A. Purpose: The purpose of perimeter and internal parking lot landscaping is not to restrict the use of locally adapted and sustainable landscaping but encourage design implementation to soften and mitigate the visual effect of (a) large expanse(s) of asphalt. Landscaping can also reduce summer heat gain in parking areas and define pedestrianways.
B. Hardscape Parking [Lot] Requirements: Landscaping in hardscape parking areas, in all non-single and [non] two-family residential zones, shall meet the following minimum requirements:
1. Overall Landscape Coverage Standards:
a. In general, any and all parking lots shall be landscaped such that landscape coverage in an around the periphery of a/the lot complies with the overall percentage minimums set forth in Table 13.77.061 below.
Size Of Parking Area(s) | Percent to be Landscaped |
Less than 15,000 sq. ft. | 5 |
15,000 sq. ft. and larger | 7.5 |
Furthermore, all open-air parking lots designed for, or containing, six (6) or more parking spaces shall provide landscaping in accordance with the provisions of this sub-section. Conversely, parking lots designed for five (5) or fewer parking spaces shall not be required to provide landscaping other than providing the percentage of yard area landscaping and landscaped buffering as specified in Table 13.77.061 above; however,
(1) Only the first ten-feet (10') [width/depth] of landscape(d) areas located along and around the perimeter of a parking lot (i.e., beyond the curb or edge of pavement of the parking lot) may count towards satisfying this requirement; and,
(2) Landscaping in and/or around parking lots containing five (5) or fewer parking spaces shall contain one or more deciduous trees that, when mature, will expectedly provide approximately 50% shade coverage to that lot - this connotates that the tree(s) canopy(ies) will extend over one or more portions of the paved lot to provide [the] 50% coverage (as measured during summer solstice).
2. Parking Lot Landscape Strips and Islands Standards:
a. All open-air parking lots designed for, or containing, five (5) or more parking spaces (whether emplaced with new construction or in conjunction with substantial (i.e., 50% plus re-construction or expansion of [a] building[s] on a property) shall provide landscaping in accordance with the provisions of this sub-section 2 that follow hereafter.
b. Interior parking lot landscape design shall meet one (1) of the following options designed to provide approximately fifty percent (50%) tree canopy coverage within twenty (20) years:
(1) Option One - Landscaped Strips: Landscape strips set perpendicular to the head-end of parking spaces within a parking bank may be employed (see Figure 1 hereafter).
Figure 1. Landscaped Strip(s)
When used, such strips shall meet the following minimum requirement(s):
A. They shall be a least five-feet (5') wide/deep; and,
Exception: When the strip(s) will serve as vegetated drainage swales, the minimum width/depth of a/the strip(s) shall be eight-feet (8'); and,
B. One Class II deciduous tree (selected from the City's approved/adopted Tree Selection Guide's picklist) shall be planted at each end of a parking strip and, for any parking bank [or double bank] at least ninety-feet (90') feet long, at a centered [45' interval] position in between the "end trees".
(2) Option Two - Landscaped Islands: Landscape [tree] islands that serve as parking space interrupts and endcaps within a parking bank (or double bank) may be employed (see Figure 2 hereafter).
Figure 2. Landscaped Islands
When used, such tree planter islands shall meet the following minimum requirement(s):
A. They shall be set parallel to abutting parking spaces as illustrated in Figure 2 above at intervals not to exceed seventy-two feet (72'); and,
B. They shall be of the same size/dimension as adjoining parking stalls. For example, if located in a single row of ninety degree (90°) oriented parking spaces that are nine feet (9') wide by eighteen feet (18') deep/long, a landscape planter shall also be, correspondingly, nine feet (9') wide and eighteen (18') deep). Where two (2) parking rows adjoin each other "head to head", back to back planters may be used. If placed back to back in, for example, a pair of ninety degree (90°) oriented parking rows, then the resulting planters would likely appear to be a single nine foot (9') wide by thirty-six foot (36') deep/long planter (see Figure 2 above hereafter); and
Figure 3. Parking Lot [Singular] Planter Design Illustration
C. They shall be protected/wrapped by a curb that is at least a six-inches (6") high.
D. Drainage Channel: A one foot (1') shall be provided at the back end of, or within, a parking planter's abutment against a curb or other barrier in order to facilitate site drainage (e.g., stormwater flow across a parking lot into a drain) -- see Figure 3 above:
Exception: Any parking bank/row located immediately fronting/against any principal commercial or multiple-family residential building on a property and between the limits/span of its exterior side walls, such placement in front of the building is, and shall be, optional. In other words, if a parking bank abuts the front entry area of non-single-family residential building and extends past the outside walls of that building, then planters shall be required where any continuous ninety-foot (90') parking space intervals are found past the end/side walls (see Figure 4 hereafter):
Figure 4. Planters Not to Block Building Storefront Area(s)
3. Landscape(d) areas shall be concaved [in slope] to allow storm water infiltration; and
4. Plants used to improve any of the fore-going listed landscape areas (i.e., parking lot periphery and internal planter strips or islands) shall comply with the following requirements:
a. Primary plant materials used therein shall be deciduous shade trees; and,
b. Shade trees planted in, and around, parking lots shall be limited those species listed in the City's approved Tree Selection Guide's picklist); and
c. Shade trees planted, in and around, parking lots shall be at least 2" in caliper; and
d. Ornamental trees [e.g., Class I types], shrubbery, hedges, and other plants may be used to supplement the shade tree plantings in perimeter planting areas, but shall not be the only plants used in such landscaping.
e. When low impact development infiltration is infeasible (according to the Storm Drainage System Design and Management Manual, Chapter 11), the area of LID designs with underdrains or impermeable liners may be credited towards the required numbers of trees at the rate of two hundred (200) square feet of LID area equal to one (1) tree; up to fifty percent (50%) of the number of required trees.
f. Interior parking lot landscaping areas shall also be planted with ground cover at a density that will achieve thirty-five percent (35%) coverage within two (2) years.
5. All grade-level parking should be separated from the street and screened from pedestrian view by landscaping. The landscaping shall include shrubs and trees, be located on private property, and, be wide enough to maintain the plant material as well as provide a view screen.
6. All parking and landscaped areas shall be separated from the parking surface by at least a six-inch (6") high concrete, continuous curb.
7. All landscaped and pedestrian areas shall be protected from encroachment by parked cars. Accordingly, eighteen-inch (18") wide concrete wheel stops shall be emplaced at the head end of parking spaces - save those stalls that are established for parallel parking (see Figure 5 hereafter).
Figure 5. Parking Wheel Stop/Bumper Overhang
C. Parking Structures: Parking structures shall be screened with live plant material that is intended to hide or obscure the sides of the structures from public view.
D. Re-construction of a Parking Lot: When a parking lot is expanded, or torn up and then reconstructed (as opposed to being just resealed and/or striped) only the renovated portion shall be improved to comply with current landscape development code(s), including [any] engineering, water, wastewater or fire division/department improvement regulations including, but not limited to, curbing, gutter, sidewalk, storm drainage facilities, landscaping, light fixtures, etc. (Ord. 2013-22, 9-5-2013; amd. Ord. 2021-09, 4-8-2021; Ord. 2021-27, 10-14-2021; Ord. 2022-14, 6-16-2022)