A. The following standards shall apply to all parking areas accessible to the public, adjacent to roadways or exposed to public view from freeways, roadways or adjacent parcels:
1. Landscaping shall be provided adjacent to and within parking areas to screen vehicles from view and to minimize the expansive appearance of parking areas. The landscaping should include predominantly fast growing trees in the parking areas to create summer shade. Accent trees may also be utilized in the landscape design of the parking areas for diversity and seasonal color;
2. Landscaped berms, or a combination of berms, landscaping and/or wall treatments of sufficient height to substantially screen parking areas shall be provided between parking areas and right of way;
3. All double row parking spaces shall be separated by either a planter or planter boxes with an overall outside width of five feet (5'). Planters shall be enclosed by a six inch (6") continuous poured in place curb. The curb shall be included in the measurement of the overall width of the planter. The community development director, may allow breaks or gaps in the planter for pedestrian access and drainage purposes only;
4. Each unenclosed parking area shall provide a perimeter landscaped strip a minimum of five feet (5') in width where the parking area adjoins a side or rear property line. Curbs, mow strips, or any other type of paved surface shall not be included in the measurement of the overall width of the planter. The perimeter landscaped strip may include any landscaped yard or landscaped area otherwise required and shall be continuous, except for required access to the site or parking area;
5. All plant material shall be sized so that the landscaping has an attractive appearance at the time of installation and a mature appearance within three (3) years;
6. Tree species should be selected with root growth habits that will not cause damage to sidewalks, curbs or other similarly paved surfaces, or such tree species should be sited away from such paved areas;
7. Trees with a trunk height of not less than six feet (6') shall be installed in the planters at each end of an aisle, at three (3) space intervals throughout the parking area, and at twenty foot (20') intervals along the periphery of the parking area. Within parking areas, trees may be clustered in groups to achieve a more natural setting provided the total number of trees meets the previous planting requirements;
8. At least fifty percent (50%) of the trees shall be an evergreen variety and shall be evenly distributed throughout the parking area;
9. At least fifty percent (50%) of the trees shall be fifteen (15) gallon in size, twenty five percent (25%) shall be twenty four inch (24") box size, and twenty five percent (25%) shall be thirty six inch (36") box in size. All trees shall meet the following minimum caliper sizes. If the caliper size cannot be met at the container size then the developer shall increase the container size to meet the required caliper;
15 gallon | 3/4" to 1" | |
24 inch box | 11/4" to 13/4" | |
36 inch box | 21/2" to 23/4" |
10. Planter areas shall also contain ground cover and/or flowering shrubs. Drought tolerant planting is suggested so that applicant/developer can comply with the water conservation in landscaping act of 1990;
11. Where automobile bumpers overhang landscaped planters, two feet (2') of clear areas unobstructed by trees or shrubs shall be provided for overhang;
12. Large parking areas shall be broken up into sections containing no more than two hundred (200) vehicles, with landscaped planters at least eight feet (8') in width established between sections;
13. A landscaped island shall be provided for every twenty (20) parking spaces;
14. Landscaped islands, interstall planters and periphery landscaping, together, shall total at least seven percent (7%) of the total parking area;
15. All trees identified on the landscape plan are to be maintained and the trimming or maintenance of them shall serve the purpose to bring them into a full canopy type configuration. If applicant/developer fails to maintain and trim said trees to allow for full canopy type configuration, applicant/developer shall be in violation of its conditions of approval and subject to enforcement as allowed by law;
16. All landscape planters that are ten feet (10') or less in width shall utilize measures such as root barriers or other deep watering system to minimize heaving of parking area pavement and curbs by tree roots; and
17. No landscaped area having a width of less than five feet (5') shall be considered in the minimum landscaping requirement.
B. Where parking areas not accessible to the public are completely screened from public view by building placement or a combination of walling and landscaped buffers, landscaping requirements within the parking areas, other than perimeter landscaping, may be reduced at the discretion of the reviewing agency.
C. Pedestrian walkways shall be provided within parking areas to destination points.
D. Applicant/developer should preserve mature trees in their place, where possible, by designing the projects site plan around said mature trees. In cases where existing mature trees are removed for new development, an additional number of new trees, other landscaping, and/or additional mitigation measures shall be required beyond the requirements established in this section.
E. Final landscape plans, irrigation system plans, tree preservation techniques and preservation guarantees shall be reviewed and approved by the community development director prior to the issuance of a building permit. Plans shall be in conformance with the water conservation in landscaping act of 1990.
F. The development services director may approve a reduction to the landscape standards in this section for accessory public parking areas, provided that the parking area and any adjacent paved roadways are separated by a planter measuring a minimum of three feet (3') in width and improved with a decorative combination of fencing, walls, boulders, or similar hardscape materials. Additional plant materials, such as trees, shrubs, and ground cover shall be installed along the perimeter of accessory public parking areas which serve public facilities that have been improved with, or are proposed to be improved with, landscaping. Consideration should be given for the installation of drought tolerant shade trees, where feasible. (Ord. 2835, 2016: Ord. 2498 § 3, 2002: Ord. 1000 § 43.37, 1955)