San Marino — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the City of San Marino requires for landscaping and screening (buffers, fences, walls, trees, parking-lot planting, and water-efficient landscape documentation) under the local zoning/planning ordinance. It pulls the controlling local rules from the zoning code (not building code or state ADU law) and explains how they are applied to common residential and commercial projects. For map- and district-level context see the city's San Marino Zoning and planning overview at San Marino zoning & planning overview.

Important national/state rules (for irrigation technology, Title 24, ADU law) are separate — see the city's San Marino Development Standards and the California Building Standards Code for those topics.

Key city rules (quick synthesis)

• The City enforces a local water-efficient landscaping program that applies to most new and rehabilitated landscapes and requires a Landscape Documentation Package including a water-efficient worksheet and hydrozone calculations (see § 23.16.02, § 23.16.05, § 23.16.06) .
• Planting composition limits: new plantings must include at least 25% native species (from Calscape Western San Gabriel Valley list) and at least 50% low‑water‑use plants in many landscape contexts; parking-lot trees and spacing rules are specified (see § 23.16 and site-detail sections) .
• Turf/lawn caps: the code caps turf at either 60% or 30% of total landscaped area depending on the subsection that applies — confirm which subsection governs your project type (see § 23.16 and related site-detail provisions) .
• Fences, walls, and retaining walls require permits and in many street‑adjacent cases are subject to design review; the C‑1 commercial zone has specific height, material, and setback rules (see § 23.13.02, § 23.13.03, and design review submittal rules § 23.15.13) .

Note: This page synthesizes the ordinance text; always verify parcel‑specific interpretation with staff (see "Risks & Ambiguities" below).

District-by-district breakdown

C-1 (Commercial)

• Purpose & where it applies: The code treats the C-1 Zone as a commercial district with special rules for fences, yard walls, and landscaping adjacent to commercial uses. Specific permitted uses and overall dimensional tables are not found in the retrieved landscaping excerpts (Verify with the jurisdiction). Not found in retrieved materials for full permitted uses/dimensional table.
• Landscaping & screening rules that apply here:
  • Fences/walls: maximum height 6 ft for fences or combined exposed vertical surfaces; retaining walls in close proximity counted toward the limit; exceptions up to 8 ft require Commission approval (see § 23.13.03.A). Permit required (§ 23.13.02) .
  • Materials and location: fences must be at least 2 in from property line without neighbor consent; hog wire/barbed/electrically charged fences prohibited (§ 23.13.03.B–E) .
  • Refuse screening: trash/recycling enclosures must be screened from public view, be opaque, match building materials, and be outside 20 ft from residentially zoned property (§ 23.16 / site details) .
• Design review: fences/walls adjacent to a street require design review and the DRC/Commission makes findings about compatibility, block pattern, and sight lines (§ 23.13.03.G.3 & § 23.15.13) .

R-1 (Single-family residential)

• Purpose & where it applies: R-1 Zones cover single-family residential neighborhoods. Full permitted-use tables and dimensional standards are not reproduced in the retrieved landscaping excerpts (Verify with the jurisdiction). Not found in retrieved materials for comprehensive permitted uses/dimensional table.
• Landscaping & screening rules that apply here:
  • Water-efficient landscape rules apply to new residences/large landscape changes; no new residence is allowed in the R-1 Zones unless the local water‑efficient landscaping requirements are satisfied (see § 23.16 and related applicability statements) .
  • Recreational court enclosures may be allowed but are subject to conditional use and height/location limits: a chainlink court fence up to 12 ft is allowed with conditions; it may not be within required yards or within 5 ft of a street-facing property line (§ 23.02.05) .
  • Fences/walls: front- and street‑adjacent fences often require design review; existing nonconforming hedges or walls are grandfathered but replacement after >50% destruction must conform (§ 23.13.*) .
• Design review: second-story additions and many wall/fence projects in R-1 require landscape plans and DRC review (see § 23.15.13 and the design review submission checklist) .

MU-1 and MU-2 (Mixed-use)

• Purpose & where it applies: MU-1 and MU-2 are mixed‑use zones with by‑right requirements; specific landscaping rules for mixed‑use developments must meet the objective development standards or otherwise require design review (§ 23.21.05) .
• Landscaping & screening rules:
  • Mixed‑use projects must still comply with the city’s landscape standards and the water‑efficient landscaping Article (see § 23.16, and ministerial approval process in § 23.21.04) .
  • If a project cannot meet development standards, an alternative means of compliance may be approved by the Community Development Director if it achieves the intent (§ 23.21.03.05) .

If your property sits in another district or an overlay, consult the city's San Marino Overlay Districts and the master zoning map at San Marino Zoning. For projects affecting parking or requiring design review, those processes intersect with landscaping and screening rules and can impose additional submittal requirements.

Most decision-relevant standards (at-a-glance)

Practical guidance / how this plays out for applicants

• If your project adds or reconfigures more than 500 sq ft of new landscape, you must prepare a Landscape Documentation Package with the water-efficient worksheet and irrigation plan (submit per § 23.16.05–06) .
• For any new fence/wall, obtain a fence permit; if the wall faces a street, plan for design review submittal materials (plot plan, elevations, tree locations) per § 23.13.02 and § 23.15.13 .
• For parking lot changes, follow the planting-strip widths, finger-planter spacing, tree sizes and canopy goals in § 23.03.10.08; those details are often enforced at plan check and occupancy release .
• If a strict numeric standard cannot be met (e.g., tree spacing or turf cap), the city allows “alternative means of compliance” when the Community Development Director finds the alternative meets the intent (§ 23.21.03.05) — use that route for constrained sites or historic properties .
• Use native/drought-tolerant species lists (Calscape Western San Gabriel Valley) to meet the 25% native and 50% low‑water new-plant requirements (§ 23.16 and site details) .

Checklist

• Prepare a Landscape Documentation Package (site plan, hydrozones, soil report, irrigation plan, water-efficient worksheet) if applicable (§ 23.16.05–06)
• Specify plant palette with at least 25% native species and 50% low‑water new plants (§ 23.16/site details)
• Limit turf to the applicable cap (confirm whether 30% or 60% applies) and avoid turf in strips <5 ft or >15% slope (§ 23.16/site details)
• For parking: include finger planters, tree spacing (1 per 10 stalls), 24" box minimum, and 6" concrete curbs at wheel stops (§ 23.03.10.08)
• For any fence/wall: obtain a fence permit; if street‑adjacent, prepare design review materials (plot plan, elevations, tree locations) (§ 23.13.02, § 23.15.13)
• If refuse/storage areas are included, design opaque enclosures that match building materials and meet siting limits (20 ft from residential zones) (§ 23.16/site details)
• If the project cannot meet numeric standards, prepare an alternative compliance rationale for Community Development Director review (§ 23.21.03.05)

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

San Marino requires water‑efficient, native-forward landscaping for most new or large landscape projects, caps turf, specifies parking-lot trees and planting-strip details, and makes most street-facing fences and walls subject to permits and design review; follow the Landscape Documentation Package checklist and check with staff on zone‑specific rules and exceptions (verify with the Community Development Department). See the city's San Marino Development Standards for coordinating details.

Source References

• San Marino Municipal Code — Article: Water Efficient Landscaping; Applicability and thresholds: § 23.16.01 – § 23.16.06 .
• San Marino Municipal Code — Site detail standards and parking-lot landscaping (trees, finger planters, turf limits): § 23.03.10.08, § 23.05.03.09, § 23.03.10.07–09 .
• San Marino Municipal Code — Fence/wall permit requirements and C‑1 fence regulations: § 23.13.02, § 23.13.03 .
• San Marino Municipal Code — Design review documentation and submittal requirements for walls/fences and landscape plans: § 23.15.13, § 23.15.14 .
• San Marino Municipal Code — Refuse/recycling enclosure screening and materials: site details (refuse screening requirements) § 23.16 / site details .
• San Marino Municipal Code — Alternative means of compliance and mixed‑use (MU‑1, MU‑2) by‑right standards: § 23.21.03.05, § 23.21.04–05 .
• Design and submittal notes: general requirements for final landscape and material samples tied to design review § 23.15.13 .

If you need the city contacts and filing forms, confirm the latest versions and fee schedule with the Planning & Building Department (Verify with the jurisdiction).

Retrieved passages

• San Marino Zoning Code (section 23.16) High relevance show source text
• San Marino Zoning Code (section 23.16) High relevance show source text
• CWUIC § 65850.6 (Title 24) High relevance show source text
• San Marino Zoning Code (section 23.20.03.03) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 096 (Chapter XXV) High relevance show source text
• San Marino Zoning Code (article are) Medium relevance show source text
• San Marino Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• San Marino Zoning Code (section 2) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• San Marino Municipal Code — Article: Water Efficient Landscaping; Applicability and thresholds: **§ 23.16.01 – § 23.16.06** . (§ 23.16.01)
• San Marino Municipal Code — Site detail standards and parking-lot landscaping (trees, finger planters, turf limits): **§ 23.03.10.08**, **§ 23.05.03.09**, **§ 23.03.10.07–09** . (§ 23.03.10.08)
• San Marino Municipal Code — Fence/wall permit requirements and C‑1 fence regulations: **§ 23.13.02**, **§ 23.13.03** . (§ 23.13.02)
• San Marino Municipal Code — Design review documentation and submittal requirements for walls/fences and landscape plans: **§ 23.15.13**, **§ 23.15.14** . (§ 23.15.13)
• San Marino Municipal Code — Refuse/recycling enclosure screening and materials: site details (refuse screening requirements) **§ 23.16 / site details** . (§ 23.16)
• San Marino Municipal Code — Alternative means of compliance and mixed‑use (MU‑1, MU‑2) by‑right standards: **§ 23.21.03.05**, **§ 23.21.04–05** . (§ 23.21.03.05)
• Design and submittal notes: general requirements for final landscape and material samples tied to design review **§ 23.15.13** . (§ 23.15.13)
• SanMarino_ZoningCode.md

• Official San Marino code library