Local zoning · Newark

Newark — Landscaping and Screening

Q: What screening is required where industrial property meets housing?

A 6‑ft solid screening wall (masonry/finished concrete or equivalent) along the interior lot line is required when an industrial or transportation use abuts a residential district; materials, timing, and arrangement are specified in § 17.17.100.B–C (§ 17.17.100 ) .

Q: What are the parking‑lot landscaping requirements I should plan for?

Parking lots must include landscaped islands (minimum 6 ft interior dimension), one 24‑inch box tree at each end of rows and one tree per eight spaces, perimeter planting (typically 5 ft between parking and street unless district standard says otherwise), plus sight‑line clearances (trees pruned to 8 ft clearance) — see § 17.23.090 (§ 17.23.090 ) .

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

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Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Newark Zoning Ordinance requires for landscaping and screening — where and when planting, walls, fences, berms, and other buffers are mandatory and how they are measured and enforced. It is drawn from the City of Newark zoning text (Title 17) and cites the controlling code sections so you can verify exact language with planning staff. Key rules live in the landscaping chapter (Chapter 17.21) and the screening provisions in Chapter 17.17; parking-related screening appears in Chapter 17.23. See the city's rules on development standards and design review for how landscaping is reviewed in context.

Chapter highlights (plain-English):

Required landscaped areas: front and street-side setbacks, interior buffers next to residential zones, building perimeters, parking areas (§ 17.21.030) .
Minimum materials, water-efficiency options, tree counts, planter sizes, and installation/maintenance obligations (§ 17.21.050, § 17.21.040) .
Screening (walls/fences/hedges/berms) for mechanical equipment, outdoor storage, parking lots, and industrial uses; 6‑foot screening next to residential is repeatedly required (§ 17.17.100, § 17.17.040) .
Parking landscaping/screening (islands, tree spacing, visibility clearances, and 42‑inch street screening) is in Chapter 17.23 (§ 17.23.090) .
Some districts (e.g., PO, BTP, LI, GI, and residential RS/RL/RM/RH) include district-specific landscape/screening buffers in their development standards (Table 17.09.030, Table 17.07.030) .

For street-front façades and projects subject to discretionary review, landscaping is evaluated through design review as an integrated element of site design (§ 17.34.050 – 17.34.060) .

District-by-district breakdown

Note: below I summarize the districts that include explicit, landscaping- or screening‑relevant rules in the ordinance excerpts provided. Always verify parcel-specific rules with the Planning Division.

RS (single-unit residential) / RL / RM / RH — Residential districts

Purpose & typical uses: single-unit homes (RS), lower- to higher-density multifamily (RL, RM, RH) as defined in the tables of Chapter 17.07 (§ 17.07.030) .
Landscaping / screening triggers: All required front and street-side setbacks must be landscaped (§ 17.21.030.A) . Private open space may require screening and fences (e.g., private yards screened by a 6‑ft fence where required) (§ 17.09.030, § 17.07.030 references) .
Key dimensional standards that affect landscaping: Residential setbacks and minimum landscape-area percentages are listed in Table 17.07.030 (front, side, rear dimensions; minimum landscaping % varies by district) — see § 17.07.030 for exact numbers .
Where it applies: all properties zoned RS/RL/RM/RH across Newark; landscaping chapter (§ 17.21) applies to new development, additions that increase floor area by 10%+, and new/rehabilitated irrigated landscaping >500 sq ft (§ 17.21.020) .

PO — Professional Office

Purpose & typical uses: office, professional services; development standards in Table 17.09.030 (§ 17.09.030) .
Landscaping/screening rules: building faces that front a public street must have planters along at least 20% of the face, minimum planter width 3 ft (§ 17.21.030.C) . PO district also has specific build-to and parking location rules that affect where landscaping can go (§ 17.09.030) .
Where it applies: PO parcels per the zoning map; see Table 17.09.030 for front setback and minimum landscape area percentages that carry through to Chapter 17.21 requirements .

BTP — Business, Technology & Parks

Purpose & typical uses: larger business/tech campuses, office parks; specific development standards in Table 17.09.030 (§ 17.09.030) .
Landscaping/screening rules: where parking fronts a right-of-way provide a 10‑ft landscaped setback with at least one 15‑gallon tree and two 5‑gallon shrubs per 40 ft of frontage; first 50 ft adjacent to very wide rights-of-way must be landscaped and not used for parking (§ 17.09.040.D.2) .
Where it applies: larger employment sites and business parks; additional buffering for loading docks (setback 150 ft from arterials unless an alternative noise wall is approved) (§ 17.09.030.A) .

LI / GI — Light & General Industrial

Purpose & typical uses: manufacturing, warehousing, heavy industrial for GI; lighter industrial/assembly for LI (Table 17.09.030) .
Landscaping/screening rules: where non‑residential abuts residential, a solid 6‑ft screening wall is required along interior lot lines; parking-to-right‑of‑way setbacks of 10 ft with tree/shrub requirements apply in LI/GI (§ 17.17.100.B, § 17.09.040.E) .
Where it applies: properties zoned LI and GI; GI also has special height/buffer rules when near residential (see Table 17.09.030) .

CMU / Old Town / Special Plan areas

Purpose & typical uses: mixed-use, commercial main-street forms with pedestrian emphasis; many design rules (build-to lines, transparency) influence where landscaping and screening are required or allowed (§ 17.08.030, Table references) .
Landscaping/screening rules: in these districts the ordinance encourages street-oriented landscaping, may reduce large screening walls to preserve pedestrian interest, and relies on design review to balance transparency and screening (§ 17.09.040.C) .

Tables — quick reference (most decision-relevant standards)

Requirement / Topic	Standard (bolded for quick scan)	Code reference
Required landscaped setbacks (front & street side)	All required front and street-facing side setbacks must be landscaped	§ 17.21.030.A
Interior buffer next to residential (commercial/industrial)	10 ft landscaped buffer yard for commercial/industrial; 6 ft for other non‑residential	§ 17.21.030.B
Parking lot screening from streets	42 inches high screening along public streets; 6 ft screening where parking abuts residential (3 ft in front setback)	§ 17.23.090.M.1
Screening of industrial uses adjacent to residences	Solid masonry or equivalent screening wall, 6 ft high (minimum)	§ 17.17.100.B
Outdoor storage screening	Walls/fences at least 6 ft high; storage not higher than wall	§ 17.17.100.C.1
Automobile/vehicle sales & service specific	Masonry wall 6 ft along lot lines adjacent to Residential; ≥10% of site landscaped; front planters 6 ft wide; other buffers 3 ft	§ 17.26.060.A.1–3
Minimum planter for parking trees	Planter interior dimension 5 ft; end-of-row islands min 6 ft and one 24‑inch box tree	§ 17.23.090.7, 4
Planting composition & water rules	At least 50% evergreen trees; water-efficiency options (Option A/B/C per MWELO)	§ 17.21.050.A.1, .2

Practical guidance & interpretation tips

If your project is new development, a large addition, or new irrigated landscaping > 500 sq ft, submit a full landscape plan prepared per § 17.21.040 showing species, sizes, irrigation, and existing trees over 6" DBH; for commercial/large residential projects a California Registered Landscape Architect must sign plans (§ 17.21.040, § 17.21.050.D) .
Use the parking and development standards pages when designing perimeter buffers: parking islands, tree spacing, and sight‑line clearances are enforced together with landscape rules (§ 17.23.090) .
When a non‑residential or industrial use abuts residential, expect a 6‑ft solid wall (masonry or finished concrete) along the shared lot line; hedges alone are acceptable only where expressly allowed and must be maintained to assure the required height (§ 17.17.100.B–C) .
For parking lot street screening, the code allows walls, decorative fences plus planting, planting-only screens (evergreen), or berms — but chain‑link, vinyl fencing, and plain concrete block are barred for visible screening (§ 17.23.090.M.2, § 17.17.040.B) .
Landscaping ties into discretionary approvals: if the project needs a use permit, design review will evaluate landscape as part of site design and may require alternative/improved buffering (§ 17.34.050–060) .

Also note the planning director has discretion to modify buffer dimensions where alternatives achieve equal protection (e.g., berm + planting instead of a wall), but do not count on this — confirm with staff and, if needed, request the modification through design review or a minor use permit (§ 17.09.040.D.2, § 17.21.040.C) .

Checklist

Submit a landscape plan with permit application when required (new development, >500 sq ft irrigated landscaping, or additions >10% floor area) — include species list, sizes, hydrozones, irrigation layout, existing trees >6" DBH (§ 17.21.020, § 17.21.040) .
Provide required setback landscaping: all front and street‑side required setbacks must be landscaped (§ 17.21.030.A) .
For non‑residential adjacent to residential: show a 6‑ft screening wall along shared lot line or approved equivalent (berm + planting) (§ 17.17.100.B–E) .
For parking areas: provide planter islands (min 6 ft interior dimension) and tree counts (1 tree per 8 spaces), show visibility clearances (trees pruned to 8‑ft clearance over parking) (§ 17.23.090.4, 7, 9) .
If using planting as a screen, specify compact evergreens that reach required opacity (2 ft in 18 months for some screens) and maintenance plan (§ 17.23.090.M.2.c) .
Provide a surety (bond/letter of credit) equal to 150% of landscaping installation cost where required, and a Certificate of Completion from licensed contractor (§ 17.21.070.C–D) .
Confirm if the site requires special district buffers (BTP, GI, etc.) — see district tables and supplemental regs in § 17.09.030–040 and consult the overlay districts rules if applicable (§ 17.09.030) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Exact tree species approved for parking areas	Code requires trees from a list maintained by Planning; wrong species may be rejected at plan check	Ask Planning for the current approved species list and required box size (§ 17.23.090.7)
Whether hedges alone satisfy a required 6‑ft residential screen	Hedges can be used but must achieve opacity and be maintained; director may require masonry for industrial uses	Confirm with the Community Development Director whether planting-only screening is acceptable in your case (§ 17.17.100.B–F)
Frontage transparency vs. screening in pedestrian districts	Old Town/PO rules favor transparency; heavy screening can conflict with building transparency requirements	If in PO/Old Town, coordinate landscape/screening with design review and Table 17.09.030 standards (§ 17.09.040.C)
Applicability to small residential yards and fences	Some fence rules exempt minor decorative features but chain-link is prohibited in residential districts	Verify whether your fence is within allowed height, material, and sight‑distance rules; see § 17.17.040 and municipal visibility code (§ 17.17.040)
Interaction with stormwater / MWELO	Water-efficient options (A/B/C) affect species selection and irrigation; MWELO compliance may be required for Option C	Confirm whether your landscape falls under MWELO and which Option you must (or will) use (§ 17.21.050.A.2)

If any detail above is parcel‑specific (e.g., exact setback dimension, overlay rules), note: "Verify with the jurisdiction."

Plain‑English Summary

Newark requires landscaping in front/street setbacks, buffers where non‑residential uses meet residences, and specific parking‑lot tree/planter standards; screening (walls, fences, plantings, berms) is commonly required at 6 ft where non‑residential or industrial uses abut residential, while parking street screens are typically 42 inches; submit a landscape plan and expect design review to treat landscaping as part of the site design (§ 17.21, § 17.17, § 17.23) .

Source References

Newark Municipal Code — Chapter 17.21, Landscaping: purpose, applicability, areas to be landscaped, landscape plan requirements, materials and water-efficiency options (§ 17.21.010–050) .
Newark Municipal Code — Chapter 17.17, Screening; fences and wall standards including materials and prohibited fence types (§ 17.17.040, § 17.17.100) .
Newark Municipal Code — Chapter 17.23, Parking and Loading; parking lot landscaping, islands, screening heights and tree standards (§ 17.23.090) .
Newark Municipal Code — § 17.26.060, Automobile/vehicle sales and services (site-specific landscaping and 6‑ft masonry wall requirements) .
Newark Municipal Code — Table/Chapter references for district standards: Table 17.09.030 (Employment Districts: PO, BTP, LI, GI) and Table 17.07.030 (Residential district dimensions and minimum landscaping percentages) (§ 17.09.030, § 17.07.030) .
Newark Municipal Code — Design Review scope and criteria (landscaping as an evaluation factor) (§ 17.34.050–060) .

(If you want direct copies of any of these specific code sections or the city's plant lists, I can pull and attach the relevant excerpts or prepare a checklist tailored to a parcel — verify with the Planning Division before construction.)

Sources

Retrieved passages

Newark Zoning Code (Section 17.17.100) High relevance
Newark Zoning Code (Chapter 17.41) High relevance
CBC § 1 (§ 1) High relevance
Newark Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance
Newark Zoning Code (section are) High relevance
Newark Zoning Code (Chapter 17.23) High relevance
Newark Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance
Newark Zoning Code (chapter shall) High relevance
Newark Zoning Code (Chapter 17.21) Medium relevance
CBC § 1 (Chapter 17.21) Medium relevance
Newark Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance
Newark Zoning Code Medium relevance
Newark Zoning Code (Chapter 17.21) Medium relevance
CBC § 1 (§ 1) Medium relevance
Newark Zoning Code (Chapter 17.21) Medium relevance

Cited sections

Official Newark code library

Frequently asked questions

What landscaping is required for new commercial development in Newark?

Commercial projects must landscape all required front and street‑side setbacks and provide interior buffer yards where non‑residential uses abut residential districts (typically 10 ft for commercial/industrial; 6 ft for other non‑residential), and parking areas must meet planter and tree standards; see § 17.21.030 and § 17.23.090 for the details and tree/planter sizes (§ 17.21.030, § 17.23.090) .

Do I need a landscape plan with my building permit?

Yes — a landscape plan is required for all projects subject to the landscaping chapter: new development, additions expanding multi‑unit or non‑residential floor area by 10% or more, and any new or rehabilitated irrigated landscaping over 500 sq ft (§ 17.21.020–040) .

What screening is required where industrial property meets housing?

A 6‑ft solid screening wall (masonry/finished concrete or equivalent) along the interior lot line is required when an industrial or transportation use abuts a residential district; materials, timing, and arrangement are specified in § 17.17.100.B–C (§ 17.17.100) .

How high can fences and walls be (and what materials are allowed)?

Fence and wall height allowances and exceptions are in Chapter 17.17; screening walls for outdoor storage and interior lot-line screens are typically 6 ft high; prohibited materials include plain concrete block (must be finished) and chain‑link in residential areas; see § 17.17.040 and § 17.17.100 for specifics (§ 17.17.040, § 17.17.100) .

What are the parking‑lot landscaping requirements I should plan for?

Parking lots must include landscaped islands (minimum 6 ft interior dimension), one 24‑inch box tree at each end of rows and one tree per eight spaces, perimeter planting (typically 5 ft between parking and street unless district standard says otherwise), plus sight‑line clearances (trees pruned to 8 ft clearance) — see § 17.23.090 (§ 17.23.090) .

Can I use hedges instead of a masonry wall to screen my property?

Planting can be used as screening where appropriate, but the ordinance requires screening to achieve the intended opacity/height; industrial uses abutting residential typically require a solid masonry wall, and the director may require masonry over hedges where visibility or durability is a concern (§ 17.17.100.B–F) — Verify with Planning for site‑specific acceptance (§ 17.17.100) .

Does Newark require water‑efficient landscaping?

Yes. The code requires water‑efficient plant selections and gives three compliance options (Option A: all low‑water plants; Option B: primarily low‑water plants for residential; Option C: a water‑use calculation per the State MWELO). See § 17.21.050.A.2 for the options (§ 17.21.050) .

If my project needs a use permit, will landscaping be reviewed differently?

Yes. Landscaping is evaluated in design review and use‑permit findings; discretionary approvals will review landscaping and screening as integral to site design and may impose conditions to meet buffer and visual compatibility findings (§ 17.34.050–060, § 17.35.060) .

Are chain‑link fences allowed for screening in commercial zones?

Chain‑link fencing is prohibited as visible screening; in non‑residential districts chain‑link may not be visible from streets, state highways, or adjacent residential districts — the ordinance forbids chain‑link or vinyl as screening materials (§ 17.17.040.B.2–3) .

Where do I find the district‑specific buffer widths for BTP or GI?

District supplemental regulations include buffer and setback requirements: BTP and GI district development standards and buffers are in Table 17.09.030 and § 17.09.040 (e.g., 10‑ft landscaped setbacks for parking areas in BTP/LI/GI; special 150‑ft loading dock setbacks in BTP) (§ 17.09.030–040) .

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