A. 
Landscaping, consisting of at least grass or other live ground cover, shall be provided for all developed and undeveloped portions of a proposed development or redevelopment project site not specifically landscaped to meet the perimeter, interior, or buffering requirements described in the following sections.
B. 
In all cases, rockeries, retaining walls, and other similar landscape elements shall not count toward meeting any required planting area widths or planting area percentages.
C. 
No required landscape area may be disturbed or intruded into by any use or structure except as permitted in MTMC § 19.130.220(A)(9).
D. 
Plant material selection and spacing shall be in conformance with the applicable landscape type required for any area required to be landscaped. Refer to MTMC § 19.130.240 for a review of landscape types. See MTMC § 19.130.210, § 19.130.220, and § 19.130.230 to determine which landscape type is the appropriate one to use.
E. 
Special Location Provisions. Plant material and fences may be placed in the street right-of-way, behind the sidewalk line, subject to approval of the City Engineer and/or a required right-of-way use permit. Such plantings shall not count toward satisfying any required landscaping but may nonetheless be part of a site's LID development requirements.
Plantings and fences shall not obstruct access to water meters or fire hydrants, overhang pedestrian use areas so as to impede pedestrian passage in any way, or interfere with the sight area triangle (MTMC § 19.120.290).
(Ord. 2074 § 8.5(A), 1995; Ord. 2702 § 8, 2016; Ord. 2712 § 7, 2017)
A. 
Street Frontage Landscaping. With the exception of commercial frontage in BC Downtown, all site development proposals abutting a street right-of-way shall, between the right-of-way and any site improvements, provide as a minimum a Type I landscaping strip five feet in width.
For the SDD C/R district, a 12-foot pedestrian activity area shall be provided between face of curb and face of building with Public Works Director's approval. The landscape area may include pedestrian paths.
For BC Downtown, the commercial frontage and pedestrian activity area shall include such amenities as street trees, benches, waste receptacles and flower containers. For every commercial frontage, at least one irrigated planter area not less than 30 square feet shall be provided. As long as the corner sight triangle is not obscured, it may be placed anywhere in the 12 feet face of curb to face of building minimum area whether in the right-of-way or on private property. The area, if any, between the right-of-way and the front line of the building shall be finished and serve as driveway/pedestrian area or landscaping, marquees, or similar, that extend up to five feet over the sidewalk to protect pedestrians from the elements for 70 percent of the facade.
The width of necessary access ways from the public rights-of-way to the parking lot, or to service the parking or other vehicular use areas, may be subtracted from the lineal dimension used to calculate the number of street trees required.
B. 
Commercial Frontage Landscaping. On frontages designated as commercial, landscaping shall conform with the approved street landscape plan in the ISTEA/56th Street Beautification plan when buildings are adjacent to the pedestrian activity area. Continuous planting beds will not be required in areas providing for safe walking. Raised planters shall be encouraged.
If parking is provided between the pedestrian activity area and the face of the building, landscaping shall be required to screen parking. Otherwise, the area shall be designed to encourage pedestrian movement.
Commercial Frontage Landscape Standards to Screen Parking
Number of Parking Stalls
Minimum Width of On-site Planting Area When On-site Parking is Located Between the Pedestrian Activity Area and the Building
1 – 25
5 feet
26 or more
10 feet
C. 
Perimeter Landscaping for Parking Lots.
1. 
Parking lots fronting on street right(s)-of-way shall provide Type I landscaping in the required planter width area between the parking area and the right-of-way.
2. 
The following planter width requirements shall apply:
Street Frontage Landscape Planter Width
Zoning District
Number of Parking Stalls
Suggested Width of Perimeter Planting Adjacent to Street Right(s)-of-Way
Commercial and Industrial Districts (BC, GC, F/T, LI/OP, SDD C/R)
0 – 75
5 feet
76 – 250
10 feet
251 – 500
15 feet
Over 500
20 feet
All Other Districts except Single-Household Residential (RS)*
100 or less
10 feet
more than 100
15 feet
Notes:
* Parking areas for public facilities, schools, religious facilities, performing arts centers, public and private recreation facilities, and membership organizations, shall comply with these requirements when located in RS zones.
(Ord. 2074 § 8.5(B), 1995; Ord. 2105, 1996; Ord. 2840 § 4, 2024)
The following interior landscape development shall be provided in addition to perimeter landscape development:
A. 
All parking lot and open vehicular use areas shall meet the following requirements for interior lot development:
1. 
Density. Planting areas shall constitute at least 10 percent of the parking and vehicular use area in all commercial districts and 15 percent of the parking and vehicular use area in all other developments, except for single-household residential developments;
2. 
Planting Islands. Planting islands shall be placed between every 10 parking stalls and on the ends of any parking aisle with 10 or more parking stalls. Planting islands include peninsular projections from perimeter landscape areas;
3. 
Planter Area Width. The minimum width of any required planting islands shall be five feet. Triangular planter islands must average a minimum of five feet in width for the full length of the planter area. Planting islands between parking bays shall have a minimum interior width of eight feet, including vehicle overhang;
4. 
Minimum Area. Interior parking lot planting islands shall be a minimum of 65 square feet in size;
5. 
Location of Plantings. All interior parking lot planting areas shall be located between parking bays, parking stalls, or the end of parking columns. The landscaping may be peninsular or island type. No landscape planting which occurs between the parking area and a building or recreation area shall be counted toward satisfying the requirements;
6. 
Maximum Contiguous Area. Required interior parking lot landscaping is to be distributed evenly throughout the vehicular use area. Landscape areas in excess of the minimum requirements may be clustered or consolidated as desired;
7. 
Required Plantings in Landscape Islands. As a minimum, Type I landscaping shall be provided in landscape islands with a minimum of one tree for each 150 square feet or fraction thereof of required and provided landscape areas associated with vehicular use areas. Any remaining areas shall be landscaped as specified by subsection B of this section or the applicable landscape type (MTMC § 19.130.240);
8. 
Parked Vehicle Overhang. A curb or other wheel stop shall be provided wherever vehicles may overhang landscaped areas. Maximum overhang for parked vehicles is limited to two feet, six inches for standard stalls and compact stalls, including the curb or wheel stop. Landscaping, within any vehicle overhang area, is limited to low-growing live ground covers (including grass);
9. 
Pedestrian Access. Parking lots in any commercial or industrial zone shall accommodate pedestrian access openings through continuous planting areas by providing, as a minimum, a four-foot-wide pathway every fourth parking stall. Pedestrian pathways shall not be required in planting areas where pedestrian traffic is unlikely to occur; e.g., through perimeter planting areas directly opposite the building structure or where planting areas are perpendicular to the building structure;
10. 
Alightment Area. Any parking stall abutting a planter island on the driver or passenger side of the vehicle shall provide an additional 18 inches of stall width above the minimum stall width requirement to provide a place for alighting passengers to step other than in the planting bed. The additional width shall be striped separate from the parking stall; and
11. 
Light standards within a parking area are to be located in landscape planters. If tree placement interferes with light coverage requirements, alternative lighting shall be considered, such as mounting down-lighting, or up-lighting a larger tree.
B. 
Interior lot landscape development, other than that required for perimeter and interior parking lot landscaping, shall be provided as follows. All planting areas shall be a minimum of five feet in width.
1. 
Planting areas located between the vehicular use area and an interior lot sidewalk shall be landscaped with Type I landscaping;
2. 
A Type II landscape planting strip shall be required between any vehicular use area, sidewalk, or right-of-way and any on-site buildings when the building facade has a mean elevation greater than 20 feet in height or is more than 50 feet long; and
3. 
All other areas on a subject site or building lot that are not specifically designated for parking, structure siting, storage, or to meet landscaping requirements shall be planted, as a minimum, with 100 percent coverage with turf or 75 percent coverage with other living ground cover within three years.
(Ord. 2074 § 8.5(C), 1995; Ord. 2702 § 9, 2016; Ord. 2712 § 8, 2017)
A. 
The landscape development standards of this section are in addition to other requirements of this chapter.
B. 
To reduce incompatible characteristics of abutting properties with different land use classifications, the minimum designated width and landscape type that applies on interior property lines, shall be according to the following table:
Interior Lot Line Landscape Type and Width
Adjacent to Land Use District
Land Use District of Proposal1
RS2
RML2 RMM3
MHP
CG4
BC
BC Down-town
F/T
LI/OP PFS
SDD (R)
SDD (C/R)
Single-Household Residential (RS)3
None
Type V
12 feet
Type V
12 feet
Type V
15 feet
Type V
15 feet
Type V
20 feet
Type V
20 feet
Type V
20 feet
Type V
15 feet
Low Density (RML) and Medium Density Residential (RMM)
None
Type III
10 feet
Type IV
12 feet
Type IV
15 feet
Type IV
15 feet
Type IV
15 feet
Type V
20 feet
Type IV
20 feet
Type V
15 feet
Mobile Home Park (MHP)
None
Type III
10 feet
Type III
10 feet
Type IV
12 feet
Type IV
12 feet
N/A
Type V
20 feet
Type IV
12 feet
Type IV
12 feet
General Commercial (CG) and Community Business (BC)
None
Type IV
12 feet
Type IV
12 feet
Type III
5 feet
Type III
5 feet
Type III
5 feet
Type III
8 feet
Type III
5 feet
Type III
5 feet
BC Downtown
N/A
Type IV
15 feet
Type III
12 feet
Freeway/Tourist (F/T)
None
Type III
12 feet
N/A
Type III
5 feet
Type III
5 feet
N/A
N/A
Type III
12 feet
Type III
12 feet
Light Industrial/Office Park (LI/OP) Public Facilities and Services (PFS)
None
Type IV
15 feet
Type IV
15 feet
Type III
5 feet
N/A
Type I
5 feet
Type I
5 feet
Special Development District (SDD R)
None
Type III
15 feet
Type III
15 feet
Type III
5 feet
Type III
5 feet
N/A
Type I
5 feet
N/A
Type III
12 feet
Special Development District Commercial Residential (SDD C/R)
Type III
5 feet
Type IV
10 feet
N/A
Notes:
1. Development in the Recreation/Open Space (REC) land use district shall provide lot line landscape buffers based on Planning Commission recommendations for each case. For development in a Special Development District (SDD), refer to Chapter 19.80 MTMC for landscape buffer requirements.
2. Schools, religious facilities, performing arts centers, public recreational facilities and membership organizations, located in a RS, RMM, or RML zone, shall provide a Type III planting strip, 10 feet in width, on any interior property line. Private recreation facilities, located in RS zones, shall provide a Type V planting strip 10 feet in width on interior lot lines adjacent to RS zones and a Type III planting strip 10 feet in width on interior lot lines adjacent to REC zones. When located in any other zone, landscaping shall be provided as noted in accordance with the chart.
3. Landscape buffering requirements shall apply to both adjacent single-household residential zoned property and adjacent single-household residential land uses.
4. Subject to approval by the Planning Commission, the interior lot line landscaping area requirements for BC, CG and LI/OP zoned properties that abut BC, CG or LI/OP zoning designations may be satisfied by providing equivalent planting area and materials elsewhere on site, for example, increased street frontage or interior parking lot landscaping.
(Ord. 2074 § 8.5(D), 1995; Ord. 2702 § 10, 2016; Ord. 2840 § 5, 2024)
The intent of the landscape type and the minimum requirements for each are described below. For minimum required plant sizes see MTMC § 19.130.110 (Landscape Development Standards).
A. 
Type I – Open Area Landscaping.
1. 
Purpose. Type I landscaping is primarily intended to visually soften large open spaces of parking areas.
2. 
Description. Type I landscaping shall consist of deciduous trees spaced a maximum of 35 feet on center in a continuous planting bed; a maximum of 75 feet on center with segmented planting areas; and low-lying shrubs with a maximum height of 36 inches and live ground cover that, combined with shrubbery, provides at least 75 percent coverage of the landscaped area within two years. Up to 25 percent of the required landscape area may utilize nonliving landscape material in place of the otherwise required living ground cover. As a minimum, planting areas shall have a width of five feet and one tree for every 150 square feet or fraction thereof of applicable landscaped area.
Evergreen trees may be used on a limited basis and only when planted outside any sight area triangle with a maximum spacing of 30 feet on center.
When located between sidewalks and parking lots in nonresidential zones, Type I landscaping shall not require a continuous planting bed. Planting beds of at least 30 square feet shall be provided with one dimension at least five feet. Five-foot-wide pedestrian walks shall be provided for access to sidewalk, transit, and businesses. Five-foot-wide pedestrian walks through landscaped areas may be provided every 35 feet. Stepping stones through planting areas may be provided to minimize damage to plantings.
B. 
Type II – Ornamental Landscaping.
1. 
Purpose. Type II landscaping is intended to provide visual relief and shade to building facades and add to the overall quality of a development by softening the effect of site buildings and structures upon the landscape.
2. 
Description. Type II landscaping shall consist of coniferous and deciduous trees planted an average of 30 feet on center in beds at least five feet in width, along with evergreen and deciduous shrubs and live ground cover forming an effective screen so as to cover over 75 percent of the landscape area within two years. Up to 25 percent of the required landscape area may utilize nonliving landscape material in place of the otherwise required living ground cover.
C. 
Type III – Visual Buffer.
1. 
Purpose. Type III landscaping is intended to provide visual separation of incompatible uses from streets, main arterials, and along property lines.
2. 
Description. Type III landscaping is made up of evergreens or a mixture of evergreen and deciduous (no greater than 80 percent deciduous) trees. Maximum spacing shall be 20 feet on center for evergreen trees and 35 feet on center for deciduous trees. Shrubs and live ground covers shall provide for at least 100 percent coverage of landscaped area within a two-year period. An earthen berm may be used with low shrubbery in place of more level terrain with medium-sized shrubbery. Up to 25 percent of the required landscape area may utilize nonliving landscape material in place of the otherwise required living ground cover.
D. 
Type IV – Moderate Screening.
1. 
Purpose. Type IV landscaping is intended to create a strong visual separation between incompatible uses.
2. 
Description. Type IV landscaping shall be made up of evergreen trees planted a maximum of 15 feet on center, along with medium-sized shrubs and live ground cover to form an effective visual barrier a minimum of six feet in height within five years. Up to 25 percent of the required landscape area may utilize nonliving landscape material in place of the otherwise required living ground cover. Deciduous trees up to 25 percent of the tree requirement are encouraged to add seasonal and textural variation. Either an earth berm or a six-foot high sight-screening fence shall be used. When the earth berming alternative is chosen, medium-sized shrubs shall be spaced four and one-half feet on center. When the fence option is selected, medium-sized shrubs shall be placed six feet on center. Actual plant spacing is influenced by selected plant species and size, in conjunction with the alternative selected and is subject to final approval by the City.
E. 
Type V – Solid Screening.
1. 
Purpose. Type V landscaping is intended to provide a solid sight barrier to totally separate incompatible uses.
2. 
Description. As a minimum Type V landscaping shall consist of a double row of evergreen trees (with rows offset) spaced 15 feet triangulated on center, an earth berm, a minimum height of two and one-half feet, and shrubs and live ground cover to provide an effective visual barrier a minimum of six feet in height within three years. As an alternative to earth berming, a six-foot high sight-screening fence may be incorporated into the landscaping. Up to 25 percent of the required landscape area may utilize nonliving landscape material in place of the otherwise required living ground cover.
(Ord. 2074 § 8.5(E), 1995)