(a) Purpose
The purpose of this section is to encourage creative and sustainable landscape design that enhances structures, open space areas, streetscapes and parking areas. Sustainable landscape design preserves native plant species to the maximum extent feasible, consumes less water and provides permeable surfaces for storm water management and groundwater recharge. Tree shading and appropriate landscape design can contribute to economic vitality and public health, and can reduce the need for frequent infrastructure repair. Landscaping provides recreation areas, cleans the air and water, prevents erosion, offers fire protection, replaces ecosystems displaced by development, and is water efficient.
(b) General Regulations
In addition to the provisions of this section, all projects shall adhere to the landscape requirements cited elsewhere in Title 18 (Zoning Ordinance), including but not limited to:
(1) Design Standards - General Parking Facilities (Section 18.54.020).
(2) Design Standards - Landscaping in Parking Facilities and Required Landscape Areas (Section 18.54.040).
(3) Architectural Review Findings (Section 18.76.020).
(c) Natural Areas (Open Space District, Hillside Lands, Baylands, Creek and Riparian Areas)
Landscaping should retain or enhance native vegetation in hillside, baylands or other natural open spaces areas or adjacent to such areas. The existing natural vegetation and land formations should remain in a natural state unless modification is found to be necessary or appropriate for a specific use allowed through architectural or site design review.
(1) In the selection of new landscaping, preference shall be given to natural, indigenous and drought resistant plants and materials. Non-indigenous landscaping should be limited to the immediate area around a structure or structures.
(2) Site development plans shall, to the maximum extent feasible, provide for the retention of existing vegetation and land formations, and shall include an erosion and sediment control element setting forth reasonable mitigation measures in accord with the grading and subdivision ordinances of the city.
(3) Landscaping shall, to the maximum extent feasible, integrate and accommodate existing trees and vegetation to be preserved; make use of water-conserving plants, materials and irrigation systems; and be clustered in natural appearing groups, as opposed to being placed in rows or regularly spaced.
(4) Colors of roofing materials shall blend with the natural landscape and be nonreflective. All roof mounted equipment shall be screened in a manner that protects the viewshed from adjacent properties, including from views from above.
(5) Planting of invasive plant species shall not be permitted and removal of invasive species may be required as part of landscape plan requirements.
(6) To the maximum extent feasible, existing vegetation shall be retained or enhanced to maintain contiguous wildlife habitat.
(7) Riparian vegetation shall be retained or enhanced within natural stream corridors, and best practices for development shall be used to protect riparian habitat and water quality of adjacent streams.
(d) Low-Density Residential Landscaping Design Standards
(1) In the R-1, R-2, and RMD zones, a minimum of 50% of the required front setback area shall be landscaped, subject to the limitations of Section 18.12.040(h). Planting in the right-of-way shall not count towards fulfillment of the required landscape area.
(2) Street trees may be required to be planted in the right-of-way frontage of any residential structure subject to individual review for a new second story or addition to a second story, or for other discretionary review in the R-1, R-2, or RMD zones.
(3) Trees planted near public bicycle trails or curbs shall be of a species and installed in a manner that prevents physical damage to sidewalks, curbs, gutters and other public improvements.
(4) Trees and shrubs shall be planted so that at maturity they do not interfere with service lines (a minimum of five feet from water lines and ten feet from sanitary sewer lines) and traffic safety visibility areas.
(5) All proposed light wells and below-grade basements shall be screened to minimize visibility from public rights-of-way or other public properties.
(e) Special Design and Landscaping Standards for All Zoning Districts Requirements:
(1) Utilities (e.g., transformer cabinets, pads, fiber optic trenching and above ground cabinets, large water check valves) and underground utilities shall not be placed within required landscaped areas, except where they will not preclude appropriate planting of trees and will be predominantly screened from public view.
(2) All landscaping within multi-family, commercial, and industrial zoning districts shall be equipped with automatic irrigation systems. Backflow preventers shall be located in the rear or side yard and screened from public view by landscaping. If backflow preventers must be located in the front yard for access purposes, they should be located near the main structure to the maximum extent feasible.
(3) For all development within commercial and industrial zoning districts, lawn areas shall not exceed 15 percent of the planting area on a property. Required common areas, active recreation areas, and areas located within the public right-of-way between the curb and public sidewalk shall not count against such lawn area.
(4) All required perimeter yards shall be landscaped. The landscaping of these yards shall, at a minimum, consist of a combination of living vegetation, such as trees, shrubs, grasses or ground cover materials. The director may, however, allow a combination of hardscape and landscape to satisfy landscape requirements where the visual quality and screening functions of the hardscape/landscape area are maintained. Landscape buffering and screening shall be designed to create compatible relationships of scale and appearance with neighboring properties.
(5) Plant material shall be maintained in a healthy, disease-free, growing condition at all times. All required planting areas shall be maintained free of weeds, debris, and litter. The planning director may specify conditions of approval to assure that dead or diseased plantings are replaced in a timely manner and with adequate replacement plantings.
(f) Guidelines:
(1) Rooftop gardens, edible gardens, and other sustainable agricultural landscaping alternatives are encouraged for multi-family, commercial, industrial, and multi-family developments. See supplementary standards in Section 18.40.230: Rooftop Gardens.
(2) Structural soils, as specified by the director of planning and development services, shall be preferred where planting in compacted soil areas, such as parking lots and sidewalks.
(3) Landscape swales, pervious paving and other landscape features should be incorporated into site design to the maximum extent feasible to accommodate filtration of storm water runoff from impervious areas, particularly from parking lots.
(4) All projects requiring discretionary review within the multi-family, commercial, or industrial zoning districts should, where feasible, pursuant to Chapter 16.12: Recycled Water, and include the following:
(a) Incorporation of recycled water usage into the design of landscape and irrigation systems.
(b) Consideration of plants suitable for irrigation with recycled water.
(c) The installation of the infrastructure necessary to connect the irrigation system to the city’s recycled water supply, if available in the foreseeable future.
(5) The director may allow a combination of hardscape and landscape to satisfy landscape requirements where permeable surface materials are used and where the visual quality and screening functions of the hardscape/landscape area are maintained, as specified in the conditions of approval.
(Ord. 5554 § 30, 2022: Ord. 5494 § 3, 2020: Ord. 4934 § 3 (part), 2007)