Ukiah — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

Ukiah regulates landscaping, tree planting, and visual screening through Chapter 2 Zoning of the Ukiah City Code, plus a Downtown Zoning Code (DZC) with objective, map‑bounded standards. The DZC supplies detailed, table‑based rules for street trees, parking‑lot landscaping, fences, “streetscreens,” and equipment screening, while the base zoning districts (e.g., R‑1, R‑2, C‑N, PF) set when a landscaping plan is required and, in several districts, minimum landscaped area percentages. Where a project also triggers design review or parking standards, those processes and tables cross‑reference landscaping and screening criteria.

Core idea: in much of Ukiah, you must show a compliant landscaping plan; inside Downtown’s mapped area, you must also meet objective tree, fence, “streetscreen,” and parking‑lot landscaping tables.

Where the standards live (and when they apply)

• Chapter 2 Zoning establishes the districts (e.g., R‑1, R‑2, R‑3, C‑N, C‑1, C‑2, M, A‑E, PF, and combining districts ‑A Agricultural and ‑H Hillside) .
• The Downtown Zoning Code applies only to parcels inside the DZC boundary and controls site development standards (§ 9225), parking landscaping (§ 9228), and tree preservation/planting (§ 9229) within that mapped area; if there’s a conflict with the base zoning, the DZC governs inside its boundary (§ 9221.1–§ 9221.2) .

Citywide and district standards most often used

• Several districts require a landscaping plan for discretionary projects and, in those districts, a minimum of 20% of the parcel landscaped, with at least 50% live plantings; parking‑lot trees, drought‑tolerant species, and pedestrian routes in larger lots are also addressed (examples include R‑2 § 9037, R‑3 § 9052, C‑N § 9068, and PF § 9170.7) .
• Within the DZC only, objective tables require:
  • Landscaping plan submittal, hydrozones, automatic irrigation, minimum planter widths, and MWELO compliance (Table 10; § 9225) .
  • Parking‑lot landscaping: at least 10% of lot area landscaped; a tree every five spaces or 50% canopy at maturity; perimeter landscaping; and minimum plant sizes (Table 18; § 9228) .
  • Street trees and tree preservation rules, including 1 tree per 30 ft of parcel frontage with 4'×4' wells and irrigation details (DZC § 9229.3–§ 9229.5) .
  • Fences and “streetscreens,” including 3 ft max in frontages, 6 ft max elsewhere, and material limits; rooftop equipment screening and parapet height guidance (Table 9; § 9225) .

Downtown Zoning Code — objective landscaping/screening

• Table 10: “Landscaping Standards for All Developments” sets planter widths (≥3 ft without trees; ≥4 ft with trees), irrigation, hydrozones, and MWELO submittal proof, plus species and tree placement/root‑barrier notes (§ 9225, Table 10) .
• Table 18: “Open Parking Lot Design Standards” requires ≥10% landscaped parking area; 1 tree/5 spaces or 50% paved‑area canopy; perimeter landscaping; No. 15 tree size (§ 9228, Table 18) .
• Table 9: Development Standards include screening of loading docks and trash, streetscreens to hide equipment/parking from street views, front‑yard fence height limits (3 ft max), materials allowed/prohibited, and rooftop equipment screening with minimum parapet guidance (§ 9225, Table 9) .

Special tree provisions (Downtown Zoning Code area only)

• Protected and landmark trees require special treatment; removal may need a major exception (DZC § 9229.3) .
• Street tree planting details include irrigation, root barriers if near structures, and one street tree per 30 ft of frontage (DZC § 9229.4.E) .
• The DZC includes required and alternate street‑tree lists and parking‑lot tree lists; alternates can require an exception (DZC § 9229.7–§ 9229.12) .

Screening specifics you’ll actually draw

• Loading and service areas: prohibited on frontages; must be visually reduced; headlight glare blocked by landscaping/low walls/berms (DZC § 9225, Table 9) .
• Trash/recycling: not on frontage; screened by streetscreens/enclosures with materials compatible with the building or consistent landscaping (DZC § 9225, Table 9) .
• Fences/streetscreens: 3 ft max near intersections within 30 ft; 3 ft max at parking lots; 3–6 ft with articulation to avoid blank walls; no chain link/barbed/razor/cyclone; living fences allowed (DZC § 9225, Table 9) .
• Rooftop equipment: limit height and screen with parapets or materials consistent with the building (DZC § 9225, Table 9) .

District-by-District application

R‑1 Low Density Residential

• Purpose/uses: Single‑family neighborhoods; ADUs and community gardens are allowed by district rules (§ 9015–§ 9016) .
• Key dimensional/screening items:
  • Setbacks: front 10 ft, sides 5 ft, rear 10 ft; trellises can project in limited ways (§ 9020) .
  • Fences: 7 ft max; taller only with variance/use permit (§ 9016, “Fences”) .
• Where it applies: citywide R‑1 parcels on the zoning map.

R‑2 Medium Density Residential

• Purpose/uses: Medium‑density housing and limited civic/professional uses (§ 9030–§ 9031) .
• Landscaping plan triggers and content: For discretionary projects, submit a landscaping plan addressing drought‑tolerant/native species; 51% deciduous trees along south/west exposures; parking‑lot tree spacing and canopy; perimeter planting strips; pedestrian paths; and, typically, 20% site landscaping with ≥50% live plantings (§ 9037.C.1) .
• Where it applies: citywide R‑2 parcels.

R‑3 High Density Residential

• Purpose/uses: Higher‑density residential with some low‑intensity commercial; transition areas (§ 9045) .
• Landscaping plan and coverage: Same objective content as R‑2 for discretionary projects, including 20% minimum landscaped area and maintenance of required landscaping (§ 9052) .
• Where it applies: citywide R‑3 parcels.

C‑N Neighborhood Commercial

• Purpose/uses: Neighborhood‑scale commercial; some mixed residential per code article (see Ukiah Land Use for context).
• Landscaping/screening: Front‑yard fences limited to 3 ft max; discretionary projects must submit a landscaping plan with drought‑tolerant/native palette, parking‑lot trees and canopy, perimeter strips, and pedestrian routes; districts commonly require about 20% site landscaping (§ 9068.B, § 9068.D) .
• Where it applies: citywide C‑N parcels.

C‑2 Heavy Commercial

• Purpose/uses: Auto‑oriented and larger commercial uses; some residential allowed by article (see Ukiah Land Use).
• Landscaping/screening: Discretionary projects need a landscaping plan; privacy mitigation requires tools like a planted buffer (often a 5‑ft minimum landscaped/privacy buffer with trees/shrubs) along shared edges; additional standards mirror other commercial districts (§ 9101.B–C) .
• Where it applies: citywide C‑2 parcels.

PF Public Facilities

• Purpose/uses: Civic facilities, airport, utilities, etc.
• Landscaping plan and coverage: Discretionary projects must submit a landscaping plan; generally require 20% of parcel landscaped (≥50% live); parking‑lot trees/canopy, perimeter strips and pedestrian routes; airport and utility projects restrict tree planting to protect operations (§ 9170.7.C–E) .
• Where it applies: citywide PF parcels.

Downtown — GU (General Urban)

• Purpose/uses: Mixed‑use/urban residential; setbacks/landscaping variable; streets define medium blocks (§ 9222.1.A.1) .
• Key DZC standards affecting landscaping/screening: Tables 10 (landscaping/MWELO), 18 (parking landscaping), and 9 (streetscreens/fences/equipment) apply throughout the DZC, including GU (§ 9225, § 9228, § 9229) .
• Where it applies: parcels mapped GU inside the DZC boundary (§ 9221.1) .

Downtown — UC (Urban Center)

• Purpose/uses: Higher‑density mixed‑use with wide sidewalks and regularly spaced street trees (§ 9222.1.A.2) .
• Standards: Same DZC Tables 9, 10, 18, and § 9229 trees apply across UC (§ 9225–§ 9229) .
• Where it applies: parcels mapped UC in the DZC (§ 9221.1) .

Downtown — DC (Downtown Core)

• Purpose/uses: Core mixed‑use retail/office/residential with buildings close to frontages (§ 9222.1.A.3) .
• Standards: Same DZC landscaping, parking‑lot, streetscreen, and tree tables city‑enforced within DC (§ 9225–§ 9229) .
• Where it applies: parcels mapped DC in the DZC (§ 9221.1) .

Use‑specific notes you may hit

• Community gardens: open fencing allowed, solid fencing prohibited, drip irrigation encouraged; garden‑specific hours and performance standards apply (§ 9224.3) .
• Hillside combining district (‑H): emphasizes preserving native trees/vegetation and “natural state,” with definitions and maintenance allowances (e.g., pruning/trimming) (§ 9135.5–§ 9135.6) .

Key landscaping and screening standards at a glance

Practical guidance

• If your site is inside the Downtown Zoning Code boundary, design to the DZC tables first (Tables 9, 10, 18) and then back‑check any base‑district rules; in a conflict, the DZC controls within its mapped area (§ 9221.2) .
• For non‑Downtown sites, expect to submit a landscaping plan when your project is discretionary in R‑2, R‑3, C‑N, PF, and often meet the 20% coverage benchmark. Coordinate with development standards and design review early to align shade trees with parking and frontage design.
• Street trees in Downtown are prescriptive; select from the required lists and place them at the required spacing (§ 9229) . Outside Downtown, verify with the jurisdiction.

Checklist

• Confirm whether the parcel lies inside the Downtown Zoning Code boundary; if yes, use DZC § 9225/§ 9228/§ 9229 tables .
• Provide a landscaping plan when required (district articles or DZC Table 10) and demonstrate MWELO compliance where applicable (§ 9225, Table 10) .
• Meet any minimum landscaped area (often 20% of parcel) and live‑planting minimums, where your district requires them (e.g., R‑2, R‑3, C‑N, PF) .
• In Downtown, design parking lots with ≥10% landscaped area, required tree counts/canopy, and perimeter landscaping (§ 9228, Table 18) .
• Place/size street trees per spacing, well size, and irrigation details (DZC § 9229.4.E) .
• Screen trash/loading/equipment and respect fence/streetscreen limits and materials (DZC § 9225, Table 9) .
• Apply any district‑specific fence limits (e.g., R‑1 7‑ft max; C‑N front yard 3‑ft max) .
• If in PF or near the airport/utility assets, check tree restrictions and adjust species/locations (§ 9170.7.D) .
• If using exceptions (e.g., alternate tree species), follow the exceptions procedures; consider variances and exceptions where applicable (see DZC notes on exceptions) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

If your Ukiah project needs a landscaping plan, expect drought‑tolerant planting, shade trees, and pedestrian‑friendly edges. Inside Downtown, you’ll also follow objective tables for planter sizes, street trees every 30 feet, parking‑lot canopy, fence heights, and screening. In several districts outside Downtown, a 20% landscaped‑area target commonly applies. When in doubt, check your parcel’s district and the Downtown boundary, then match your plan to the correct tables.

Source References

• § 9008 Establishment of Districts (district list)
• R‑1: § 9015–§ 9021 (purpose, setbacks, fences)
• R‑2: § 9030–§ 9037 (purpose, landscaping plan content)
• R‑3: § 9045, § 9052 (purpose; landscaping plan content/20%)
• C‑N: § 9068.B, § 9068.D (front fencing; landscaping for discretionary projects)
• C‑2: § 9101.B–C (privacy buffer and landscaping plan for discretionary projects)
• PF: § 9170.7.C–E (landscaping plan; airport/utility tree limits; 20% coverage)
• DZC applicability: § 9221.1–§ 9221.2
• DZC: § 9225 (Table 9, Table 10), § 9228 (Table 18), § 9229 (trees)

Also see cross‑topic pages for context and procedures: Ukiah zoning & planning overview, Ukiah Zoning, Ukiah Development Standards, Ukiah Design Review, Ukiah Parking, Ukiah Overlay Districts, Ukiah Signage, Ukiah Nonconforming Uses, Ukiah ADUs, and California Building Standards Code.

Information Gaps

• Citywide street‑tree requirements outside the Downtown Zoning Code: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Whether the “20% landscaped area” standard applies to all commercial/industrial districts outside those cited: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Any citywide fence/wall height rules beyond district/DZC specifics: Not found in retrieved materials.

Retrieved passages

• Ukiah Zoning Code (§1) High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (§2) High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (section 9225) High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (§1) High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (section 9229) High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (section 9383) High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (Section shall) High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (section 9225) High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (section 9209) High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (§2) High relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (§1) Medium relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (§2) Medium relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (§1) Medium relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (§1) Medium relevance show source text
• CWUIC § 65850.6 (Title 24) Medium relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (§9229.2) Medium relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (§1) Medium relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (§9036) Medium relevance show source text
• Ukiah Zoning Code (section 9231) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• § 9008 Establishment of Districts (district list) (§ 9008)
• R‑1: § 9015–§ 9021 (purpose, setbacks, fences) (§ 9015)
• R‑2: § 9030–§ 9037 (purpose, landscaping plan content) (§ 9030)
• R‑3: § 9045, § 9052 (purpose; landscaping plan content/20%) (§ 9045)
• C‑N: § 9068.B, § 9068.D (front fencing; landscaping for discretionary projects) (§ 9068.B)
• C‑2: § 9101.B–C (privacy buffer and landscaping plan for discretionary projects) (§ 9101.B)
• PF: § 9170.7.C–E (landscaping plan; airport/utility tree limits; 20% coverage) (§ 9170.7.C)
• DZC applicability: § 9221.1–§ 9221.2 (§ 9221.1)
• DZC: § 9225 (Table 9, Table 10), § 9228 (Table 18), § 9229 (trees) (§ 9225)
• Ukiah_ZoningCode.md