5-6   LANDSCAPING, BUFFERING, AND SCREENING

5-6(A)   PURPOSE

This Section 14-16-5-6 regulates landscaping to ensure visually attractive, sustainable desert landscapes that aid in the creation of a quality public realm. The City recognizes landscape as a visual component to quality environments that enhance Albuquerque's overall appearance and provide other public benefit through:

5-6(A)(1)   Providing visual relief from urbanization.

5-6(A)(2)   Establishing a consistent, attractive streetscape that generates a sense of continuity and a strong, positive city image.

5-6(A)(3)   Improving the aesthetic appearance of commercial, industrial, and multi-family residential development to protect and enhance public and private investments and property values.

5-6(A)(4)   Ensuring the use of native and/or adapted, low water-use, or xeric species and regionally appropriate, sustainable design and maintenance techniques to conserve water resources.

5-6(A)(5)   Contributing to the processes of air purification, oxygen regeneration, groundwater recharge, and stormwater runoff retention. Landscape should be designed to retain soil moisture, prevent erosion, encourage the growth of abutting plantings, and mitigate urban heat-island effects, while aiding in the abatement of air and water pollution, dust, noise, heat, and glare.

5-6(A)(6)   Providing screening of some types of facilities, structures, and equipment.

5-6(A)(7)   Providing shade and comfort for pedestrians and visually narrowing streets, which has been shown to reduce vehicle speeding and accidents.