A. General Landscape Standards. The landscaping standards provided in this section shall apply to all parcels within the SP-24 Town Center Northwest Specific Plan and shall comply with Chapter 13.10 of the Signal Hill Municipal Code, Water Conservation in Landscaping.
1. Landscaping and a permanent irrigation system shall be maintained in the area between any property line abutting a public right-of-way and the dwelling, building or structure.
2. Landscaping and vegetation shall be maintained as follows:
a. All landscaped areas shall be kept and maintained in a manner that does not detract from the appearance of the immediate neighborhood, and that protects the health, safety and welfare of the user, occupants, and general public.
b. All landscaped areas shall be kept and maintained in a neat and clean condition, free of weeds, debris, litter, dead, diseased, or dying vegetation and broken or defective decorative elements.
c. Vegetation in landscaped areas shall be mowed, groomed, trimmed, pruned, and watered to maintain a healthy, growing condition.
d. Irrigation systems shall be kept in good working condition and repair to prevent leaks or public health hazards.
e. Vegetative overgrowth shall not be permitted in a manner that is likely to harbor rodents, vermin, insects, or other nuisances; or impedes, obstructs, or denies pedestrian or other lawful travel on sidewalks, walkways, or other public rights-of-way.
f. All property owners shall water, prune, weed and otherwise maintain landscaping in the parkway portions of adjoining streets, including street trees.
g. Parkway landscaping shall be maintained by the abutting property owner.
B. Minimum Landscape Area. A minimum of 10% of the total specific plan area shall provide and be maintained as landscaped area. Setback area and other unused areas of the site that are not intended for future use may count toward the required percentage. Parking lot landscaping may not be counted toward meeting the minimum percentage.
1. Landscape planting shall emphasize drought-tolerant and native species, complement the architectural design of structures on the site and be suitable for the soil and climatic conditions of the site. Consistent with the purposes of California Government Code Section 65591 et seq. (Water Conservation in Landscaping Act), all new and rehabilitated landscape projects shall comply with the following water-conserving landscape requirements:
a. To the greatest extent possible, landscape material shall consist of drought-tolerant plants. Low-water-use plants shall be used in at least 50% of the total planted area. Planted areas shall consist of plant material well-suited to the given soil and climate of the region. Plant selection shall take into consideration water conservation through appropriate use and groupings of plants that are well adapted to sites and require similar watering needs and climatic, geological, and topographical conditions.
b. The maximum area permitted for living turf shall be 30% of the total landscaped area on the site. Higher percentages may be permitted when sod is an essential part of the development common outdoor open space areas such as playing fields, gardens, dog runs, parks and residential model units. Turf usage shall only be permitted for highly visual and functional use areas. Natural turf shall not be permitted in areas difficult to irrigate, such as sidewalk strips, slopes over 15% or narrow pathways.
c. Where decorative water features such as pools, ponds or waterfalls are used in landscaped areas, such features shall incorporate recycling of water and where available, use of reclaimed water. Decorative water features shall be designed to minimize water loss.
C. Minimum Landscaping of Lot. The lot areas not utilized for vehicular and pedestrian access, shall be landscaped with plant materials, including some combination of trees, shrubs, groundcover, and living functional use turf. Decorative landscape material, such as exposed mulch, rocks, or decomposed granite may be used but is to be an integral landscape design element and shall be limited to a maximum of 20% of the landscape area. Artificial turf and pavers may also be used as decorative landscape; however, artificial turf shall not be used in combination with living turf.
D. All living landscaped areas shall be provided with an automatic irrigation system, unless the director finds that such an irrigation system, due to the size, location, or configuration of the landscaped area, cannot reasonably be installed and maintained.
E. Plant selection, container size and spacing shall be specified to achieve an immediate effect of a filled in landscape and to allow sustained growth of planting materials.
F. Twenty-four- to 48-inch box trees are preferred and shall be included in large or more prominent landscape areas, plazas or open space. The minimum container size for interior lot trees shall be 15 gallon, and 24-inch box for street trees. Tree sizes are to meet the following percentages, 24-inch box (or larger) at a minimum of 35% and 15 gallon at a maximum of 65% of the total trees.
G. The minimum plant size for shrubs shall be five gallons.
H. Groundcover, including turf, shall be planted in a manner to provide 100% coverage within one year of initial planting.
I. Plant material installation standards:
1. Trees planted within ten feet of a street, sidewalk, paved trail or walkway shall be a deep-rooted species or shall be separated from paved surfaces by a root barrier to prevent physical damage. A minimum distance of ten feet is required between
the center of trees to streetlight standards, water or sewer lines, water meters, back-flow prevention systems, sewer cleanouts and fire hydrants.
2. Screening plant material shall be used for utilities, fences, site walls and unadorned structure walls.
3. Trees and shrubs shall be planting and maintained in a manner that protects the basic rights of adjacent property owners.
4. Trees and shrubs shall be planted so that at maturity they do not interfere with traffic safety sight areas or require trimming to keep growth to a restricted height or width.
J. Hardscape and Landscape Replacement. Any deviation or changeout of hardscape or landscape materials requires administrative review and shall be approved by the director, prior to installation, to ensure maximum stormwater and methane mitigation is maintained.
K. Stormwater. Required stormwater treatment facilities can be located in publicly accessible outdoor spaces but shall not be located in private outdoor spaces (common or personal), public right-of-ways, or public easements. Exceptions include permeable paving (as defined by applicable stormwater management standards), which can be used in private (common or personal) outdoor space; and landscape required stormwater planters, which may occupy up to 15% of the common outdoor space.
L. Surface Parking Lots/Areas. A minimum of 10% of every parking lot shall be devoted to landscape excluding setbacks and vehicle overhangs. The maximum vehicular overhang shall be three feet. Surface parking shall be divided into smaller landscaped lots or courts, with defined pedestrian connections, landscaping, and shade trees. Surface parking lots should include ample shade trees to reduce the heat island effect. Tree sizes shall be per paragraph F, above. A landscape plan shall include the parking area and shall consist of a combination of trees, shrubs and groundcover, the size, quantity, species and location of each. Automatic irrigation must be provided to all landscaped areas.
(Ord. 2022-07-1538 § 4 (part), 2022)