§ 22.47.050. Types of landscaping.

All multifamily residential, commercial and industrial projects shall be required to provide landscaping that satisfies the functions and specific requirements of this section. Single-family housing, individual manufactured homes (not part of a manufactured home park) and duplex housing are specifically exempted from the requirements of this title.

A.

Type 1 Landscaping—Sight Barrier Buffers.

1.

Purpose: to provide a very dense sight barrier and physical barrier to significantly separate abutting incompatible zones (see Table 22.47). Landscaping of this type shall be used around the perimeter of the site, except where access for autos and pedestrians is required. Zones separated by public streets are not considered abutting and do not require vegetative separation in accordance with this section, except for proposed land uses listed under Section 22.47.050C1 and 2 which require Type 1 landscaping on all sides.

2.

Description.

a.

A minimum of ten feet in width shall be required for each planting area.

b.

A screen of at least six feet in height at time of planting, resulting in a noise and sight obscuring buffer that is any one or a combination of the following methods:

i.

A solid row of evergreen trees or shrubs;

ii.

A solid row of evergreen trees and shrubs planted on an earthen berm an average of three feet high along its midline;

iii.

A combination of trees or shrubs and fencing (metal or wood) or wall (brick, masonry or textured concrete).

c.

Trees and shrubs shall be spaced to grow together within four years from planting, and ground cover be provided to attain seventy-five percent coverage within four years.

B.

Type 2 Landscaping—Visual Separation Buffers.

1.

Purpose: to provide visual separation of compatible uses so as to soften the appearance of streets, parking areas and building elevation (see Table 22.47). Landscaping of this type may be used around the perimeter of the site, except where auto and pedestrian access is required. Zones separated by public streets are not considered abutting and do not require vegetative separation in accordance with this section, except for proposed land uses listed under Section 22.47.020C3 which require Type 2 landscaping on all sides. See Section 22.47.020F for additional requirements which pertain to Type 2 landscaping.

2.

Description.

a.

Trees shall be any combination of deciduous and evergreen (with no more than fifty percent being deciduous). One tree shall be provided for each twenty-five lineal feet of landscaped area.

b.

A minimum planting area of eight feet in width shall be required.

c.

Evergreen shrubs and ground cover must provide seventy-five percent coverage of the designated area within four years from planting.

C.

Planting Requirements for Specific Uses.

1.

The following uses require Type 1 landscaping on all sides when located above ground and not housed within a building or accessory to another use; and if located outside the public right-of-way:

a.

Utility substation;

b.

Sewage pumping station;

c.

Water distribution facility;

d.

Antenna support structures; and

e.

Wireless communication facility.

2.

The following uses require Type 1 landscaping on all sides not abutting a public street:

a.

Medical clinic or hospital;

b.

Mental health facility;

c.

Inpatient facility;

d.

Campgrounds/RV park;

e.

Transportation facility, large scale or regional; and

f.

Prison, jail, other corrections facilities, juvenile detention facility.

Note: Landscaping within fenced security areas and parking lots of facilities listed under subsection (C)(2)(f) above should not exceed a height of twenty-four inches at maturity. Proposed landscaping plans should be reviewed by facility personnel to ensure landscaping does not interfere with facility security measures.

3.

The following uses require Type 2 landscaping on all sides:

a.

School;

b.

Church; and

c.

Neighborhood community center.

D.

Landscaping Between Parking Lots and Public Rights-of-Way.

1.

Purpose: to provide visual relief and separation of parking areas from public rights-of-way. The following requirements apply to all parking lots located adjacent to a public right-of-way, except those provided for, and on the same lots with, single-family dwellings, and except for those land uses listed in Section 22.47.050C which require Type 1 landscaping on all sides. When a parking lot in any zone is located adjacent to a public right-of-way, a landscape strip as described below shall be provided on the property between the parking lot and the right-of-way. The landscaped strip may not include any paved area except pedestrian sidewalks or trails which cross the landscaped strip. Pedestrian access may be required to facilitate transit usage. Shrubs must be maintained at a maximum height of thirty-six inches. Any of the following landscaped strip treatments may be used singly or in combination:

a.

Provide a minimum ten-foot wide landscape strip between the right-of-way and the parking lot to be planted with minimum of one shade tree and ten shrubs per thirty-five linear feet of frontage, excluding driveway openings;

b.

Provide a berm, the top of which is at least two and one-half feet higher than the elevation of the adjacent parking lot pavement. The slope of the berm shall not exceed thirty-three percent for lawn areas. Berms planted with ground covers and shrubs may be steeper. However, no slope shall exceed fifty percent. Berms should be graded to appear smooth, rounded, naturalistic forms. Avoid narrow bumps which result from creating too much height for width of the space. Plant with a minimum of one shade tree and five shrubs per thirty-five linear feet of frontage, excluding driveway openings;

c.

Provide a minimum six-foot wide landscaped strip and a minimum three-foot grade drop from the right-of-way line to the adjacent parking lot pavement. Plant the resulting embankment with a minimum of one shade tree and five shrubs per thirty-five linear feet of frontage, excluding driveway openings. Ground cover or low shrubs shall be planted to attain seventy-five percent coverage within four years;

d.

Provide a minimum five-foot wide landscaped strip between the right-of-way line and the parking lot, with a minimum three-foot high brick, stone or finished concrete wall to screen the parking lot. The wall shall be located adjacent to but entirely outside the five-foot landscaped strip. Plant with a minimum of one shade tree per thirty-five linear feet of frontage, excluding driveway openings;

e.

Provide a minimum twenty-five-foot wide strip of existing native vegetation, unless the creation of such a strip creates a hazard of existing trees as determined by a certified landscaper or forester.

E.

Parking Area Interior Buffers.

Purpose: to provide visual relief and shade in parking areas. All parking areas with more than ten parking spaces are required to have landscaping as provided below.

Description.

1.

Design.

a.

Live planting material shall be provided throughout each landscaping area, and may be any combination of grass, shrubs and trees that provide the desired effect of providing visual relief and green space within the parking area.

b.

Each planting area shall contain at least one tree. Up to one hundred percent of the trees proposed for the planting area may be deciduous.

c.

Landscaping islands must be placed in every parking row at a maximum spacing of every ten parking spaces. Landscaping islands shall be a minimum of eight feet in width and shall extend the length of the parking stall. The minimum required width may be reduced for landscaping islands located in angled parking areas. In cases where no more than two parking rows wide are proposed for the entire parking lot, the maximum spacing requirement (ten spaces) may be varied as part of the site plan review process provided the total requirements for total landscaping area are met.

d.

To provide for vehicle overhang, curbs need to be located at least three feet from the trunk of the tree.

2.

Required Amount.

a.

If the parking area contains more than ten but no more than fifty parking spaces, at least seventeen and one-half square feet of landscape development must be provided for each parking stall proposed.

b.

If the area contains more than fifty, but no more than one hundred parking spaces, at least twenty-five square feet landscape development must be provided for each parking stall proposed.

c.

If the parking area contains more than one hundred spaces, at least thirty-five square feet of landscape development must be provided for each parking stall proposed.

d.

The above requirements are considered a minimum. Additional landscape area may be necessary to meet design requirements above.

F.

Street Buffers.

1.

Purpose: provide visual relief along pedestrian corridors and to separate pedestrians from streets;

2.

Description: shall be in accordance with applicable county road design standards.

G.

Outdoor Storage Buffers.

1.

Purpose: provide visual relief surrounding storage areas;

2.

Description: A storage yard in connection with a permitted commercial or industrial use shall require visual screening from adjacent properties and public rights-of-way. Visual screening shall be required to consist of a continuous fence, wall, evergreen hedge, landscape planting or combination thereof so as to effectively screen the storage yard which it encloses, and be maintained in good condition. In cases where the physical characteristics of the parcel or surrounding parcels make actual screening from adjacent properties impossible or unreasonable, this requirement may be completely or partially waived by the hearing examiner after public hearing and review as required by the variance process.

H.

Incompatible Uses.

1.

An incompatible use is defined as:

a.

A commercial or industrial zoning district or use adjacent to: (1) a residential lot of two acres or less, or (2) a residential zoning district with a density of one unit per two acres or greater.

b.

A proposed residential subdivision lot that is less than fifty percent of the square footage of an existing contiguous residential lot.

2.

Applicability.

a.

This section applies where the common property line is at least twenty feet in length and where a new proposed use is adjacent to an incompatible use as described in section 1.

b.

Individual single-family residences, existing, legal non-conforming uses and properties separated by a public road are exempt from the requirements of Section 22.47.050.H. Development within the Neighborhood Commercial Zone (NC), Mixed Use Zone (MU), Commercial Development Zone (CD), General Commercial Zone (GC), Light Industrial Zone (LI) and Heavy Industrial Zone (HI) are also exempt from the requirements of Section 22.47.050.H.

c.

A variance to reduce the buffer width may be permitted pursuant to TCC 22.58.

3.

Screening between incompatible uses. Screening shall consist of a thirty-foot wide buffer containing the following:

a.

A vegetated buffer of predominantly native and drought tolerant species that will provide a very dense sight barrier and physical buffer to significantly separate conflicting uses and land use districts.

b.

Plant materials and ground cover shall be selected and maintained so that the thirty-foot buffer will be fully vegetated within three years.

c.

A combination of trees, shrubs, earthen berms, and related plant materials or design features may be selected, provided that the resultant effect is sight-obscuring from adjoining properties. In addition, fences and walls may be incorporated into the landscaping buffer.

d.

A minimum of one tree per twenty-five linear feet shall be planted. Trees shall be a minimum one inch in caliper measured six inches above the base at the time of planting.

e.

Shrubs must be capable of growing to a minimum of five feet in height, within three years. Shrubs shall be planted on eight-foot centers at minimum.

f.

Ground cover shall consist of bark, mulch, native grasses and/or native understory vegetation such as salal, Oregon grape, Knickknick, Sword fern, etc.

g.

Retention and salvage of existing native vegetation and trees is preferred over removal and replacement of vegetation.

4.

The thirty foot buffer required by this section may be used for the following so long as the design standards of subsection 3 can be met.

a.

Storm water treatment facilities.

b.

Open space.

c.

Tree tracts.

d.

Critical area protection.

e.

Required landscaping.

5.

In the event of a conflict between the standards for individual uses and other general requirements of this chapter, the more stringent shall apply. Determination of the appropriate standards shall be made by the department.

I.

Species Choice. The applicant shall utilize native plants and soils which are adaptable to local climatic conditions wherever possible and practical. The use of drought tolerant species is recommended to reduce or eliminate the need for irrigation. It is also recommended that any vegetation retained or planted consist of noninvasive plant species to reduce future maintenance requirements and encroachment on other property. An invasive plant species is a nonnative plant species that escapes into the wild and displaces native vegetation. Noxious weeds are prohibited pursuant to Chapter 17.10 RCW. English ivy (Hedera helix) is a particularly aggressive, invasive plant species and use of this species for landscaping is prohibited except where necessary for stabilization of steep slopes.

(Ord. 13058 § 34, 2003; Ord. 12032 § 44, 1999; Ord. 11669 § 2 (part), 1998)

(Ord. No. 14439, § 16, 11-16-2010; Ord. No. 15390, § 1(Att. A, § AI), 11-29-2016)