Rialto — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Rialto Municipal Code requires for landscaping, screening, buffers, and fences/walls under the city's zoning rules (Title 18 chapters and related development standards). It focuses only on the zoning/design–guideline rules that control plantings, screening walls, planting widths, and where those standards differ by district or use. For dimensional tables and other development rules see the city's Rialto Development Standards.

What the code requires (key rules, plain-English)

• Perimeter buffers and planting depths: a minimum ten‑foot wide perimeter landscape strip is required along property lines for most nonresidential sites, and fifteen feet where the property adjoins residential zones; see § 18.61.250.
• Parking-lot landscaping: at least 10% of gross off‑street parking area must be landscaped (interior and perimeter), with one 15‑gallon tree per five parking stalls (or clustering as approved); see § 18.61.190 and Chapter 18.58 (Off‑Street Parking).
• Screening for service, loading and outdoor storage: when visible to public streets, these areas must be screened by walls, berms, or tall planting; specific screening for truck/vehicle storage requires decorative masonry/tilt‑up walls and minimum wall heights of 8 ft (min), up to 14 ft (max) where needed to screen tall vehicles; see § 18.104.035 (screening/performance) and § 18.112.050 (indoor/outdoor storage development standards).
• Walls/fences design and limits: decorative masonry or similarly durable materials are required where walls face streets; plain chain‑link, wood or barbed wire is disallowed for typical visible locations; see § 18.61.170 and § 18.61.180 (residential specifics).
• Irrigation and plant survival: all landscaped areas in a development must have a permanent automatic irrigation system; dead plants must be replaced promptly; see § 18.61.250 and related design guidelines.

Note: many of these rules are cross‑referenced with the parking chapter (Chapter 18.58), specific plan chapters (e.g., indoor/outdoor storage in 18.112.050), and the design guidelines chapter (Chapter 18.61), so plan review applications typically must show conformance across those sections. See also the city's Rialto Parking and Rialto Zoning pages for related checklists.

District‑by‑district (Rialto‑specific)

Note: below each district name is in bold. Where the code did not provide a district‑specific landscaping rule, I flag what was NOT found.

R-1 (Single‑Family Residential)

• Purpose / typical uses: single‑family dwellings; landscaping guidelines are applied by the design guidelines chapter and subdivision/precise plan rules. Not all R‑1 uses are listed in the retrieved excerpts; verify with the full zone text. Not found in retrieved materials for a complete R‑1 allowed‑use list.
• Landscaping & screening rules that apply:
  • Front yards and parkways must be landscaped at project build‑out; typical minimum plantings include at least a 15‑gallon tree and permanent irrigation; see § 18.61.260 and project/subdivision standards.
  • Residential fences/walls: subdivision and residential standards require decorative block/ stucco/ masonry walls on street frontages and minimum 6 ft walls in certain rear/side conditions; wrought‑iron gates recommended; see § 18.61.180.
• Key dimensional items (from design guidelines): front yard landscaping and street‑tree spacing, irrigation requirement; check the local subdivision or precise plan conditions for variations.

R-3 (Multiple‑Family Residential)

• Purpose / typical uses: multi‑family dwellings and related accessory uses; permitted uses and development standards are in Chapter 18.22.
• Landscaping & screening rules:
  • Front yard setbacks are landscaped (minimum 15 ft front yard; trees and automatic irrigation required). Private open space and common open space must be landscaped and maintained per § 18.61.240/§ 18.61.250.
  • Where multi‑family abuts single‑family or commercial/industrial zones a 6‑ft masonry block wall is required between the uses; side/rear landscape setbacks must be irrigated and maintained.
• Where it applies: all R‑3 parcels (Chapter 18.22).

C-3 (General Commercial) and other commercial zones

• Purpose / typical uses: retail, services and general commercial; sign, setback and design cross‑references to the design guidelines. See the C‑3 rules in the code for permitted uses. Not all C‑3 use listings are present in retrieved materials. Not found in retrieved materials for a complete C‑3 use list.
• Landscaping & screening rules:
  • Commercial/industrial landscaping is intended to define entrances, screen loading/equipment, and provide buffers between land uses; when adjacent to residences provide at least a 15‑ft setback along common property lines and trees to screen parking and walls; see § 18.61.050 and § 18.61.270.
  • Parking lot landscaping minimums (10% and tree ratios) apply to commercial parking areas (Chapter 18.58 and § 18.61.190).

M‑1 (Light Manufacturing), M‑2 (General Manufacturing) and Industrial zones (I‑P, I‑GM, I‑AR, etc.)

• Purpose / typical uses: industrial manufacturing, warehouses, airport‑related industrial, and planned industrial development (list of industrial zones in code). See chapter lists of allowed industrial zones.
• Landscaping & screening rules that frequently control industrial sites:
  • Where industrial uses border nonindustrial or residential uses, the code requires additional setbacks (often 25 ft) and a minimum 6‑ft masonry wall plus planting (15‑gallon trees spaced max 20 ft inside the wall) to mitigate impacts; see § 18.61.050(B).
  • For outdoor storage/truck yards: 15‑ft minimum landscape setback along street frontages, 10‑ft planter at base of walls, trees every 30 linear feet (two rows in street setbacks) and a requirement that stored items be screened to sight‑line standards; see § 18.112.050 and § 18.104.035.
  • Walls around truck courts must have landscape pockets and pilasters at intervals (e.g., pockets every 70 ft) and anti‑graffiti coatings are required for exposed screen walls; see § 18.104.035 and related indoor storage standards.

Special plans / overlays (e.g., Rialto Airport Specific Plan, Agua Mansa Specific Plan)

• Purpose / where it applies: these specific plans add zone names (I‑AR, I‑PID, M‑IND, H‑IND, etc.) and carry development rules that either layer on or replace standard zoning. The code lists these zones and cross‑references the same landscaping/screening principles for buffering and storage uses. See the list of industrial/specific‑plan zones in Chapter 18.
• Specifics (examples): indoor/outdoor storage in specific plans must meet the same indoor storage development standards (setbacks, screening walls, landscape setbacks) unless the specific plan modifies them; see § 18.112.050.

Quick decision‑relevant standards (table)

Practical guidance for applicants (how to show compliance)

• Submit a landscape plan showing: perimeter planting widths (measureable 10 ft / 15 ft strips where required), planting types and sizes, tree spacings (show 15‑gallon or 24‑inch box callouts), and an automatic irrigation plan; reference § 18.61.250.
• For parking lots include calculations proving ≥10% landscaped area and label one 15‑gal tree per five stalls or approved alternative; cite § 18.61.190 and Chapter 18.58.
• For outdoor storage/truck yards: provide a line‑of‑sight analysis demonstrating stored vehicles are screened from public rights‑of‑way (the code assumes stored vehicle height for screening calculations); show wall/pocket/pilaster details and anti‑graffiti measures per § 18.104.035 and § 18.112.050.
• For fences/walls: submit elevation details (materials, pilasters, offsets, landscape pockets every ~70 ft where required). Note the prohibition on chain link/wood in visible areas and the discouraged use of barbed wire; see § 18.61.170 and § 18.61.180.
• Coordinate any exceptions or variances with the planning commission; when projects are in a specific plan or overlay, check that plan early — see Rialto Overlay Districts.

Checklist

• Landscape plan showing perimeter planting widths (10 ft / 15 ft where required) and species. See § 18.61.250.
• Irrigation plan showing permanent automatic irrigation for all landscaped areas. See § 18.61.250.
• Parking calculations showing ≥10% landscaped parking area and tree schedule. See § 18.61.190 and Chapter 18.58.
• Screening/wall elevations with materials, anti‑graffiti coating, and landscape pockets/pilasters (if outdoor storage/truck yards). See § 18.104.035 and § 18.112.050.
• Fence/wall material and site plan showing required corner sight‑triangle clearances and setback compliance per § 18.56.030 and § 18.61.170–180.
• For projects abutting residential zones, include cross‑section demonstrating 25‑ft / 15‑ft buffer(s) as applicable and tree planting schedule next to walls. See § 18.61.050(B).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary (homeowner)

Rialto's zoning rules require visible landscaping and durable, attractive screening rather than chain‑link fences: parking lots need trees and at least 10% planting area, properties next to homes typically need a 15‑ft planting buffer and masonry walls where required, and outdoor storage or truck yards must be hidden behind decorative masonry walls with landscape planters and anti‑graffiti finishes. Check your project's zone and any specific plan early and show an irrigation plan and planting schedule on the site plan to avoid delays. See design‑guideline and parking rules for exact planting counts.

Source References

• § 18.61.250 — Landscaping and buffering (general landscaping principles, perimeter strips, planting widths).
• § 18.61.260 — Landscaping and buffering—Residential (front yard planting, entry features).
• § 18.61.270 — Landscaping and buffering—Commercial and industrial.
• § 18.61.190 — Parking and circulation: parking‑lot landscaping, 10% requirement.
• Chapter 18.58 (Off‑Street Parking) — parking calculations and parking‑area landscaping.
• § 18.61.170 and § 18.61.180 — Fences and walls (general and residential standards).
• § 18.104.035 — Performance and screening standards for outdoor storage/truck yards (wall heights, berms, pockets, anti‑graffiti).
• § 18.112.050 — Development standards for indoor/outdoor storage (landscape setbacks, planters, tree spacings).
• § 18.61.050(B) — Commercial/industrial buffering when adjacent to residential (25‑ft setbacks and masonry wall requirements).
• § 18.56.030 — Fences, hedges and walls exceptions and visibility triangle rules.

Also see these Rialto guidance pages for related topics: Rialto Zoning, Rialto Development Standards, Rialto Parking, Rialto Design Review, Rialto Overlay Districts, Rialto ADUs, and the California Building Standards Code.

Retrieved passages

• Rialto Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code (Section 18.61.050) High relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code (Chapter 18.58) High relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code (section between) High relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code (Chapter 18.58) Medium relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Rialto Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• **§ 18.61.250** — Landscaping and buffering (general landscaping principles, perimeter strips, planting widths). (§ 18.61.250)
• **§ 18.61.260** — Landscaping and buffering—Residential (front yard planting, entry features). (§ 18.61.260)
• **§ 18.61.270** — Landscaping and buffering—Commercial and industrial. (§ 18.61.270)
• **§ 18.61.190** — Parking and circulation: parking‑lot landscaping, 10% requirement. (§ 18.61.190)
• Chapter **18.58** (Off‑Street Parking) — parking calculations and parking‑area landscaping.
• **§ 18.61.170** and **§ 18.61.180** — Fences and walls (general and residential standards). (§ 18.61.170)
• **§ 18.104.035** — Performance and screening standards for outdoor storage/truck yards (wall heights, berms, pockets, anti‑graffiti). (§ 18.104.035)
• **§ 18.112.050** — Development standards for indoor/outdoor storage (landscape setbacks, planters, tree spacings). (§ 18.112.050)
• **§ 18.61.050(B)** — Commercial/industrial buffering when adjacent to residential (25‑ft setbacks and masonry wall requirements). (§ 18.61.050)
• **§ 18.56.030** — Fences, hedges and walls exceptions and visibility triangle rules. (§ 18.56.030)
• Rialto_ZoningCode.md

• Official Rialto code library