Pleasant Hill — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Pleasant Hill Zoning Ordinance requires for landscaping, screening, fences, walls, and trees. It is focused on how these rules apply across local zoning districts (residential, multi‑family, commercial/office/industrial) and what applicants must show on plans. For citywide context see the Pleasant Hill zoning & planning overview and the City’s rules on Zoning. All requirements below are drawn from the local Zoning Ordinance; citations point to the controlling code section(s).

How the code is organized (quick map)

• Fences/Walls/Screening: Chapter 18.75 — general limits, materials, mechanical‑equipment screening, pools. § 18.75.010–050.
• Landscaping/planting areas and per‑district development rules: § 18.15.040 (residential planting areas) and § 18.25.040 (commercial/office/industrial standards).
• Parking screening and lot landscaping: § 18.80.120. See Parking.
• Water‑efficient landscaping plans (thresholds and procedures): Chapter 18.105. See Development Standards.
• Tree removal and heritage/native tree rules: Chapter 18.100.

Also note related processes and reviews: Design review, Overlay districts, and rules affecting ADUs ADUs. Where the Building Code affects fire‑safe materials for fences, the ordinance defers to the California Building Standards Code (Title 24) (/us/california/building-codes).

District-by-district breakdown

Residential — single‑family (R‑1 and similar single‑family districts)

Purpose & where it applies

• Applies to lots zoned single‑family (commonly referenced as R‑1 and similar single‑family districts in the Development Standards and Residential Design Guidelines). See § 18.15.040 for residential planting rules.

Typical permitted uses

• Single‑family dwellings, accessory structures and ADUs (subject to ADU rules). See ADUs.

Key landscaping/screening standards

• Required front setback landscaping: at least 50% of required front setback in single‑family districts must be landscaped (no vehicle storage). § 18.15.040.
• Fences/walls: residential fences/walls must comply with Chapter 18.75; typical maximum fence height is 6 ft except in required front and corner side setbacks where the maximum is 3 ft. § 18.75.020.
• Corner lots: a fence/wall over 3 ft requires a 5 ft setback from the corner side property line; corner/key lot triangular visibility area standards apply (see Figure 18.75‑1). § 18.75.030.B.

Practical notes

• Residential fences may be masonry, wood, metal or concrete unless the Zoning Administrator approves otherwise. Fire‑safe material requirements apply where a fence is within 5 ft of a structure; Title 24 may apply. § 18.75.030.D–E.

Multi‑family — MFVL, MFL, MFM, MFH, MFVH

Purpose & where it applies

• Multi‑family neighborhoods and attached housing. Specific planting and open space dimensions live in § 18.15.040 and the Citywide Design Guidelines.

Typical permitted uses

• Multi‑family residential, accessory uses, and associated parking and landscaping (subject to design review / objective standards). § 18.15.040.

Key landscaping/screening standards

• Interior side and rear setbacks in MFVL and MFL: at least 50% of required interior side and rear setback must be landscaped, with a minimum 5 ft width (may reduce to 3 ft in limited cases). § 18.15.040.I.2–3.
• When a multi‑family district adjoins single‑family, a continuous planting area min 5 ft wide is required along the interior property line. § 18.15.040.I.3.

Practical notes

• Multi‑family projects are also subject to the City‑wide Residential Design Guidelines and objective standards (see Design review). § 18.15.040.L.

Neighborhood/Business/Commercial/Industrial — NB, RB, PAO, C, LI

Purpose & where it applies

• Nonresidential zones (Neighborhood Business NB, Regional Business RB, Professional/Administrative Office PAO, Commercial C, Light Industrial LI) — development standards for sites adjoining residential uses are in § 18.25.040.

Typical permitted uses

• Retail, offices, services, light industrial uses with specific allowances per district. Landscaping and screening requirements are tied to whether the site adjoins residential zoning. § 18.25.040.

Key landscaping/screening standards

• When a NB/RB/PAO/C/LI property abuts residential zoning: side/rear setback 25 ft (RB/PAO/C/LI) or 15 ft (NB); provide a continuous planting area min 5 ft wide and at least 5 trees per 100 linear feet; do not intercept a 30° daylight plane from the residential property line. § 18.25.040.A.1–3.
• Fences/walls along property lines abutting residential: solid wood, concrete or masonry wall at least 6 ft but not more than 8 ft, except within 15 ft of a street property line where max is 3 ft. § 18.25.040.A.4 and § 18.75.020.A.2.

Parking / lot screening

• Parking lots with five or more spaces serving nonresidential uses must be screened from an adjoining R district or ground‑floor residential use by a solid concrete/wood/masonry wall at least 8 ft high (front‑setback exception applies). For residential uses with five or more spaces, screening is 6 ft. See Parking. § 18.80.120.A.1–2.

Key standards — quick reference table

Checklist — what an applicant must provide (plan submission)

• Show base zoning and all applicable overlays; verify whether your lot is R‑1, MFVL/MFL, NB/RB/PAO/C/LI, etc. (If in doubt, consult the Zoning map and Overlay Districts).
• Dimensioned fence/wall heights measured per code (height measured from higher side of grade; fences on retaining walls measured combined). § 18.55.040 and § 18.75.020.C.
• Material callouts for fences/walls (residential: masonry/wood/metal/concrete; nonresidential: masonry/wood/concrete/vinyl/tubular steel/wrought iron; where abutting residential use, solid wood/concrete/masonry required). § 18.75.030.D.
• Landscaping plan showing required planting strips (min 5 ft), tree counts (e.g., 5 trees/100 ft where required), and front‑setback landscaping % for single‑family lots. § 18.25.040.A.2 and § 18.15.040.I.1–3.
• Water‑efficient landscape plan if ≥ 500 sq ft new/rehab landscape area (Chapter 18.105). § 18.105.010.B.1.
• Mechanical‑equipment screening details (opaque material, % openings ≤ 25%). § 18.75.040.C.
• Parking lot screening/enclosure details if ≥5 spaces (wall height and wind load spec when required). § 18.80.120.A.
• Tree removal permit application and replacement/mitigation plan if removing regulated native/heritage trees. § 18.100.
• If your project requires relief (e.g., fence height > allowed), include a Minor Exception submittal per § 18.130 (fence/wall height may be increased up to 1 ft by Minor Exception). § 18.130.020.A.1.

Risks & Ambiguities

If a specific provision you expect to find is not cited above, it is “Not found in retrieved materials” — verify with the Zoning Administrator for parcel‑specific interpretation.

Plain‑English summary

Pleasant Hill requires reasonable landscape buffers and opaque screening where different uses meet: front setbacks of single‑family lots must be mostly planted, fences are generally limited to 6 ft (with 3 ft limits along front/corner side zones), nonresidential properties next to homes must provide a 5 ft planting buffer (and usually a 6–8 ft solid wall), parking areas and mechanical equipment must be screened, and larger landscape projects (≥500 sq ft) need a water‑efficient landscape plan; check tree‑removal rules before cutting oaks. All rules are in the Zoning Ordinance (chiefly Chapters 18.15, 18.25, 18.75, 18.80, 18.100, 18.105).

Source References

• Pleasant Hill Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 18.75 Fences, Walls, and Screening — § 18.75.010–050. Downloaded from eCode360. https://ecode360.com/PL4591
• Development standards / planting areas for residential districts — § 18.15.040. https://ecode360.com/PL4591
• Development standards for NB/RB/PAO/C/LI adjoining residential — § 18.25.040. https://ecode360.com/PL4591
• Parking screening and lighting standards — § 18.80.120. https://ecode360.com/PL4591
• Water‑Efficient Landscaping requirements — Chapter 18.105 (water‑efficient landscape plan threshold and rules). https://ecode360.com/PL4591
• Tree Removal / penalties and process — Chapter 18.100 (tree removal permit, penalties). https://ecode360.com/PL4591
• Minor Exceptions (including fence/wall height relief) — § 18.130.020. https://ecode360.com/PL4591
• Definitions (Fence) — § 18.215.060. https://ecode360.com/PL4591

Retrieved passages

• Pleasant Hill Zoning Code (CHAPTER 18.75) High relevance show source text
• Pleasant Hill Zoning Code (Section and) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 18.70.030 (§ 18.70.030) High relevance show source text
• Pleasant Hill Zoning Code (Chapter 18.200) High relevance show source text
• Pleasant Hill Zoning Code (Section 18.15.040) High relevance show source text
• Pleasant Hill Zoning Code (§ 18.25.040) High relevance show source text
• Pleasant Hill Zoning Code (§ 18.125.070.) High relevance show source text
• Pleasant Hill Zoning Code (Section 18.55.070) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Pleasant Hill Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 18.75 Fences, Walls, and Screening — **§ 18.75.010–050**. Downloaded from eCode360. (Chapter 18.75)
• PleasantHill_ZoningCode.md

• Official Pleasant Hill code library