 38‑41; § 38‑69). Consider how this interacts with signage placement and development standards.

Checklist

Confirm your base district and any overlays on the parcel using Monterey Zoning and Monterey Overlay Districts.
Lay out yards so visible portions not used for drives/walks are planting areas where required (commercial and Cannery Row) per § 38-33 and § 38-32.
In I‑R or CO, meet the minimum site landscaping percentage (20% I‑R; 15% CO) and include required planting strips (§ 38-31; I‑R development table).
Design screening for outdoor storage, parking lots (if in MF overlays), rooftop/ground equipment, and waste enclosures per your district/overlay (§ 38‑33; § 38‑41; § 38‑99).
Keep street‑facing fence/wall heights within limits (4 ft in C/CR, 3 ft in I‑R) and use a 6‑ft solid wall at R‑district edges where required (§ 38‑33; § 38‑32; I‑R regs).
If on a scenic corridor (e.g., Hwy 68/1), incorporate buffer widths and species selection early (§ 38‑41.D.2; § 38‑99 MF3).
Prepare plans for design review where applicable (§ 38‑68) and coordinate any needed exceptions via Monterey Variances and Exceptions.

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Exact subsection numbers for MF overlay planting/screening	The excerpts show Article 16C MF standards but not the exact decimal § for each line	Ask Planning for the precise § in § 38‑99 governing your overlay site; confirm MF2 vs. MF3 applicability.
Commercial “scenic entrance” landscaping content	C district articles cross‑reference § 38‑33(J), but details weren’t in the excerpts	Request the full § 38‑33(J) text for any project at a mapped scenic entrance.
I‑R development table § number	The table sets a 20% site landscaping minimum, but the exact § header wasn’t visible	Confirm the section header covering I‑R development tables in Chapter 38 for submittals/citations.
Fence/wall exceptions along Hwy 1	Variance criteria allow fences/walls up to 10 ft with berm/landscaping on residential lots fronting Hwy 1	Confirm if a variance or administrative approval is required and which § contains these criteria.
Parking‑lot landscaping standards by article reference	Some sections reference “parking lot landscaping by Article 16”	Clarify with staff which current article houses parking‑lot landscaping details and how it’s applied.

Plain-English Summary

In Monterey, most commercial and Cannery Row frontages must present landscaped yard areas to the street, and anything stored outside needs to be hidden behind a solid screen. Industrial sites carry higher overall landscaping percentages and firm screening rules, while multifamily overlays add street‑edge landscaping and require visual shielding of parking, equipment, and trash. If you’re near historic areas or scenic corridors, expect added buffers and design review conditions.

Source References

§ 38-31 CO Office and Professional District (development regulations, including 15% minimum site landscaping) — Monterey Zoning Ordinance.
§ 38-32 CR Cannery Row Commercial District (planting areas, fences/walls, no parking in front/corner side setbacks).
§ 38-33 Supplemental Regulations Applicable to C Districts (planting strips, fences/retaining walls, outdoor storage screening, scenic entrances references).
I‑R District development regulations table (20% minimum site landscaping; planting areas; fence heights) — section header not visible in excerpt.
§ 38-41 Supplemental Regulations Applicable to I‑R Districts (outdoor facilities screening; service station planting; Hwy 68 buffers for certain uses).
§ 38-67–§ 38-68 Design and Development Control Overlays (landscaping/parking‑area landscaping conditions; review process).
§ 38-69–§ 38-71 Special Setback Overlay (scenic streets/highways/shoreline setbacks).
§ 38-99 Article 16C Multifamily Overlays (MF2/MF3 landscaping, screening, buffers) — precise subsection numbers not visible in excerpts.

Also see internal guides:

Monterey Zoning (/us/california/monterey/zoning)
Monterey Development Standards (/us/california/monterey/development-standards)
Monterey Parking (/us/california/monterey/parking)
Monterey Design Review (/us/california/monterey/design-review)
Monterey Overlay Districts (/us/california/monterey/overlay-districts)
Monterey Historic Preservation (/us/california/monterey/historic-preservation)
Monterey Signage (/us/california/monterey/signage)
Monterey Variances and Exceptions (/us/california/monterey/variances-and-exceptions)

Information Gaps

The precise subsection numbers in § 38‑99 for each MF2/MF3 landscaping and screening line item. Not found in retrieved materials.
The full content of § 38‑33(J) “landscaping at scenic entrances.” Not found in retrieved materials.
The section header number for the I‑R district development regulations table establishing the 20% minimum site landscaping. Not found in retrieved materials.

Sources

Retrieved passages

Monterey Zoning Code (Chapter 37) High relevance
Monterey Zoning Code (Chapter 37) High relevance
Monterey Zoning Code (Chapter when) High relevance
Monterey Zoning Code (Chapter 37) High relevance
Monterey Zoning Code (Chapter when) High relevance
Monterey Zoning Code (Chapter when) High relevance
Monterey Zoning Code (Article 24) High relevance
CWUIC § 65850.6 (Title 24) High relevance
Monterey Zoning Code (Section 38-33.) High relevance
Monterey Zoning Code (Section 38-33) High relevance
Monterey Zoning Code (§ 19) High relevance

Cited sections

§ 38-31 CO Office and Professional District (development regulations, including 15% minimum site landscaping) — Monterey Zoning Ordinance. (§ 38-31)
§ 38-32 CR Cannery Row Commercial District (planting areas, fences/walls, no parking in front/corner side setbacks). (§ 38-32)
§ 38-33 Supplemental Regulations Applicable to C Districts (planting strips, fences/retaining walls, outdoor storage screening, scenic entrances references). (§ 38-33)
I‑R District development regulations table (20% minimum site landscaping; planting areas; fence heights) — section header not visible in excerpt. (section header)
§ 38-41 Supplemental Regulations Applicable to I‑R Districts (outdoor facilities screening; service station planting; Hwy 68 buffers for certain uses). (§ 38-41)
§ 38-67–§ 38-68 Design and Development Control Overlays (landscaping/parking‑area landscaping conditions; review process). (§ 38-67)
§ 38-69–§ 38-71 Special Setback Overlay (scenic streets/highways/shoreline setbacks). (§ 38-69)
§ 38-99 Article 16C Multifamily Overlays (MF2/MF3 landscaping, screening, buffers) — precise subsection numbers not visible in excerpts. (§ 38-99)
Monterey Zoning (/us/california/monterey/zoning)
Monterey Development Standards (/us/california/monterey/development-standards)
Monterey Parking (/us/california/monterey/parking)
Monterey Design Review (/us/california/monterey/design-review)
Monterey Overlay Districts (/us/california/monterey/overlay-districts)
Monterey Historic Preservation (/us/california/monterey/historic-preservation)
Monterey Signage (/us/california/monterey/signage)
Monterey Variances and Exceptions (/us/california/monterey/variances-and-exceptions)
Monterey_ZoningCode.md

Frequently asked questions

Do commercial projects in Monterey have to landscape street-facing yards?

Yes. In all commercial districts, visible yard areas not used for drives or walks must be planting areas, and a three-foot planting strip is required near street-fronting interior property lines per § 38-33. Outdoor storage may require screening if allowed by use permit.

What are Cannery Row’s basic landscaping and screening rules?

In the CR district, any visible setback area not used for drives, walks, or parking must be landscaped; parking is prohibited in front and corner side setbacks, reinforcing the landscaped frontage. Fences/walls are generally capped at 8 ft, with 4 ft max in street-facing yards (§ 38-32).

How are outdoor storage areas handled in industrial zones?

In I‑R districts, outdoor storage/display requires a use permit and must be screened from streets by a solid fence or wall; stored materials cannot exceed the screen height (§ 38-41.B.3). Sites must also meet a 20% minimum site landscaping standard (I‑R development table).

Do multifamily overlays require parking lot screening?

Yes. In MF overlays, surface parking lots must be screened from the street by landscaping or a low wall with a minimum 3‑ft height (and may not exceed 3 ft in a street-facing setback). Equipment and waste must also be screened (§ 38‑99, MF2/MF3).

Are there special landscape buffers along Highway 68 or Highway 1?

Yes. Selected I‑R corridor uses (e.g., restaurants, convenience markets) require a 100‑ft buffer along Scenic Highway 68, and MF3 on Aguajito Road requires a 100‑ft landscape buffer from the Highway 1 right‑of‑way (§ 38‑41.D.2; § 38‑99 MF3).

What fence heights are allowed near the street?

In commercial and Cannery Row districts, fences/walls in required front or corner side yards are limited to 4 ft; in I‑R they are 3 ft. A 6‑ft solid wall is typically required along property lines shared with R districts or existing residential uses (§ 38-33; § 38-32; I‑R regs).

Can the City add extra landscaping or buffers to my project?

Yes. In D2/D3 overlay areas, the Planning Commission may impose conditions on landscaping, buffers, fences/walls, and parking-area landscaping during approval (§ 38-67), typically through design review.

Are there exceptions to fence height limits along highways?

There are criteria for taller fences/walls (up to 10 ft) adjacent to Highway 1 on residential properties, often requiring landscaping/berms and compatibility findings; these occur via variance review (variance criteria excerpted; confirm the specific § with staff).

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