Local zoning · Westminster

Westminster — Landscaping and Screening

Q: How much of my site must be landscaped?

For new development the code requires a minimum of 15 percent of the site to be landscaped unless the project has other design‑specific exemptions or constraints — see § 17.310.020 for the baseline requirement.

Q: What about screening for a recycling or collection facility?

Large collection facilities must be located at least 100 ft from residentially zoned property, be screened with landscaping and a solid decorative masonry wall at least 6 ft high, and follow district landscaping rules — see § 17.300.045 provisions summarized in the code (large collection facility standards).

Landscaping and Screening under the Westminster local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

Ask a question free See coverage

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Westminster Municipal Code (Title 17) requires for landscaping and screening — who must provide plantings, where buffers and masonry walls are required, fence/wall height limits, parking-lot planting rules, and artificial-turf rules. It is focused on the landscaping and screening rules in Westminster's zoning code (Chapter 17.310 and related screening/fence rules in Article 3), with district-specific notes and practical guidance. For context on where these rules sit in the city ruleset, see the Westminster zoning & planning overview. (/us/california/westminster)

IMPORTANT: This page covers only Title 17 landscaping and screening rules. For parking layout standards, see Westminster Parking. (/us/california/westminster/parking) For overall dimensional tables, see Westminster Development Standards. (/us/california/westminster/development-standards) For design-review triggers that often affect landscape treatment, see Westminster Design Review. (/us/california/westminster/design-review) For overlay-specific landscape requirements, see Westminster Overlay Districts. (/us/california/westminster/overlay-districts) For ADU siting and related yard issues see Westminster ADUs. (/us/california/westminster/adu) Where building-code (fire/structural) issues are relevant, consult the California Building Standards Code. (/us/california/building-codes)

Key Westminster requirements (quick synthesis)

The city's landscaping rules are codified in Chapter 17.310; the chapter's purposes include requiring landscape area, buffers between incompatible uses, and water-conserving irrigation and planting practices (§ 17.310.005) .
All new development must supply landscaping per Chapter 17.310; renovations and many re-landscaping actions are also covered (§ 17.310.010) .
Minimum site landscaping on new projects: 15 percent of the site must be landscaped (minimum) for projects that propose new development (§ 17.310.020) .
Parking-lot and street-edge planting: nonresidential parking abutting a public street requires a minimum 4‑foot inside landscaped strip and plantings that provide 36‑inch screening height at time of planting; shade trees at 1 per 5 spaces (minimum 15‑gallon) are required (§ 17.310.015.E) .
Where commercial or industrial uses adjoin residential zones, screening typically requires a solid masonry wall at the property line to the maximum height allowed in the fence table, combined with planting for additional buffering (§ 17.310.015.E.2; screening rules in § 17.300.035) .
Fences, hedges, and walls heights and locations are regulated in § 17.300.030 (Table 3‑2). Typical maxima: 3 ft in front yards/corner clearances; 6 ft side/rear in R1; 8 ft side/rear in other zones; special rules (corner sight triangles, flag lots) apply (§ 17.300.030) .
Screening of equipment, loading and outdoor storage is required; mechanical equipment, transformers, trash enclosures and dish antennas must be screened architecturally and/or with landscaping per § 17.300.035 .
Artificial turf and synthetic-surface rules apply to all projects requiring a landscape plan; single-family front/street-side yards with artificial turf must retain at least 10% live plants in those yard areas; additional material and warranty standards exist (§ 17.310.035) .

District-by-district breakdown

Note: Chapter 17.310 applies citywide where landscaping is required; the district entries below explain how that chapter intersects with each district’s development standards and special screening rules. Whenever a development standard table cites "Landscaping," it is referring to Chapter 17.310 (see the code tables cited below). Verify site-specific rules with the planning staff.

R1 (Single‑Family Residential)

Purpose / typical uses: single‑family homes and accessory uses (standard residential district).
Landscaping mandate: single‑family lots are subject to Chapter 17.310 (landscape applicability and special single‑family provisions such as Section 17.310.033 for single‑family re-landscaping) — see § 17.310.010 and related subsections.
Key dimensional/landscape notes: fences/walls in R1 side/rear yards max 6 ft (8 ft if abutting freeway); front-yard fence/hedge limitations and corner sight‑triangle rules apply per § 17.300.030. Decorative hardscape rules limit impervious front-yard hardscape to 50% of required landscaped area for front/street side yards (§ 17.310.020)
Where it applies: all R1 zoned properties listed in the Residential District standards (see Table 2‑3 reference to landscaping).

R2 / R3 / R4 / R5 (Multi‑family Residential)

Purpose / typical uses: duplexes, small and larger multi‑family developments.
Landscaping mandate: multi‑family developments (and changes to them) must meet Chapter 17.310; multifamily projects may have additional requirements for open space and separate rules for front-yard screening in multi‑unit contexts (see Table 2‑3; Chapter references).
Key dimensional/landscape notes: front-yard fences in multi‑family may have special 3‑ft limits; parking islands and lot-perimeter planting rules (Chapter 17.310) apply when surface parking is used; see § 17.310.015 for parking lot perimeter standards and § 17.300.030 for front-yard fence limits.

CR / C1 / C2 / CM (Commercial / Regional Commercial)

Purpose / typical uses: retail, services, offices; CM also can be planned shopping centers and commercial‑industrial hybrids.
Landscaping mandate: the commercial district development tables explicitly require landscaping "As required by Chapter 17.310" (see Table 2‑5) so parking-lot strips, street-front planting and perimeter screening requirements apply.
Key dimensional/landscape notes:
- Parking adjacent to public streets requires a 4‑ft landscaped strip and screening that reaches 36 in at planting time; screening may include plants, berms, raised planters, or other devices but pure masonry walls without plant cover are prohibited on street frontages (§ 17.310.015.E.1.b) .
- Where commercial abuts residential, a solid masonry wall along the property line is required to the maximum fence height allowed by Table 3‑2; evergreen tree planting no more than 20 ft on‑center is suggested for visual screening (§ 17.310.015.E.2; § 17.300.035.B.2)

CM / M1 / M2 (Commercial‑Manufacturing / Light & General Industrial)

Purpose / typical uses: warehouse, light manufacturing, contractor yards; CM overlaps with commercial center standards in some cases.
Landscaping mandate: Industrial district development standards point to Chapter 17.310 for landscaping; industrial properties are subject to stricter screening of outdoor storage and loading areas (solid masonry walls, screened gates) per § 17.300.035.
Key dimensional/landscape notes:
- Outdoor storage/work areas must be screened by a solid sight‑obscuring masonry wall, minimum 6 ft high, with sight‑obscuring gates and maintained in repair (§ 17.300.035.C.4).
- Loading areas must be screened from street frontages and freeway corridors; masonry walls are the typical method (§ 17.300.035.D).

MU (Mixed‑Use)

Purpose / typical uses: vertical/horizontal mixed residential and commercial.
Landscaping mandate: MU districts reference Article 3 standards including landscaping in Chapter 17.310 and explicitly require screening and separation between residential uses and parking/equipment per § 17.300.035.
Key dimensional/landscape notes: screening of parking, trash, and equipment is required; parking-lot planting rules apply and rooftop/garden plantings can partially count toward landscape requirements in some situations (see development standards and § 17.310.020 for rooftop/planter allowances).

Small‑Lot Subdivisions / Planned Projects

The small‑lot / planned development tables include specific requirements for perimeter decorative block walls and landscaped parkways (see the Small Lot Subdivision Table and related notes). Decorative block perimeter walls are commonly required for project perimeters and municipality may approve wrought iron accents as appropriate (§ references in Table 4‑2).

Decision‑relevant standards (quick reference table)

Rule / Decision item	Requirement (decision‑relevant)	Code Reference
Minimum landscaped area for new development	15% of site to be landscaped (minimum)	§ 17.310.020
Parking‑street buffer	4‑ft inside landscape strip; plantings to provide 36 in screening at planting; shade trees 1 per 5 spaces, min. 15‑gal	§ 17.310.015.E
Parking‑lot islands	Additional planter width where bumper overhang occurs: +2 ft (planted with low groundcover)	§ 17.310.015.D
Screening between commercial/industrial & residential	6‑ft masonry wall on/inside property line; wall lowered to 3 ft in front setback for view clearance; trees planted ≤ 20 ft on‑center	§ 17.300.035.B.1–2
Fence/wall height limits	Front setback/corner sight areas: 3 ft; R1 side/rear: 6 ft (8 ft adj. to freeway); other zones side/rear: 8 ft	§ 17.300.030 (Table 3‑2)
Outdoor storage / loading screening	Solid sight‑obscuring masonry wall, minimum 6 ft, with sight‑obscuring gates; loading screened from street/freeway	§ 17.300.035.C.4; D
Artificial turf rules	Artificial turf shown on plan; warranty 8–12 yrs; front/street‑side single‑family yards with turf must still have ≥10% live plants	§ 17.310.035
Barbed wire allowed?	Permitted in specific commercial/industrial uses with conditions; prohibited in R1–R5	§ 17.300.030.H

Practical guidance / interpretation (plain English, actionable)

If you are building or significantly altering a site, plan on submitting a landscape plan that meets Chapter 17.310: expect a city requirement for at least 15% landscaping, plantings between commercial parking and streets, tree spacing for shade, and screening where nonresidential uses meet residences (walls + trees) — see § 17.310.020 and § 17.310.015.
For projects next to homes: the code prefers a masonry wall where commercial or industrial uses adjoin residential property plus evergreen trees at intervals to create a year‑round visual buffer (§ 17.300.035.B.1–2). Designers should show both the wall and planting scheme on the plan.
Parking lots: expect a 4‑ft planting strip at the street edge and tree islands sized to allow 1 tree per 5 stalls; do not propose plain block walls alone at street edges — mix plantings and architectural features to meet the screening objective (§ 17.310.015.E.1.b–c) .
If you propose artificial turf, list it on the landscape plan and comply with the durability/warranty and live‑plant minimums for single‑family front yards (§ 17.310.035) .
Builders should coordinate with Parking standards and Development Standards tables earlier in Title 17; landscaping requirements are often enforced in plan check together with off‑street parking and site layout (§ 17.320 references). See Westminster Parking and Westminster Development Standards. (/us/california/westminster/parking) (/us/california/westminster/development-standards)

Checklist

Prepare a landscape plan showing hardscape, planting areas, irrigation, and any artificial turf; reference Chapter 17.310 (§ 17.310.010, § 17.310.020)
Show street‑edge planting strips (minimum 4‑ft) and specify initial screening height 36 in where parking fronts streets (§ 17.310.015.E.1)
Show parking‑lot trees at 1 per 5 stalls (min. 15‑gal) and bumper‑overhang planter expansions (+2 ft) where required (§ 17.310.015.D–E)
Provide masonry wall details where nonresidential uses abut residential zones and show tree species/spacing (masonry wall + evergreen planting per § 17.300.035)
Dimension all fences/walls and confirm they meet Table 3‑2 height limits (§ 17.300.030) and corner sight‑triangle limits (§ 17.310.015.B sight‑distance rule)
If replacing turf or reconfiguring front yards as single‑family, obtain the appropriate Zoning Clearance if required (see § 17.310.010.C and Chapter 17.515)

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Director discretion in screening approvals	Many screening items (height adjustments, alternative materials, or reduced screen height) are subject to Director approval; outcomes vary	Verify explicit Director decisions or conditions of approval on your project application; request written interpretation if critical. See § 17.300.035.
"Solid masonry wall" vs. planting-only screen	§ language requires masonry walls for some adjacencies but also prohibits masonry walls without plant cover along streets — inconsistent expectations for pure wall screening	Confirm whether the project needs masonry wall + plant cover or mix of berms/planters per § 17.310.015.E.1–2 and § 17.300.035.
Fence/wall height at corners and sight triangles	Corner clearances and visibility triangles reduce allowed wall heights in front setbacks (3 ft) — can conflict with requested privacy walls	Measure existing edge-of‑curb and property geometry and confirm fence heights per Table 3‑2 (§ 17.300.030) and sight‑distance triangle (§ 17.310.015.B).
Artificial turf front‑yard limits	Turf is allowed but minimum live‑plant percentage and warranty/spec limits apply — enforcement is at plan check	Confirm turf specifications, detailing of edge bender board, drainage, and ≥10% live plant area for single‑family front/street‑side yards per § 17.310.035.
Applicability to minor landscape edits	Some small changes are handled by Zoning Clearance rather than full review — which edits qualify is not fully enumerated	Check § 17.310.010.C and Chapter 17.515 (Zoning Clearance) for whether your change requires full plan review or only a clearance.

Plain‑English Summary

Westminster requires new projects and many remodels to provide landscaping (generally 15% of the site), street‑edge planting strips (4 ft minimum), parking‑lot trees (1 per 5 stalls), and screening where commercial/industrial uses meet homes (masonry wall plus plantings); fence heights and sight‑clearance rules limit how and where walls can be placed. Key rules are in § 17.310.005–035 (landscaping), § 17.300.030 (fences/walls) and § 17.300.035 (screening) — check those early in design.

Source References

Westminster Municipal Code, Chapter 17.310 (Landscaping): Purpose and applicability, § 17.310.005, § 17.310.010.
Westminster Municipal Code, § 17.310.015 (Landscape Area Requirements; parking lot perimeter, sight‑triangle, bumper overhang).
Westminster Municipal Code, § 17.310.020 (Landscape Standards; minimum landscape area 15%).
Westminster Municipal Code, § 17.310.035 (Artificial Turf standards).
Westminster Municipal Code, § 17.300.035 (Screening: buffers, screening of equipment, loading, outdoor storage).
Westminster Municipal Code, § 17.300.030 (Fences, hedges, and walls; Table 3‑2 — height limits and barbed‑wire rules).
Industrial district development standards referencing landscaping (Table 2‑7 / § 17.230.015).
Residential and Commercial district development tables referencing landscaping (Table 2‑3 and Table 2‑5 excerpts).

Sources

Retrieved passages

Westminster Zoning Code (§ 17.310.015.) High relevance
Westminster Zoning Code (Section A) High relevance
Westminster Zoning Code High relevance
Westminster Zoning Code High relevance
Westminster Zoning Code (§ 2) High relevance
Westminster Zoning Code (§ 2) High relevance
Westminster Zoning Code (Article 3) High relevance
CWUIC § 65850.6 (Title 24) High relevance

Cited sections

Official Westminster code library

Frequently asked questions

Do all new developments in Westminster need a landscape plan?

Yes. All new proposed development must provide landscaping that complies with Chapter 17.310; the landscaping chapter defines minimum landscape area, parking‑lot planting, and screening requirements (§ 17.310.010, § 17.310.020)

How much of my site must be landscaped?

For new development the code requires a minimum of 15 percent of the site to be landscaped unless the project has other design‑specific exemptions or constraints — see § 17.310.020 for the baseline requirement.

What screening is required when a commercial property borders a residential neighborhood?

A masonry wall is required along the property line adjoining a residential zone (generally 6 ft high), with additional plantings (evergreens at up to 20 ft on‑center) recommended to reduce visual/noise impacts; see § 17.300.035.B.1–2 and the development standards that call for landscaping by chapter 17.310.

How tall can my backyard wall/fence be?

Fence and wall heights depend on location: front-yard and corner sight triangles are limited to 3 ft; in R1 side/rear yards the max is 6 ft (except where adjacent to freeway it may be 8 ft); other zones typically allow 8 ft in side/rear yards — see Table 3‑2 and § 17.300.030.

Can I use a plain block wall at the street to screen parked cars?

No. Parking‑edge screening for streets must achieve a minimum 36‑inch planting height at installation. The code discourages use of plain masonry walls alone without plant cover along street frontages; the intent is a combination of plant materials, berms, raised planters, or other devices to screen parked cars (§ 17.310.015.E.1.b–c).

Are artificial lawns allowed in the front yard?

Artificial turf is allowed but must be shown on the landscape plan and meet warranty and installation standards; for single‑family front and street‑side yards, at least 10% of the yard must remain live plants (trees, shrubs, groundcover) — see § 17.310.035.

Do mechanical units (AC, transformers) have to be screened?

Yes. Mechanical equipment, transformers, trash enclosures and other utilities must be screened from public view and from surrounding residential or open‑space uses; screening must be architecturally integrated and is governed by § 17.300.035.

Can barbed wire be used for security?

Barbed wire is allowed only in specified commercial/industrial circumstances and with conditions (e.g., placed on top of walls at least 6 ft high and not exceeding 8 ft total height); it is expressly prohibited in R1–R5 residential districts (§ 17.300.030.H).

If I change turf to drought‑tolerant planting, do I need a permit?

Small changes that do not trigger building, landscape permit, or design review may be approved via a Zoning Clearance per § 17.310.010.C and Chapter 17.515; however, verify with staff because single‑family front‑yard artificial turf has explicit minimum live‑plant percentages (§ 17.310.035) and large projects must submit full landscape plans.

What about screening for a recycling or collection facility?

Large collection facilities must be located at least 100 ft from residentially zoned property, be screened with landscaping and a solid decorative masonry wall at least 6 ft high, and follow district landscaping rules — see § 17.300.045 provisions summarized in the code (large collection facility standards).

Ask about any Westminster property

Get a cited, plain-English answer on Westminster zoning, setbacks, FAR, ADUs and permits — for any address.

Start Free Trial