A.
Nonresidential Landscaping Requirements. Landscaping shall be required according to the following sections for all nonresidential uses. See section 2.10.13E.6 Noncompliance with Landscaping Requirements for nonconforming properties.
Table 13. Nonresidential Landscaping Requirements | |
Section Number | Section Title |
§ 2.09.01A.1 | Landscaping Along Perimeter |
§ 2.09.01A.2 | Internal Landscaping |
1.
Landscaping Along Perimeter. All nonresidential uses shall comply with the following streetscape requirements:
a.
Perimeter Landscaping. Perimeter Landscaping shall be provided adjacent to all streets.
i.
The Perimeter Landscaping shall be the following minimum widths, exclusive of street Right-of-Way.
ii.
Plantings within the Perimeter Landscaping shall be determined by the following:
(a)
Along all Freeways, Parkway Streets, Arterial Streets, and Collector Streets at least one (1) Shade Tree for every forty (40) feet of frontage shall be installed. One existing tree may be substituted for each new tree provided the existing tree is in good health and form. New trees must be planted within five (5) feet of the front lot line along the street and in line with other trees but not in conflict with utilities. The Development Services Director may permit additional minor setbacks or other adjustments to the planting strip to accommodate future right-of-way expansions, sidewalks, and utility lines.
(b)
Complete coverage of natural landscape materials shall be provided with Shrubs, Groundcover, Ornamental Grasses with a Rock/Crushed Rock Landscape Base, or Ornamental Grasses with a Mulch Base. The use of Turf Grass as a landscape material is prohibited in fulfilling the requirements of this subsection.
iii.
See section 2.09.06D.6 for required landscape buffering adjacent to single family uses or districts.
b.
Shrub Buffer. Where parking lots, drives, and access easements abut the Perimeter Landscaping, Shrubs (5 gallon minimum) shall be planted to form a contiguous buffer along the common boundary line.
i.
Shrubs shall be planted in planting beds with a Rock/Crushed Rock Landscape Base or Mulch Base.
c.
The Development Services Director may reduce the width (but not contents) of the required Perimeter Landscaping during Site Plan review when the reduction is required for a Public Improvement Right-of-Way acquisition.
2.
Internal Landscaping.
a.
Internal Landscaping refers to all areas within the paved boundaries of the parking lot.
b.
Any nonresidential parking area that contains more than ten (10) parking spaces shall provide Internal Landscaping in addition to the required Perimeter Landscaping.
c.
Only landscaped areas within the parking lot shall be used to meet the Internal Landscaping requirement.
d.
Plantings within the Internal Landscaping shall be determined by the following:
i.
Ten (10) square feet of Internal Landscaping for each parking space or fraction thereof.
ii.
One (1) Shade Tree or two (2) Ornamental Trees for every fifteen (15) parking spaces or fraction thereof.
iii.
All parking spaces must be within eighty (80) feet of a Shade Tree.
iv.
Complete coverage of natural landscape materials, such Groundcover, or Ornamental Grasses with a Rock/Crushed Rock Landscape Base or Mulch Base. The use of Turf Grass as a landscape material is prohibited in fulfilling the requirements of this subsection.
3.
Stormwater Drainage. All landscaped areas shall be protected by a raised six (6) inch concrete curb with openings to allow for the drainage of stormwater into the landscaped areas.
4.
Redevelopment Sites. For existing sites undergoing redevelopment, see section 2.10.13E.6 for applicability and requirements.
B.
Residential Landscaping Requirements. Landscaping shall be required according to the following sections for all residential uses.
Table 14. Residential Landscaping Requirements | |
|---|---|
Section Number | Section Title |
§ 2.09.01B.1 | Multi-Family Landscaping Requirements: |
Perimeter Landscaping | |
Shrub Buffer | |
Internal Landscaping | |
§ 2.09.01B.2 | Landscaping Requirements for Single Family Developments |
1.
Multi-Family Landscaping Requirements.
a.
Perimeter Landscaping. Perimeter Landscaping shall be provided adjacent to all streets with a minimum width of ten (10) feet, exclusive of street Right-of-Way.
i.
Plantings within the Perimeter Landscaping shall be determined by the following:
(a)
Along all Freeways, Parkway Streets, Arterial Streets, and Collector Streets at least one (1) Shade Tree for every forty feet (40) of frontage shall be installed. One existing tree may be substituted for each new tree provided the existing tree is in good health and form. New trees must be planted within five (5) feet of the front lot line along the street and in line with other trees but not in conflict with utilities. The Development Services Director may permit additional minor setbacks or other adjustments to the planting strip to accommodate future right-of-way expansions, sidewalks, and utility lines.
(b)
Complete coverage of natural landscape materials shall be provided with Shrubs, Groundcover, Ornamental Grasses with a Rock/Crushed Rock Landscape Base, or Ornamental Grasses with a Mulch Base. The use of Turf Grass as a landscape material is prohibited in fulfilling the requirements of this subsection.
ii.
The Development Services Director may reduce the width of the required Perimeter Landscaping during Site Plan review when the reduction is required for a Public Improvement Right-of-Way acquisition.
iii.
See section 2.09.06D.6 for required landscape buffering adjacent to single family uses or districts.
b.
Shrub Buffer. Where parking lots and drives abut the Perimeter Landscaping, Shrubs (5 gallon minimum) shall be planted to form a contiguous buffer along the common boundary line.
c.
Internal Landscaping.
i.
Internal Landscaping is required within parking areas in addition to the required Perimeter Landscaping.
ii.
Plantings within the Internal Landscaping shall be determined by the following:
(a)
Twenty (20) square feet of internal landscaping for each parking space.
(b)
One (1) Shade Tree or two (2) Ornamental Trees per ten (10) parking spaces.
(c)
All parking spaces must be within eighty (80) feet of a Shade Tree.
(d)
Complete covering of natural landscape materials, such Groundcover or Ornamental Grasses with a Rock/Crushed Rock Landscape Base or Mulch Base. The use of Turf Grass as a landscape material is prohibited in fulfilling the requirements of this subsection.
d.
Multiple Building Landscaping Requirements. If more than one Dwelling, Multi-Family (Apartment) building is placed upon a single lot, the following areas shall be landscaped:
i.
A twenty (20) foot strip along the front or rear of the buildings as measured from the foundation.
ii.
A ten (10) foot strip along all other sides of the buildings as measured from the foundation.
iii.
Landscaping strip may consist of Shrubs, Groundcover, Ornamental Grasses with a Rock/Crushed Rock Landscape Base or Mulch Base, or Turf Grass.
iv.
Areas for driveways shall be exempt from this requirement.
e.
Stormwater Drainage.
f.
Redevelopment Sites. For existing sites undergoing redevelopment, see section 2.10.13E.6 for applicability and requirements.
2.
Landscaping Requirements for Single Family Developments.
a.
At least two (2) Shade Trees or Ornamental Trees shall be provided in residential subdivisions for each lot, which may be achieved by existing trees consistent with the approved plant list.
b.
All required trees must be planted and yard completely revegetated to prevent erosion and sedimentation prior to request for final building inspection of the dwelling unit.
c.
Single family lots created prior to the effective date of this ordinance shall be exempt from this requirement.
C.
Approved Plant Materials.
1.
The Development Services Director shall be responsible for maintaining a list of approved plant materials. All required plants must be selected from the list.
2.
If more than five (5) trees are required, at least two (2) types of tree species shall be incorporated.
3.
The Development Services Director is authorized to limit species and placement to protect aboveground and underground infrastructure.
D.
Additional Requirements.
1.
This subsection D shall not apply to individual single family lots for single family structures.
2.
All plant material shall be maintained in a healthy and growing condition, and must be replaced with plant material of similar variety and size if damaged, destroyed, or removed.
3.
Landscaped areas shall be kept free of trash, litter, weeds, and other such materials or plants not a part of the landscaping.
4.
An automatic irrigation system with rain and freeze sensors is required for all landscaping.
a.
Exemption. The Development Services Director may waive the automatic irrigation system requirement for portions of or the entire landscaped area, subject to a supplemental watering plan prepared by a registered Landscape Architect verifying that an irrigation system is not needed to support survival of the landscape materials.
5.
Any Developer desiring to install and maintain landscaping materials and irrigation facilities within the City Right-of-Way must first receive written approval from the Development Services Director.
6.
Replacement of dead landscaping shall occur prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.
7.
A landscape plan prepared by a Landscape Architect is required for all applicable developments.
E.
Alternative Compliance Option. A request for the following Alternative Compliance options may be submitted and acted upon in accordance with section 2.11.01, Alternative Compliance:
1.
Minor Reductions of the Perimeter Landscaping and Buffers.
a.
Minor changes to the width of the required Perimeter Landscaping and buffers, which are considered to be up to fifty (50) percent of the required width, may be requested if along a street frontage where the adjacent properties on both sides (at side property lines) have a smaller or no landscape buffer strip, in order to maintain consistency between existing parking lot and drive aisle alignments.
b.
If an alternative Perimeter Landscaping or buffer is granted, an equal amount of landscaped area and trees shall be provided elsewhere on the site as may be deemed appropriate by the decision-maker.
2.
Grouping of All Required Landscaping within One or Two Areas.
a.
In order to provide flexibility in site design, an Applicant may request Alternative Compliance to group all required landscaping (e.g., the landscape buffer and parking lot landscaping) into one or two areas.
b.
In order to offset the movement of landscaping from its original required location, an additional twenty-five (25) percent of the total landscaped area will be required. For example, if 1,000 square feet of total landscaping was required, then 1,250 square feet would be required to meet the grouping option.
c.
In addition to the twenty-five (25) percent increase in total landscape area, the grouped landscaping shall be located either in the front yard or area visible from the street.
(Ordinance 2017-13 adopted 10/2/2017; Ordinance 2025-47 adopted 10/8/2025)













































