This article establishes the landscaping and screening regulations. The purpose of these regulations is to enhance a pleasant visual character in the City that recognizes aesthetics and safety issues and to promote the planting of vegetation that supports human health and urban wildlife.
(Sec. 2 (Exh. A) (part), Ord. 13-001, eff. Mar. 7, 2013)
This section applies to any of the following:
(a) 
The construction or erection of any new building or structure for which a building permit is required.
(b) 
Any enlargement exceeding one thousand (1,000) square feet or ten percent (10%) in area, whichever is less, of the exterior dimensions of an existing building for which a building permit is required.
(c) 
Any construction of a new parking lot or expansion of an existing parking lot by more than one thousand (1,000) square feet or ten percent (10%) in area, whichever is less.
(Sec. 2 (Exh. A) (part), Ord. 13-001, eff. Mar. 7, 2013)
(a) 
Water Use and Irrigation. All new or rehabilitated landscaping shall comply with the applicable provisions of Article 6 of this chapter, Water Use. All required landscaping shall be provided with an irrigation system, including drip irrigation if appropriate, unless provisions are made for hand watering or the Director determines that an irrigation system is not required.
(b) 
Composition of Required Landscaping. All required landscaping shall include the installation and maintenance of some combination of trees, ground cover, shrubs, vines, flowers, and water features except swimming pools and spas.
(c) 
Existing Trees. For projects on private property that require discretionary City approval, the Director, Planning Commission, or City Council, as the case may be, may require that existing healthy on-site trees be preserved and incorporated into the project unless this is shown to be infeasible. An arborist report, prepared at the expense of the applicant, may be required. At the applicant's option, this may be prepared either by the City's arborist, or by an arborist selected by the applicant and peer-reviewed by the City's arborist.
(d) 
Required Screening Materials. Screening materials may include solid fences, walls, or hedges. When hedges of a specific height are required, the plant material shall be of a type which will provide a year-round solid visual barrier at the prescribed height.
(e) 
Maintenance of Landscaping.
(1) 
All planted areas shall be well maintained and kept free of weeds and debris.
(2) 
All plants shall be kept in a healthy and growing condition and, whenever necessary, replaced with new plants of the same species unless the Director approves a different species. Good horticultural practices shall be followed in all instances.
(3) 
Irrigation systems shall be kept in good working condition. Adjustments, replacements, repairs, and cleaning shall be a part of regular maintenance.
(4) 
Stakes and ties on trees shall be checked regularly for correct functions. Ties shall be adjusted to avoid creating abrasions or girdling on trunks or branches.
(5) 
All required fences and walls shall be permanently maintained in good condition and, whenever necessary, repaired or replaced.
(f) 
Separation from Parking and Maneuvering Areas. All landscaped areas shall be separated from parking and maneuvering areas.
(1) 
If the landscaped area is not used for stormwater drainage, a four-inch (4") high curb shall be used to separate the landscaped area from parking and maneuvering areas.
(2) 
If the landscaped area is used for stormwater drainage, the landscaped area shall be separated from parking and maneuvering areas with either a concrete strip that is flush with the paved surface or with a curb or wall with cuts to allow water into the landscaped area. When using flush curbs, wheel stops fabricated from recycled material shall be used.
(g) 
Screening of Open Parking and Loading Areas. All open parking areas containing three (3) or more spaces and all loading areas shall be screened by a fence, wall or hedge as follows:
(1) 
When parking is located within or adjacent to a required rear yard or a side yard not abutting a street, such screening shall be not less than five feet (5') high nor more than six feet (6') high, and shall be located along the entire length of the parking area.
(2) 
When such parking is adjacent to a street right-of-way, screening shall be located on the building setback line, or adjacent to the outside edge of any required boundary landscaping, and shall be not less than three feet (3'), nor more than six feet (6') in height.
(3) 
All loading areas adjacent to streets shall be screened from public view to the maximum extent possible.
(h) 
Landscaping of Open Parking Areas. For each open parking area containing thirty-five (35) or more spaces, one (1) large-canopy tree per four (4) parking spaces, one (1) medium-canopy tree per three (3) parking spaces, or one (1) small-canopy tree per two (2) parking spaces shall be provided. Boundary planting may not be counted towards this requirement.
(1) 
Small-, medium-, and large-canopy trees shall be defined as follows:
a. 
Small-canopy trees have a canopy width of at least fifteen feet (15') and less than twenty-five feet (25') and are at least twenty feet (20') tall.
b. 
Medium-canopy trees have a canopy width of at least twenty-five feet (25') and less than thirty-five feet (35').
c. 
Large-canopy trees have a canopy width of at least thirty-five feet (35').
(2) 
Measurement. Tree canopy width is the average diameter of the tree's canopy at maturity.
(i) 
Unpaved or Undeveloped Area. Unpaved or undeveloped sites shall be kept in a neat and weed-free condition and may be hydro-seeded with native plants or wildflowers.
(j) 
Prohibiting the Installation of Turf in New Development.
(1) 
Applicability. This subsection applies to construction of all new development projects.
(2) 
Definition. "Turf" is a ground cover surface of mowed grass. "Turf" does not include artificial turf or any artificial ground cover.
(3) 
Prohibition. Notwithstanding any other provision in this title, no person shall install turf as part of the landscaping for a new development project.
(4) 
Exception. Notwithstanding the prohibition in subsection (j)(3) of this section, new development projects which contain a park or open space accessible to the public may install turf for the purposes of a park or open space accessible to the public.
(Secs. 2, 3, Ord. 24-003, eff. Apr. 18, 2024; Sec. 2 (Exh. A) (part), Ord. 13-001, eff. Mar. 7, 2013)
(a) 
Industrial Zones. Development projects in the industrial zones shall include landscaped areas consisting of at least five percent (5%) of the project site.
(b) 
All Other Zones. Development projects in any other zone shall include landscaped areas consisting of at least ten percent (10%) of the project site. Stormwater management measures, such as flow-through planters and swales, may count toward these landscaping requirements, but not towards common open space requirements of Section 9-4.303(b)(3).
(Sec. 3 (Exh. A), Ord. 23-005, eff. Jan. 18, 2024; Sec. 2 (Exh. A) (part), Ord. 13-001, eff. Mar. 7, 2013)
(a) 
Maximum Height.
(1) 
Residential Zones.
a. 
Front Yards and Street Side Yards.
i. 
Solid. The maximum height of solid fences and walls in a required front yard or street side yard shall be three feet (3').
ii. 
Open. The maximum height of fences that are not less than fifty percent (50%) open in a required front yard or street side yard shall be four and one-half feet (4-1/2').
b. 
Rear Yards and Interior Side Yards. The maximum height of fences and walls in a required rear yard, including a rear yard abutting a street, or in an interior side yard shall be six feet (6').
c. 
Other Situations. A maximum six-foot (6') fence or wall may be located anywhere on a lot that is not within a required yard.
(2) 
All Other Zones. Fences or walls shall not exceed eight feet (8') in height unless the Director determines that a taller fence or wall is appropriate for the use of the site. In no case shall a fence or wall be taller than the base height limit for the site as set forth in Section 9-4.202. Any fence or wall that is more than six feet (6') in height requires a building permit pursuant to Title 8 and design review pursuant to Article 4 of Chapter 7.
(b) 
Materials. Durable materials shall be used for fences, such as wood or wrought iron. Chain-link fencing visible from the public right-of-way is not permitted unless screened by solid landscaping or the Director determines that it is appropriate for the use of the site. Barbed wire and razor wire are prohibited if visible from the public right-of-way.
(c) 
Measuring Height of Fences and Walls. The heights of fences and walls shall be measured from the adjacent grade. If grade levels are different on either side of the fence or wall, the height shall be measured from the higher grade. See also Section 9-4.202(b)(2) and Figure 9-4.202(b).
(Sec. 2 (Exh. A) (part), Ord. 13-001, eff. Mar. 7, 2013)
All outdoor storage areas shall be screened such that they are not visible from the ground level of an adjacent property or public right-of-way. The requirement for screening to enclose storage areas between adjoining side and/or rear property lines may be removed by mutual agreement of the property owners involved.
(Sec. 2 (Exh. A) (part), Ord. 13-001, eff. Mar. 7, 2013)
All mechanical equipment, including electrical and gas meters; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units; radio/TV antennas; satellite dishes; and all roof mounted mechanical equipment shall be visually and acoustically screened in such a manner so that it is not visible from an adjacent property at or below the level of the mechanical equipment, or from a public sidewalk on either side of any street adjacent to the site, and so that it complies with the performance standards for noise at Section 9-5.1109. Electrical transformers and other utility boxes shall be either placed underground or appropriately screened.
(Sec. 3 (Exh. A), Ord. 23-005, eff. Jan. 18, 2024; Sec. 2 (Exh. A) (part), Ord. 13-001, eff. Mar. 7, 2013)
(a) 
All new construction shall place the following utilities along public frontages underground:
(1) 
Any existing overhead utility wires for projects over thirty feet (30') high; and
(2) 
All service connections, including gas (if required), electric, telephone and cable facilities.
(Sec. 3 (Exh. A), Ord. 23-005, eff. Jan. 18, 2024)