A. Applicability:
1. Hard surfaced parking lots with 15 or more parking spaces shall provide landscaping in accordance with the provisions of this section. The following graphic depicts landscape location required and corresponding standards identified in this chapter.
2. Parking lots with less than 15 parking spaces are exempt from parking lot landscaping but shall provide the required landscape yards and landscape buffers.
B. Interior Parking Lot Landscaping:
1. Minimum Area: A minimum of 5% of the parking lot shall be interior parking lot landscaping in the locations identified below and dispersed throughout the parking lot. Landscaping areas located along the perimeter of a parking lot shall not be included toward satisfying this requirement.
2. Location: Interior landscape areas shall be provided in the following locations:
a. At each end of a parking row containing 6 stalls or more, where not abutting required perimeter landscaping.
b. Parallel to parking lot stalls, at a rate of 1 interior landscape area for every 6 parking spaces, or along the interior length of double-loaded parking rows.
3. Size: Interior landscape areas shall have a minimum width equal to the width of average parking stall within the parking lot, as measured from the inside of the curbing, and shall have a minimum length equal to the length of the abutting parking spaces. Where interior landscape areas do not abut parking spaces, a minimum length of 10' is required.
4. Planting Requirements:
Interior Landscape Areas | |
Shade trees | A minimum of 1 tree is required per interior landscape area. Additional trees are required at a rate of 1 tree for every additional 140 square feet in each required interior landscape area. |
Shrubs | A minimum of 2 shrubs are required per interior landscape area. Additional shrubs are required at a rate of 2 shrubs for every additional 140 square feet in each landscape area. Adapted or native ornamental grasses or wildflowers with a minimum height of 3' may be used as an alternative. |
Ground cover/ Mulch | Landscape area outside of shrub masses shall be established in ground cover or mulched consistent with the standards of this chapter. Turf is prohibited. |
5. Modifications to Interior Parking Lot Landscaping: The zoning administrator may waive interior landscape area requirements if a solar energy system is integrated into the roof structure of a carport, or if the parking lot perimeter landscaping width is increased to 15' and with an equal number of trees, as required in the interior, and perimeter parking lot landscaping, are provided.
C. Parking Lot Perimeter Landscaping:
1. Applicability: Landscaping along the perimeter of the parking lot shall be provided when the parking lot is located:
a. Within a required yard (where permitted in Sections 21A.44.060 or 21A.36.020);
b. Within 20 feet of a lot line; or
c. Abutting a principal building.
2. Where both landscape buffers and perimeter parking lot landscaping are required, the more restrictive shall apply.
3. Where a surface parking lot is adjacent to another surface parking lot, on the same or separate parcels or lots, the perimeter parking lot landscaping provision may be waived by the zoning administrator if the required number trees are located elsewhere within the development.
4. Size:
a. In a required yard or within 20 feet of a property line: 8 feet in width, as measured from the back of the parking lot curb and extending into any parking space overhang area.
b. Abutting a building on the same property: A minimum 5-foot-wide required landscaping and 3-foot walkway shall be required to buffer buildings from parking spaces.
5. Planting Requirements:
Perimeter Parking Lot Landscaping: | |
Shade Tress | 1 tree per 300 square feet of perimeter parking lot area. Trees may be clustered or spaced throughout the landscaping areas. Perimeter landscaping abutting a building does not need to be included in the square footage calculation.1 |
Shrubs | 1 shrub per 3 feet, on center, along 100 percent of the yard length. Shrubs with mature height not more than 3 feet |
Ground cover/ Mulch | Required landscaping outside of shrub masses shall be established in ground cover or mulched consistent with the standards of this chapter. Turf is prohibited. |
Parking Lot Fences/Walls | Fences or walls along parking lot perimeters may be required to satisfy landscape buffer requirements outlined in Section 21A.48.060 of this chapter. |
1. Required perimeter trees species shall be chosen from the Urban Forestry Street Tree List and shall be approved by the Salt Lake City Urban Forestry Division. | |
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D . Curbing: Concrete curbing shall be installed at the perimeter of internal landscape areas and perimeter parking where parking lots vehicular access aisles or stalls directly abuts required landscaping. Biodetention areas are exempt from curbing requirements, however a vehicle stop is required when biodetention areas directly abut parking stalls.
E. Biodetention in Parking Lot Interior and Perimeter Landscaping Areas: Retention of the 80th percentile storm is required for all impervious surface parking lots with 50 or more parking spaces. Where this is not feasible, as defined in the SLCDPUs Standard Practices Manual, an approved Stormwater Best Management Practices (Stormwater BMPs) is required. All proposed Stormwater BMPs are subject to Public Utilities Division review, approval, and inspection.
F. Stormwater BMP Approval Required: A SLC Approved Stormwater Best Management Practice (Stormwater BMP) for all hard surfaced parking lots is required prior to discharge to the public storm drain and gutter, as required in Subsection 21A.44.060.A.2:
1. All Stormwater BMPs are subject to Public Utilities Division review, approval, and inspection.
2. Plantings within BMPs are to be drought tolerant, salt tolerant, winter hardy, and able to be submerged. (Ord. 12-24, 2024)