The following standards apply to all landscaping, screening, or buffering required by this Section 14-16-5-6.
A landscape plan with designed landscaped areas shall be submitted as a part of all development applications where landscaping, buffering, or screening is required, unless the relevant decision-making body determines that compliance with the provisions of this Section 14-16-5-6 can be demonstrated without the use of a landscape plan. A landscape plan may be combined with other required application materials if compliance with this Section 14-16-5-6 can be demonstrated in the combined materials. Landscaping shall be maintained pursuant to the requirements of Subsection 14-16-5-13(B)(6).
1. Tree canopies and ground-level plants shall cover a minimum of 75 percent of the total landscape area as measured by canopy width or the area beneath the dripline of the mature size of the actual vegetation. (See figure below.)
2. Of the required vegetative coverage, a minimum of 25 percent shall be provided as ground-level plants (shrubs, grasses, etc.) as measured of the mature size of the actual vegetation. (See figure below.)
5-6(C)(2)(d) See also Subsections 14-16-5-6(D) (Street Frontage Landscaping), 14-16-5-6(E) (Edge Buffer Landscaping), and 14-16-5-6(F) (Parking Lot Landscaping) for additional landscaping requirements.
5-6(C)(3)(a) If areas required to be landscaped by 2 or more provisions of this Section 14-16-5-6 overlap each other, the provision requiring the greater amount of landscaping shall apply, and landscaping provided that meets the greater requirement shall count toward fulfilling the overlapping requirements.
1. See Subsection 14-16-5-6(C)(12) (Existing Vegetation Credit).
2. See Subsection 14-16-5-6(C)(13) (Stormwater Management Features).
3. See Subsection 14-16-5-6(D) (Street Frontage Landscaping).
4. See Subsection 14-16-5-6(E) (Edge Buffer Landscaping).
5. See Subsection 14-16-5-6(F) (Parking Lot Landscaping).
5-6(C)(3)(b) Landscaped areas may count toward satisfying usable open space requirements specified for Residential zone districts in Table 5-1-1 and for Mixed-use zone districts in Table 5-1-2.
5-6(C)(3)(c) Gardens and community gardens provided may count toward satisfying the requirements of Subsection 14-16-5-6(C)(2) (Minimum Landscape Area).
5-6(C)(3)(d) Any landscaping provided to meet requirements in Subsection 14-16-5-2(I) (Major Arroyo Standards) may count toward any required landscaping in this Section 14-16-5-6 but shall be subject to Subsection 14-16-5-6(C) (General Landscaping Standards).
5-6(C)(3)(e) Any covered or uncovered outdoor seating and gathering areas provided to meet requirements in Subsection 14-16-5-11(E)(3) (Outdoor Seating and Gathering Areas) may count toward up to 1/3 of required landscaping in Section 14-16-5-6 but shall be subject to standards in Subsection 14-16-5-6(C) (General Landscaping Standards).
5-6(C)(4)(b) Only trees and shrubs selected from the Official Albuquerque Plant Palette of low water use, drought tolerant, or xeric species and shown on a landscape plan can count toward the requirements of this Subsection 14-16-5-6(C) (General Landscaping Standards), except that, upon presentation of evidence, the relevant decision-making body may authorize alternative species or cultivars that meet all of the following requirements:
1. Meet the intended purpose of that type of landscaping.
2. Are not hazardous.
3. Are not identified as invasive on a City or State plant list.
4. Are not listed in the City's Weed Identification Handbook.
5. Are equally hardy to the New Mexico climate.
5-6(C)(4)(d) No more than 10 percent of required landscape areas shall be cool season grass species. Irrigated cool season grass shall not be planted on slopes exceeding 1:4 rise:run or planted in narrow or irregularly shaped areas (10 feet or less in any dimension) in order to avoid water waste. Any cool season grass shall be installed at least 3 feet in any direction from any impermeable hard surface. (A buffer using organic mulch can be used when planting cool season grass adjacent to impermeable surface.)
5-6(C)(4)(f) Artificial turf/grass shall not be counted as living vegetative material or to meet the requirements of this Subsection 14-16-5-6(C) (General Landscaping Standards).
5-6(C)(4)(g) All vegetation shall comply with Article 9-12 and Parts 6-1-1 and 6-6-2 of ROA 1994 (Pollen Control, Water Conservation Landscaping and Water Waste, and Street Trees) and Section 4 of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority (ABCWUA) Legislation and Ordinances (Water Waste Reduction Ordinance) as applicable.
5-6(C)(4)(i) Shade trees planted approximately 25 feet on-center are required along all required pedestrian walkways. If the walkway is less than 25 feet long, at least one tree is required, or, where there is insufficient space for a tree, a trellis of at least 8 feet high for at least 5 feet along the walkway shall be provided.
5-6(C)(4)(k) See also Subsection 14-16-5-6(D) (Street Frontage Landscaping) for additional landscaping requirements.
5-6(C)(5)(a) All vegetated material required by this Section 14-16-5-6 shall be planted in uncompacted soil.
All vegetation required by this Section 14-16-5-6 shall meet the minimum size requirements in Table 5-6-1 unless specified otherwise in this IDO.
Plant material type (ANSI types) | Minimum size |
Deciduous Street Trees | 2 in. caliper 6 in. above grade |
Deciduous Accent Trees | 1.5 in. caliper 6 in. above grade or 6 ft. in height |
Evergreen Tree | 6 ft. in height |
Multi-trunk Tree | Minimum 2 trunks with a combined caliper of 2 in. |
Shrubs | 1 gallon container size |
Ground cover and turf | Adequate to provide general ground cover within 1 growing season after planting |
5-6(C)(7)(a) Vegetation required by this Section 14-16-5-6 shall be located at least 3 feet in any direction from any fire hydrants, valve vaults, hose bibs, manholes, hydrants, and fire department connections.
5-6(C)(7)(b) Where tree planting requirements are based on the length of the street frontage, areas occupied by driveways and drive aisles shall be included when calculating the number of trees required to be planted, and all trees that would otherwise be required in driveways or drive aisles shall be planted in other landscaped front yard areas.
The clear sight triangle shall be maintained at all exits of parking areas and street intersections.
5-6(C)(9)(a) All planting of vegetated material or installation of any landscaping, buffering, or screening material in the public right-of-way shall require the prior approval of the City. The property owner shall be responsible for the maintenance, repairs, or liability for all the landscaping placed in or over the public right-of-way.
5-6(C)(9)(c) Where landscaping is installed in the public right-of-way, the applicant shall install an adequate irrigation system that meets the minimum technical requirements In Article 6-6 of ROA 1994 (Trees, Vegetation and Landscaping) and the DPM, with a separate meter for the landscape area in the public right-of-way, or a separate valve(s) at the property line allowing isolation of the irrigation to the landscape within the public right-of-way. Drip irrigation systems and artificial turf shall not be allowed within the public right-of-way.
5-6(C)(10)(a) Trees and shrubs shall not be planted in utility easements unless there is no other practicable location on the lot where the landscaping would achieve its intended purpose. The Planning Director may adjust the location of required landscaping to avoid utility easements, provided that the total amount of landscaping and buffering required is not reduced.
5-6(C)(10)(d) If overhead distribution electric lines are present and large trees cannot be planted due to potential interferences with the electric lines, one ornamental tree with a mature height of 12 feet shall be planted per 20 feet of street frontage. New trees planted near electric transmission lines shall be no taller than 25 feet in height at maturity to avoid conflicts with existing electric facilities.
Parking of automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats, recreational vehicles, or other motor vehicles is prohibited on any required landscape or buffer area.
5-6(C)(12)(a) If existing non-prohibited vegetation meets the location requirements and intent of landscaping, buffering, or screening required by this Section 14-16-5-6, that existing vegetation may be credited toward the landscaping, buffering, or screening materials required by this Section 14-16-5-6.
5-6(C)(12)(d) Trees shall be credited in accordance with Table 5-6-2.
Diameter at Breast Height (in.) | Number of Trees Credited |
≤25 | 8 |
≤13 and <25 | 6 |
≤8 and <13 | 4 |
≤4 and <8 | 2 |
<4 | 1 |
Prohibited trees 8 in. or greater[1] | 1 |
[1] Prohibited trees are those that do not appear on the Official Albuquerque Plant Palette and may appear on the City or State list of prohibited or invasive species | |
5-6(C)(13)(c) In the R-ML, R-MH, Mixed-use, and NR-SU zone districts, and on lots containing multi-family dwellings or non-residential uses in the R-A, R-1, R-MC, and R-T zone districts, surface runoff including runoff from roofs and parking areas shall be directed into depressed water collection areas that are located in landscape areas and that meet all applicable standards in the DPM.
5-6(C)(13)(d) Areas created to meet stormwater management requirements of the City or a governmental entity, and located in a required side or rear yard buffer or in a parking lot, shall be counted toward required landscaping and buffering in those areas, provided that the area includes vegetation required by this Section 14-16-5-6.
5-6(C)(13)(e) Where pedestrian walkways and multi-use trails cross required landscape areas, permeable paving may be used and may count toward satisfying the requirements of Subsection 14-16-5-6(C)(2) (Minimum Landscape Area).
5-6(C)(15)(a) All landscaping material used to meet the requirements of this Section 14-16-5-6 shall be installed in accordance with the planting procedures established by the American Nursery and Landscape Association.
5-6(C)(15)(b) All required landscaping, street trees, screening, and buffering shall be installed prior to the issuance of a final certificate of occupancy. If there is more than one primary building on the site, the landscaping, screening, and buffering related to each building shall be installed prior to the issuance of a final certificate of occupancy.
5-6(C)(15)(c) Any damage to utility lines resulting from the negligence of the abutting property owner or the property owner's agents or employees in the installation and maintenance of any landscaping, screening, or buffering in a public right-of-way, private way, or easement shall be the responsibility of such property owner. Any damage to utility lines resulting from the growth of plant materials that have been approved by the applicable public utility as part of a plan for landscaping, screening, or buffering on the public right-of-way shall be the responsibility of such public utility. If a public utility disturbs landscaping, screening, or buffering in a public right-of-way, private way, or easement , it shall make every reasonable effort to preserve the landscaping materials and return them to their prior locations after the utility work. If the plant materials die despite those efforts, it is the obligation of the abutting property owner to replace the plant materials.
5-6(C)(15)(d) Property owners acknowledge that approved landscaping and trees installed and maintained in a public right-of-way, private way, or easement abutting private properties are the property of the City, and that that the City reserves the right to remove them if necessary for a transportation project without compensation, but at no cost to the property owner. Landscaping installed in an abutting public right-of-way, private way, or easement by property owners and later removed by the City shall not impact previously approved net lot area calculations for required landscaping.
The Planning Director may approve alternative landscape plans that do not meet the specific requirements stated in this Section 14-16-5-6 if the Planning Director determines that the alternatives meet all of the following criteria:
5-6(C)(16)(a) Are consistent with the purposes of this Section 14-16-5-6.