§ 21.42.040. Landscaping standards for R-3, R-4 and Nonresidential Districts.

A.

Applicability. All portions of a lot not paved or occupied by a structure shall be attractively landscaped. All required set back areas shall be landscaped unless used for a permitted use.

B.

Landscape Area Requirements. A minimum number of plants shall be provided as follows:

1.

On-Site Street Frontage.

a.

Within the required setback area along all street frontages, except at driveways, a minimum five-foot (5') wide landscaping strip (inside dimension to planter) shall be provided. This area shall be landscaped with one (1) tree for each fifteen (15) linear feet of street frontage and three (3) shrubs for each tree.

b.

Sites with more than one hundred feet (100') of street frontage shall also provide one (1) tree of not less than thirty-six inch (36'') box size for each one hundred feet (100') of street frontage.

c.

Planters. All on-site landscaped areas adjoining the public right-of-way shall be located in planters not less than three inches (3") high. The planters shall be designed to drain back onto the private property and not directly onto the public right-of-way. When required, tree-wells shall be sized to allow full growth of proposed trees within the public right-of-way.

2.

Parking Lots.

a.

One (1) canopy tree shall be provided for each four (4) open parking spaces. Trees may be clustered provided the fifty percent (50%) tree canopy shade coverage of all parking stall and related drive aisle areas, after ten (10) years of growth, is achieved. A minimum of one (1) cluster for each one hundred feet (100') of a row or double row of parking spaces shall be provided.

b.

A minimum four foot (4') by four foot (4') planter size shall be provided to allow full growth of proposed trees.

c.

Screening Required. A three-foot (3') tall masonry wall, landscaped berm, or hedge shall be provided in the event parking areas abut a street frontage. See Subsection 21.41.266.C for requirements.

d.

Wheel Stops. No vehicles shall be permitted to overhang required landscaped areas behind wheel stops. See Section 21.41.269 for requirements.

3.

Parking Structures.

a.

An attractive six-foot (6') wide landscaping strip shall be provided on all sides of the structure except at driveways and walkways. One (1) tree shall be provided for each twenty feet (20') of perimeter of the structure in addition to required screening when abutting a residential district, school, or a street frontage. Trees bordering the parking structure shall be of a species that will obtain a mature height of not less than the height of the structure. The trees shall be of a species or shall be located or trimmed in such a way as to prevent people from using them to gain unauthorized access to otherwise secured areas.

b.

Abutting Residential Zone, School, or Public Street. All sides of a parking structure abutting a residential zone, school or public street shall be screened by vines or other decorative screen approved by the Director of Development Services.

c.

Wheel Stops. No vehicles shall be permitted to overhang required landscape areas behind wheel stops. See Section 21.41.269 for requirements.

4.

Yards and Parking Lots Near Residential District and Schools.

a.

Residential (R-3, R-4), Commercial, Mixed-Use, and Light Industrial (IL) Districts. A minimum five foot (5') wide landscaped strip shall be provided as a buffer along all yard areas abutting or adjacent to an alley, a residential district or school. This area shall be planted fifteen feet (15') on center with broad leaf evergreen trees and minimum twenty-four inch (24") box size.

b.

Medium Industrial (IM), General Industrial (IG) and Port-related Industrial (IP) Districts. A minimum fifteen foot (15') wide landscaped strip shall be provided along the full extent of the property line between the two (2) districts. This area shall be landscaped with one broad leaf evergreen tree, of minimum twenty-four inch (24'') box size, for each fifteen (15) linear feet along the property line, as well as appropriate shrubs and groundcover.

5.

Landscaping Over Parking Garages and Other Green Roofs.

a.

Landscaped areas on top of parking garages or other green roofs shall factor in the structural integrity of the building;

b.

The landscaped areas shall be identified as requiring shallow soils (extensive) or deep soils (intensive);

c.

Extensive green roofs shall contain less than six inches (6") deep of soil to promote plant growth;

d.

Intensive green roofs shall contain deeper soils to support a deeper layer of growing medium; and

e.

Landscaping over parking garages and other green roofs shall contain irrigation and maintenance measures.

6.

Other Yard Areas. There shall be a minimum of one (1) tree provided for each one hundred twenty-five (125) square feet of other required yard area on the lot. In addition, there shall be a minimum of three (3) shrubs provided per tree.

7.

Fences and retaining walls. All required fences and retaining walls shall be landscaped with vines planted no more than ten feet (10') on center on all accessible sides of a wall or alternative plant materials approved by the Director of Development Services.

C.

Plant Size. All the required plant materials shall be not less than the following sizes:

1.

Trees. For required on-site trees, at least twenty-four inch (24") box and seven foot (7') in height;

2.

Shrubs. For required shrubs, at least five (5) gallons; and

3.

Mulch. A minimum of three-inch (3") mulch shall be applied on all exposed soil services of landscaped areas.

D.

Substitutions. The following substitutions for required landscaping materials may be made subject to approval of the Director of Development Services:

1.

Three (3) fifteen (15) gallon trees for one (1) twenty-four inch (24") box tree;

2.

One (1) thirty-six inch (36") box tree for two (2) twenty-four inch (24") box trees;

3.

One (1) forty-eight inch (48") box tree for four (4) twenty-four inch (24") box trees;

4.

One (1) twenty-four inch (24") box tree for five (5) five (5) gallon shrubs; and

5.

Five (5) one (1) gallon shrubs for one (1) five (5) gallon shrub.

E.

Planting Distance Between Trees. Adding the diameter of two (2) adjacent tree canopies and dividing by two (2) shall determine planting distance between two (2) trees. Distance between trees shall not be less than fifteen feet (15') or greater than twenty-five feet (25').

F.

Plant Height. Plant height shall not exceed three feet (3') in corner cut-off areas.

G.

Green Building Development Standards. In addition to the above requirements, projects requiring Site Plan Review shall comply with the Green Building Development Standards located in Section 21.45.400.

H.

Exceptions. The Site Plan Review Committee may waive any of the landscape standards if it finds that such changes will create a more functional, water or energy efficient, sustainable or cohesive design.

(ORD-10-0031 § 6, 2010)