Chapter 19.21 SITESCREENING AND LANDSCAPING

Chapter 19.21
SITESCREENING AND LANDSCAPING

Sections:

19.21.020 General Provisions and Requirements.

19.21.010 Legislative Intent.

This Chapter is intended:

(1) To consolidate and establish landscaping standards that will: promote low-impact development practices, such as bioretention, as defined in Section 19.01.070; allow landscaping to also be used to satisfy drainage needs; reduce stormwater runoff pollution, temperature, and volume; aid in energy conservation and outdoor livability by providing shade and shelter from the wind; provide for recreation and open space; maintain and increase property values; improve the overall appearance of the community to increase its marketability; and protect the character of adjacent residential zoning districts.

(2) To establish sitescreening standards to provide a visual buffer between uses of different intensity and between streets and structures, reduce erosion and stormwater runoff, protect property values, and eliminate potential land use conflicts by mitigating adverse impacts from dust, odor, litter, noise, glare, lights, signs, buildings or parking areas.

(Ord. 9-2019 (Exh. 2) (part), 2019: Ord. 6-2017 § 2(C) (Exh. 1) (part), 2017: Ord. 7-2013 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2015).

19.21.020 General Provisions and Requirements.

(1) Sitescreening and Landscaping Plan. The site plan submitted by an applicant shall include a sitescreening and landscaping plan depicting the location, height, size, and type of all plantings and fences under the requirements of this Chapter. A development authorization issued by the Reviewing Official may condition the approval of an application to require the applicant to submit documentation prepared by a landscape architect or a landscape contractor certifying the sitescreening and landscaping plan will meet the planting and other requirements of this Chapter.

(2) Existing Plant Material. When an applicant wishes to retain existing plant material and a landscape architect or landscaping contractor is required by Subsection 19.21.020(1) to submit documentation, he shall include an evaluation on whether those materials are healthy and will satisfy the intent of this Chapter.

(3) Design Guidelines Authorized. The Administrative Official may publish sitescreening and landscaping design guidelines that include a list of Yakima County-appropriate plant species to allow for choices for sitescreening and landscaping. The guidelines may also include examples on using plant materials (regarding size, spacing, and species) to ensure quality, create the sense of entry into a building or complex, define and enliven public spaces, and provide a sense of character. The guidelines may also include examples for appropriate landscaping to mitigate adverse impacts when approving:

(a) Setback reductions from resource land for especially sensitive land uses (See Section 19.18.205);

(b) Especially sensitive land uses, other than the first dwelling to be located on a lot in AG or FW zones (See Section 19.18.205);

(d) Special exception lots (See Section 19.11.010(3)(c)(v)); and

(e) Concentrated animal feeding operations.

(4) Time of Completion. All sitescreening and landscaping, including irrigation systems needed to maintain the plantings, shall be installed prior to occupancy or commencement of use. Where compliance with this requirement is not possible because of bona fide seasonal planting limitations, the applicant may request a time extension under YCC Section 16B.07.050. However, no permanent Certificate of Occupancy shall be issued until all required sitescreening and landscaping is completed for each phase of a project.

(5) Retention and Maintenance. All sitescreening and landscaping shall be maintained in accordance with this Chapter. It is the property owner’s obligation and responsibility to maintain the approved sitescreening and landscaping. If the sitescreening and/or landscaping deteriorates or is not maintained in a condition consistent with plan approval, the County may require necessary maintenance to be performed and assess the costs to the property owner. These costs shall constitute a lien on the property, from the date of filing a notice of lien with the County Auditor. The lien shall state the legal description of the property, the costs assessed, and be applied in the manner provided by County code and State law. Such lien may be foreclosed by the County in the manner provided by law.

(Ord. 9-2019 (Exh. 2) (part), 2019: Ord. 6-2017 § 2(C) (Exh. 1) (part), 2017: Ord. 7-2013 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2015).

19.21.030 Specific Requirements.

(1) Sitescreening and Landscaping Required – Exceptions. Any proposed new use, including any outdoor storage area, shall provide maintained landscape planting and sitescreening under this Chapter to accomplish the legislative intent stated in Section 19.21.010. This requirement does not apply to:

(a) single-family homes and duplexes on individual lots and their accessory uses,

(b) home businesses,

(d) changes of use within multiple-use complexes,

(e) Type 1 uses generally not subject to project review under Section 19.30.030(1)(d), and

(f) modifications to existing uses being reviewed under Section 19.35.030.

In addition, when approving long subdivisions the Reviewing Official may require appropriate perimeter sitescreening and a property owners association or other entity for its perpetual maintenance.

(2) Standards. Sites shall be planted under the following standards:

(a) Sitescreen and Landscape Planting* Types.

(*Note: See Subsection 19.21.030(2)(h) for plant selection guidelines.)

(i) Standard A (Open Area Landscaping with Trees). Standard A plantings shall include shrubs and/or groundcover plants, and/or xeriscape that will achieve a height of no more than three feet. In addition, trees** shall be included throughout the planting area and be spaced no more than 30 feet apart on center.

(**Note: See Subsection 19.21.030(2)(i) for tree standards.)

(ii) Standard B (Low Buffer). Standard B plantings shall provide a continuous screen that will achieve and maintain a three to four-foot height within three years of project completion so as to buffer views into and out of the site; provided that the plants shall be evergreen when adjacent to parking areas to block headlights. Groundcovers shall be included as necessary to fill in the planting area.

(iii) Standard C (Visual Screen). Standard C shall consist of at least one of the alternatives below as proposed by the applicant:

C-1: A minimum six-foot high, site obscuring fence made of wood, masonry block, concrete or vinyl material. Fencing shall be of uniform aesthetic appearance on both sides;

C-2: A planting strip to provide a continuous screen at least six feet high within three years of project completion that will ensure privacy and screen views such as, but not limited to, area lighting, headlights, traffic, and service areas;

C-3: A planting strip of trees that will be selected and spaced to provide a continuous canopy of touching branches that will grow to at least ten feet high within ten years of project completion.

(b) Property Perimeters along Street Frontages.

(i) The type of plantings specified below shall be provided inside the property lines that abut public roads:

(A) Along the street frontage of properties zoned RS, RT, SR, R-1, R-2, and R-3: a minimum six-foot wide planting area of Standard A (Open Area Landscaping with Trees) is required. If a fence is provided, landscaping must be placed on the exterior (street side) of the fence.

(B) Along the street frontage of properties zoned B-1, B-2, SCC, LCC, HTC, GC, M-1, and M-2, except where buildings are built with no setback from the property line: a minimum three-foot wide planting area of Standard B (Low Buffer) is required.

(ii) Fences and landscaping shall comply with the vision clearance triangle standards of Subsection 19.10.040(7). However, where the applicant elects to provide plantings within all vision clearance triangles on the property and within the rights-of-way adjacent to all clear view triangles, an increase of ten percentage points in the maximum impervious surface limit shall be granted by the Administrative Official; provided, that the plantings in the public rights-of-way are acceptable to the County Engineer.

(c) Property Perimeters Not along Street Frontages. Planting strips as specified by Table 19.21-1 shall be provided along all property lines that abut other parcels, except where adjacent to railroads or where buildings are lawfully built with no setback from the property line. The type of planting in this strip varies depending upon the zone designation of the properties sharing the property line (with or without an intervening alley) as indicated in Table 19.21-1. The owners of adjacent properties may enter into a written agreement to consolidate their perimeter plantings along shared boundaries. Therefore, instead of each property providing a separate planting strip, they together could provide one planting strip, so long as the required planting type and width, as indicated in the table, is provided. The agreement shall be recorded and enforceable on both parties under Section 19.21.020(5).

(d) Landscaping in Other Areas of Sites. All other developed portions of the development project area located within a zone shown in Table 19.21-1 not covered by structures, hard surfaces, or other prescribed plantings shall be planted in Standard A (Open Area Landscaping with Trees); provided, that the total maximum required sitescreening and landscaping is fifteen percent of the development project area. For projects with multiple phases, this requirement applies to the area of each phase when it is developed.

Table 19.21-1. Required Planting Standards for Property Perimeters that are Not along Street Frontages
Legend:	Standard A (Open Area Landscaping with Trees), at least 10 feet wide. Standard B (Low Buffer), at least 3 feet wide. Standard C (Visual Screen), at least 3 feet wide. (Refer to Section 19.21.030(2)(a) for descriptions)
ZONE OF PROPERTY PROPOSED FOR DEVELOPMENT	ZONE OF ADJACENT PROPERTY
	RT	RS SR R-1 R-2	R-3	B-1	B-2	SCC LCC HTC	GC	M-1	M-2
RT	B	C	C	B	B	B	B
RS, SR, R-1 & R-2	C	C	C	B	B	B	B
R-3	B	B	A	B	B	C	C
B-1	B	B	B	A	B	B	B
B-2	B	C	B	B	A	A	B
SCC, LCC & HTC	C	C	C	B	A	A	A
GC	C	C	C	B	B	A	A
M-1	C	C	C	C	B	B	B
M-2	C	C	C	C	C	B	B

(e) Landscaping of Parking Lots.

(i) Parking lots within Urban Growth Areas, RS, HTC, and RT zones shall be landscaped a minimum of ten percent of the total area used for parking spaces and maneuvering to and from those spaces. This landscaping area may be included to satisfy the lot coverage (impermeable surface) requirements.

(ii) A standard of one shade tree from an approved list in the landscaping guidelines authorized by Section 19.21.020(3), or as approved by the Reviewing Official, shall be planted for every 14 parking stalls within Urban Growth Areas, RS, HTC, and RT zones. Such shade trees shall be provided in-between parking stalls such that no more than 14 continuous single-row parking stalls or 28 continuous double-row parking stalls will exist within the parking lot.

(iii) Landscaping shall consist of combinations of trees, shrubs, and groundcover with careful consideration to eventual size and spread, susceptibility to disease and pests, durability, and adaptability to existing soil and climatic conditions.

(iv) Landscaping shall be located within the parking area, such as in-between parking spaces or in parking “islands,” or around the perimeter of the parking lot.

(v) Parking lots are subject to the perimeter landscaping standards listed in Subsections 19.21.030(2)(b) and 19.21.030(2)(c). However, for each additional shade tree provided within the parking area that exceeds the minimum number of shade trees required by Subsection (ii) above, the required number of perimeter trees shall be reduced by 1.5 trees, rounded down to the next whole number.

(vi) Every parking lot that abuts property zoned R-1, R-2, R-3, RS or RT and serves a Type 2 use, a Type 3 use, a commercial use, or an industrial use shall be separated from such property by a solid wall, or view-obscuring fence, or landscaped berm at least six feet in height, or landscaped with a 3-foot width of Standard C sitescreening. The Reviewing Official may increase the height, depth and content of said screening, fencing and/or landscaping as necessary to adequately protect adjacent single-family residential development. The screening shall be provided and maintained along the property line of such lot. Ingress and egress locations shall meet the vision clearance triangle standards of Subsection 19.10.040(7).

(f) Sitescreening for Other Projects. Sitescreening may be required in all zones as a condition of approval for the projects listed below. The function of such sitescreening is to mitigate the impacts of dust, odors, noise, glare, lights, buildings, parking lots, and traffic on especially sensitive land uses. The sitescreening and landscaping design guidelines authorized by Section 19.21.020(3) may include a list of preferred species and site layout recommendations for effective sitescreening for the following project types:

(i) Setback reductions from resource land for especially sensitive land uses (See Section 19.18.205);

(ii) Especially sensitive land uses, other than the first dwelling to be located on a lot in AG or FW zones (Section 19.18.205);

(iii) Clustered lots in rural and resource areas (Section 19.34.035);

(iv) Special exception lots (Section 19.11.010(3)); and

(v) Concentrated animal feeding operations.

(g) Other Sitescreening and Landscaping Requirements. In addition to the sitescreening and landscaping requirements of this Chapter, specific requirements for the following uses are found in the following Chapters and Sections:

(i) Mobile/manufactured home parks (Section 19.18.280);

(ii) Comprehensive design plans for administratively adjusting sign standards (Section 19.35.020(7));

(iii) Master planned resorts (Section 19.11.050);

(iv) Master planned development overlays (Section 19.17.040);

(v) Mini-storage (Section 19.18.320); and

(vi) Parking and Loading (Chapter 19.22).

(h) Plant Selection. Plantings may consist of a mix of evergreen and deciduous species including living trees, shrubs (including arborvitae), and ground-only covers interspersed with accents such as, but not limited to, grass, bark, gravel, river rock, red rock, shale, and basalt. The applicant is encouraged to utilize plant materials that complement the natural character of the Yakima region and that are adaptable to the climatic, topographic and hydrologic characteristics of the site, including xeriscape and native plants. In selecting species, the applicant is encouraged to utilize plant materials that reduce or eliminate the need for fertilizers, herbicides, or other chemical controls.

(i) Trees.

(i) Deciduous trees shall meet the most recent American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards for a one and one-half-inch caliper tree at the time of planting.

(ii) Evergreen trees, excluding arborvitae, shall be a minimum of six feet tall at the time of planting.

(iii) Trees to be located in the vicinity of overhead power lines shall be limited to a mature height of 25 feet to avoid conflict with utility lines and maintenance crews.

(iv) Trees shall be located within the landscaping plan, outside of easements for underground utilities, aside from underground utilities, and away from streetlights to avoid conflicts with their maintenance and functions.

(j) Location.

(i) All required sitescreening shall:

(A) Be located on the perimeter of a parcel upon which the development occurs; provided that the sitescreening does not need to be located on the portions of a parcel’s perimeter that are adjacent to areas on the parcel that are not being developed; and further provided that the sitescreening may be located along the perimeter of the development project area when the proposed development will occupy only a portion of a large parcel;

(B) Extend from lot line to lot line unless conforming to the provisions in Subsection A above or a natural physical feature, such as a stream or steep slope, makes this impractical;

(D) Be located within the property boundaries of the site and not on any portion of a public or private street, dedicated right-of-way, access easement, except as provided in Section 19.21.030(2)(b)(ii).

(ii) All required landscaping shall:

(A) Be dispersed strategically throughout the site, including within tree wells, along the foundations of buildings, and along the perimeter of the site;

(B) Be integrated with sitescreening as appropriate;

(Ord. 9-2019 (Exh. 2) (part), 2019: Ord. 6-2017 § 2(C) (Exh. 1) (part), 2017: Ord. 7-2013 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2015).