Ventura County — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

This page explains how landscaping, screening, fences, and walls are regulated in the unincorporated areas of Ventura County under the County’s Non‑Coastal Zoning Ordinance. The rules below come from the County’s zoning standards and development regulations and apply alongside other standards like Ventura County Zoning, Ventura County Development Standards, and Ventura County Parking. Where applicable, additional review may occur through Ventura County Design Review and certain Ventura County Overlay Districts. All references below apply only in unincorporated Ventura County and are drawn from the County’s Non‑Coastal Zoning Ordinance, which governs the unincorporated area outside the Coastal Zone (§ 8101‑0, § 8101‑1).

Key rule: Parking lots that are not screened by buildings must provide an 8‑ft perimeter planter and a 3‑ft high visual screen (berm, wall, or dense planting), plus street trees at 1 per 30 linear feet and shrubs at 1 per 5 linear feet (§ 8108‑5.14.3).

Countywide landscaping and screening standards (what applies almost everywhere)

• The County’s general landscaping program applies to discretionary projects in the CO, C1, CPD, M Zones, RPD, and RHD zones; many projects that meet thresholds are also subject to the State’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) (§ 8106‑8.2.1).
• Landscape plans are required and must show compliance; larger plans (over 500 sq ft of landscaped area) must be prepared by a licensed landscape architect (§ 8106‑8.2.2(a)(3)).
• General design standards cover plant selection, tree well sizes in parkways, hydrozones, invasive plant removal, and permanent irrigation (with native vegetation credits) (§ 8106‑8.2.3).
• Parking‑lot perimeter landscaping and screening, including 8‑ft planter width, 3‑ft screens, tree/shrub spacing, and special features for large projects, are prescribed (§ 8108‑5.14.3).
• Retaining walls used for grade support have their own height rules, sight‑triangle limits, and combined fence‑on‑wall maximum total height of 10 ft from lower grade (§ 8106‑8.1.7).
• “Protected trees” are not treated as fences; altering them requires a Tree Permit (§ 8106‑8.1.6; § 8111‑1.3.1).
• Conditions to protect agriculture can require buffers, fences/walls, and/or screening developed in consultation with the Agricultural Commissioner (§ 8109‑0.4).

Specialized standards by topic

• Wireless communication facilities: in scenic overlays, facilities must be stealth and not prominently visible; landscaping may be required to screen facilities and chain‑link fences are restricted unless fully screened (§ 8107‑45, including subsections m, n, q, r).
• Design guidelines in high‑density residential: walls/fences should be low as feasible and non‑transparent perimeter walls visible to the public must be architecturally treated and landscaped (§ 8109‑1.3, “Walls, Fences and Screening”).

District-by-district standards

Below are the districts explicitly called out in the County’s landscape provisions, plus the Old Town Saticoy area standards. For base‑zone use lists and dimensional standards, see Ventura County Zoning and Ventura County Land Use. Where a “Purpose” or “Typical uses” item says “Not found,” it was not located in the retrieved materials.

CO — Commercial Office

• Purpose/Typical uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Key landscaping: At least 10% of the permit area must be landscaped; parking area landscaping may count; permanent irrigation is required and street trees go in parkways (§ 8109‑0.6.1).
• Where it applies: Parcels zoned CO in unincorporated areas.

C1 — Retail Commercial (Neighborhood/General)

• Purpose/Typical uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Key landscaping: At least 10% of the permit area must be landscaped (§ 8109‑0.6.2).
• Where it applies: Parcels zoned C1 in unincorporated areas.

CPD — Planned Development (Commercial Planned Development)

• Purpose/Typical uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Key landscaping: Discretionary development must landscape at least 10% of the total permit area; lots under 5,000 sq ft may have this modified/waived by the Planning Director to address safety, access, or circulation (§ 8109‑0.6.3).
• Where it applies: Parcels zoned CPD in unincorporated areas.

M Zones — Manufacturing/Industrial (countywide base zones)

• Purpose/Typical uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Key landscaping: General landscaping standards and MWELO applicability apply to projects in the M Zones (§ 8106‑8.2.1).
• Where it applies: Parcels in county Manufacturing zones in unincorporated areas.

RPD — Residential Planned Development

• Purpose/Typical uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Key landscaping: General landscaping standards and MWELO applicability apply to projects in RPD (§ 8106‑8.2.1).
• Where it applies: Parcels zoned RPD in unincorporated areas.

RHD — Residential High Density

• Purpose/Typical uses: Multifamily housing (general; verify with the jurisdiction). Not found in retrieved materials for the formal purpose statement.
• Key landscaping and screening: Countywide standards apply to RHD (§ 8106‑8.2.1). Walls/fences should be low as feasible; non‑transparent perimeter walls visible to the public must be architecturally treated and landscaped (§ 8109‑1.3, “Walls, Fences and Screening”).
• Where it applies: Parcels zoned RHD in unincorporated areas.

Old Town Saticoy — Area‑specific development code (applies only within this unincorporated community)

These are supplemental standards inside Old Town Saticoy; they replace or add to base‑zone rules in that mapped area.

• General fences/walls/hedges materials and heights:

  • Allowed materials: natural or natural‑look materials or wrought iron; concrete block walls are prohibited if visible unless stuccoed or with decorative masonry; chain link allowed only in the IND and RES zones in side/rear setbacks if slatted and landscaped and not along primary/side streets (§ 8119‑1.8.3(a)).
  • Heights: within Primary/Side Street setbacks, max 3 ft for solid and 5 ft for see‑through; 6 ft in side/rear setbacks; special SR‑118 noise walls allowed with 3‑ft setback and landscaping (§ 8119‑1.8.3(b)).
  • Transparency: at least 50% visibility for “see‑through”; combo walls must keep the solid portion ≤3 ft high at bottom (§ 8119‑1.8.3(c)).
  • RES zone: within the Primary/Side Street setback, place fences/walls at least 12 inches behind the property line and maintain a landscaped strip between sidewalk and fence (§ 8119‑1.8.3(d)).

• IND zone (Old Town Saticoy Industrial)

  • Open storage must be to the rear, set back 15 ft from Primary/Side Streets and 10 ft from sides/rear, and screened from public view so visibility is 25% or less; a 3‑ft landscape strip must separate screening walls/fences from the ROW; materials for fences/walls must comply with the fences section (§ 8119‑1.8.7, including (b)(1)–(5)).

• R/MU and RES zones (Old Town Saticoy)

  • Landscaping is required in Primary and Side Street setbacks for single‑family/duplex building types; additional frontage and site standards apply (§ 8119‑1.4.8, Table 1.4.8 notes).

Overlays and cross-cutting requirements that influence landscaping and screening

• Scenic Resource Protection Overlay: wireless facilities must be stealth and not prominently visible; use colors/materials that blend and add landscaping/screening as required (§ 8107‑45(m), (n), (o), (q)).
• Habitat Connectivity & Wildlife Corridors (HCWC) and Critical Wildlife Passage Areas (CWPA): permit applications must evaluate fences/landscape features that could hinder wildlife movement; wildlife‑impermeable fencing should be minimized and sited to reduce impacts (§ 8109‑4.8.3.8; § 8109‑4.9).
• Agricultural resource protection: buffers, fences/walls, and screening may be required to reduce conflicts between ag and non‑ag uses (§ 8109‑0.4).

Quick standards and submittals (selected)

Practical notes

• Parking‑area landscaping and screening directly interact with Ventura County Parking stall and aisle layouts; plan the landscape early to avoid rework.
• If you propose walls or screening near historic resources or in Old Town Saticoy, coordinate early; cultural resource review may apply, and Saticoy has its own fence/wall palette and setback rules (§ 8119‑1.8.3; § 8119‑1.8.4). Consider Ventura County Historic Preservation.
• Variations and relief are possible only through established procedures; see Ventura County Variances and Exceptions and confirm what findings apply.

Checklist

• Confirm you are in the unincorporated area governed by the Non‑Coastal Zoning Ordinance (§ 8101‑1).
• Identify your base zone (CO, C1, CPD, M Zones, RPD, RHD) and any overlays (Scenic, HCWC, CWPA) affecting landscaping/screening.
• Determine if your project is discretionary and/or meets MWELO thresholds (§ 8106‑8.2.1(b)).
• Prepare a landscape plan to ordinance standards; if >500 sq ft landscaped area, hire a licensed landscape architect (§ 8106‑8.2.2(a)(3)).
• For parking lots, lay out perimeter planters, screens, trees, and shrubs per § 8108‑5.14.3.
• Check fence/wall material and height rules; in Old Town Saticoy, comply with § 8119‑1.8.3. Elsewhere, apply retaining wall and protected‑tree limits (§ 8106‑8.1.6, ‑8.1.7).
• If altering protected trees, obtain a Tree Permit (§ 8111‑1.3.1).
• If adjacent to agriculture, anticipate buffers or screening conditions (§ 8109‑0.4).
• If proposing wireless facilities, incorporate stealth design and screening landscaping (§ 8107‑45).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

If you are improving a site in unincorporated Ventura County, expect to provide well‑planned landscaping and screening, especially around parking, streets, and equipment. Commercial/industrial sites typically need at least 10% landscaped area (CO/C1/CPD), parking lots need perimeter planters, low screens, and street trees, and fences/walls must follow material/height limits—stricter still in Old Town Saticoy. Protected trees require permits to alter, wireless facilities must be discreet with added planting if needed, and projects near farms may get buffer or fencing conditions.

Source References

• Non‑Coastal Zoning Ordinance title/applicability: § 8101‑0, § 8101‑1.
• General landscaping applicability and MWELO: § 8106‑8.2.1.
• Landscape plan contents and licensed landscape architect threshold: § 8106‑8.2.2.
• General landscape standards (design, irrigation, tree wells, invasives): § 8106‑8.2.3.
• Parking perimeter landscaping and screening: § 8108‑5.14.3.
• CO/C1/CPD landscaping minimums: § 8109‑0.6.1, § 8109‑0.6.2, § 8109‑0.6.3.
• Retaining walls and combined wall+fence height: § 8106‑8.1.7.
• Protected trees not fences; Tree Permit requirement: § 8106‑8.1.6; § 8111‑1.3.1.
• Old Town Saticoy fences/walls/hedges: § 8119‑1.8.3; Open storage screening in IND: § 8119‑1.8.7.
• Saticoy single‑family/duplex frontage landscaping callouts: § 8119‑1.4.8 (Table 1.4.8 notes).
• Wireless facilities screening and scenic overlay: § 8107‑45 (m), (n), (o), (q), (r).
• Agricultural buffers/fences/walls/screening conditions: § 8109‑0.4.

Retrieved passages

• Ventura County Zoning Code (Section 8106-8.2.3) High relevance show source text
• Ventura County Zoning Code (§ 8) High relevance show source text
• CWUIC § 2 (§ 2) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 8 (§ 8) High relevance show source text
• Ventura County Zoning Code (§ 8) High relevance show source text
• Ventura County Zoning Code (§ 7) High relevance show source text
• CWUIC § 65850.6 (Title 24) High relevance show source text
• Ventura County Zoning Code (Chapter 6) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Non‑Coastal Zoning Ordinance title/applicability: § 8101‑0, § 8101‑1. (§ 8101)
• General landscaping applicability and MWELO: § 8106‑8.2.1. (§ 8106)
• Landscape plan contents and licensed landscape architect threshold: § 8106‑8.2.2. (§ 8106)
• General landscape standards (design, irrigation, tree wells, invasives): § 8106‑8.2.3. (§ 8106)
• Parking perimeter landscaping and screening: § 8108‑5.14.3. (§ 8108)
• CO/C1/CPD landscaping minimums: § 8109‑0.6.1, § 8109‑0.6.2, § 8109‑0.6.3. (§ 8109)
• Retaining walls and combined wall+fence height: § 8106‑8.1.7. (§ 8106)
• Protected trees not fences; Tree Permit requirement: § 8106‑8.1.6; § 8111‑1.3.1. (§ 8106)
• Old Town Saticoy fences/walls/hedges: § 8119‑1.8.3; Open storage screening in IND: § 8119‑1.8.7. (§ 8119)
• Saticoy single‑family/duplex frontage landscaping callouts: § 8119‑1.4.8 (Table 1.4.8 notes). (§ 8119)
• Wireless facilities screening and scenic overlay: § 8107‑45 (m), (n), (o), (q), (r). (§ 8107)
• Agricultural buffers/fences/walls/screening conditions: § 8109‑0.4. (§ 8109)
• VenturaCounty_ZoningCode.md

• Official Ventura County code library