Chapter 16.58 LANDSCAPING STANDARDS

The objectives of this chapter are to improve the appearance of certain setback and yard areas, including off-street vehicular parking and open-lot sales and service areas; and to protect and preserve the appearance, character, and value of the surrounding neighborhoods and commercial businesses to thereby promote the general welfare by providing for installation and maintenance of landscaping for screening and aesthetic qualities of the city. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.020 Enforcement.

These standards shall be considered as minimum requirements and shall apply to all new development (except a seasonal parking facility, single-family detached dwelling units and duplexes to be built on their own lot and not part of a subdivision) in the city that received preliminary plat approval before the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.030 Installation.

All landscaping shall be installed in a sound, professional manner with the quality of plant materials as hereinafter described. All elements of landscaping shall be installed so as to meet all other applicable code requirements. Landscaped areas shall require protection from vehicular encroachment as hereinafter provided in SMC 16.58.220 and 16.58.230. The building and zoning official shall inspect all landscaping and no certificates of occupancy shall be issued until the landscaping meets the requirements provided herein. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.040 Maintenance.

The owner, tenant and/or manager or agent of any property that is required to be developed in accordance with these standards shall be jointly and severally responsible for the maintenance of all landscaping which shall be maintained in good condition so as to present a healthy, neat, and orderly appearance, and shall be kept free from refuse and debris. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.050 Existing plant material.

In instances where healthy plant material exists on a site prior to its development, in part or in whole, for the purpose of providing landscaping for off-street parking or other vehicular use areas, the building and zoning official may adjust the application of these standards to allow credit for existing plant material if, in his or her written opinion, such an adjustment is in keeping with and will preserve the intent of these standards. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.060 Landscaping requirements for certain yard areas and vehicular use areas.

These standards apply to all areas used for the display or parking of any and all types of vehicles, boats, or heavy construction equipment, whether such vehicles, boats, or equipment are self-propelled or not; and all land upon which vehicles traverse the property as a function of the primary use, including but not limited to activities of a drive-in nature, such as gasoline filling and/or service stations, grocery stores, banks, restaurants, and the like. The development of these activities shall conform to the minimum landscaping requirements hereinafter provided. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.070 Plant material standards.

A. Quality. Plant materials used in conformance with the provisions of these standards shall be free of any disease at the time of planting. All plant materials shall be examined by the building, zoning official, city construction inspector one year from the date of their installation and any ground cover, shrubs, or trees found to be in a less than healthy and growing condition shall be replaced by the owner, developer, or their agent.

B. Trees. All plant material designated as “trees” on an approved site plan shall be species that are rated as having an average mature spread of crown of greater than 10 feet in the state of Washington. Tree species shall be a minimum of seven feet in overall height measured from the top of the root collar at the time of planting. Trees of species whose roots are known to cause damage to roadways or other public works shall not be planted closer than 12 feet to any roadway, water line or sewer line, unless the tree root system is completely contained within a barrier form, of which the interior containing dimensions shall be five feet square and five feet deep, and for which the construction requirements shall be four-inch thick concrete reinforced with No. 6 road mesh (six by six by six) or equivalent. A list of such tree species shall be maintained by the building and zoning official for the guidance of the public.

C. Shrubs and Hedges. Shrubs shall be a minimum of two feet in height when measured at the time of planting. Hedges, where required, shall be planted and maintained so as to establish a continuous, unbroken, solid visual screen within a maximum of one year from the date of installation.

D. Vines. Vines shall be a minimum of 30 inches in length at the time of installation and may be used in conjunction with fences, screens, or walls.

E. Ground Covers. Ground covers used in lieu of grass shall be planted in such a manner as to present a finished appearance and reasonably complete coverage within three months after installation.

F. Lawn Grass. Grass areas shall be planted in species successfully grown as permanent lawns in the state of Washington. Grass areas may be sodded, plugged, sprigged, or seeded, except that solid sod shall be used in areas subject to erosion. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

Article II. Design Standards

16.58.080 Landscape design standards.

The following standards shall be considered the minimum requirements for the installation of all plant materials in the city of Sultan. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.090 Minimum tree and shrub planting or preservation requirements.

A. General. Trees shall not be placed so as to interfere with site drainage, or where they shall require frequent pruning to avoid interference with overhead power and utility lines. Unless otherwise provided in these standards, a minimum number of trees shall be planted or preserved on each site, as follows:

1. Single-Family Residential Lots. One tree shall be planted or preserved for every 5,000 square feet of area or fraction thereof of a single-family residential lot. Trees larger than the minimum size may be credited as indicated in Table 16.58-B contained in these standards.

2. Multifamily Residential or Nonresidential Lots. One tree shall be planted or preserved for every 2,000 square feet of lot area or fraction thereof of either a multifamily residential or nonresidential lot. Trees larger than the minimum size may be credited as indicated in Table 16.58-B contained within these standards. Additional trees preserved on each lot shall only count for that lot/unit.

B. Large Wall Treatment. Wall treatment or landscaping shall be used to soften the impact of large blank walls of multifamily or nonresidential structures. The purpose of this requirement is to incorporate these large structures into the surrounding landscaping and to create a natural and enjoyable work and living environment. Screening or wall treatment shall be installed at a minimum of 10 feet in height and plant material installed shall meet the minimum height requirements of this section. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.100 Allocation of trees to satisfy minimum planting requirements.

A. Where Trees May Be Credited. Trees required to be planted or preserved by these standards shall be used to satisfy the following requirements of other sections of this zoning code, including:

1. Interior of parking or other vehicular use areas;

2. Perimeter of parking or other vehicular use areas; and

3. Perimeter buffers in multifamily residential or nonresidential areas.

B. Where Trees May Not Be Credited. Trees required to be planted or preserved by these standards that lie outside the property lines of the subject site may not be credited in the tabulation of the required number of trees to be provided.

C. General. In enacting this minimum tree planting requirement, it is the intent to require that a canopy of trees be developed throughout any site proposed for development. This subsection establishes a formula for allocating a certain number of trees to each subarea in a site development. Preservation areas are excluded from the total area in calculating the tree planting requirements as an incentive to preserve significant vegetation. The actual number of trees to be planted or preserved will be established on the individual site development plan(s).

D. Allocation Formula. The minimum number of trees required to be planted or preserved within a site shall be determined by applying the formula established in these standards in SMC 16.58.090. The minimum number of trees required to be planted in a subarea or phase shall be in proportion to the total number of trees required to be planted in the overall site development. This proportion shall be determined by calculating the percent of the subarea or phase relative to the total site proposed for development. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

Article III. Standards for Landscape Materials

16.58.110 Tree planting standards.

Immediately upon planting, trees shall be a minimum of seven feet in trunk height and shall have a minimum caliper of one and one-half inches measured from a height of six inches above the ground. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.120 Tree species mix.

When more than 10 trees are required to be planted, a mix of species shall be provided. The number of species to be planted shall vary according to the total number of trees required. The minimum number of species to be planted is indicated in the following table. Species shall be planted in proportion to the required mix. This species mix shall not apply to areas of vegetation required to be preserved by law.

Table 16.58-A: Required Species Mix for New Site Development
Required Number of Trees	Minimum of Species
11 – 20	2
21 – 30	3
31 – 40	4
41 or more	5

(Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.130 Shrub planting standards.

Shrubs required to be planted in accordance with these standards shall be a minimum of 24 inches in height from the top of the root collar at the time of planting, and spaced 18 to 36 inches on center. Spacing of individual plants shall depend on the types of shrubs that are to be installed. Exceptions and/or substitutions from this requirement may be approved by the building and zoning official to promote the use of slow growing or native plant material. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.140 Use of larger tree sizes.

Credits for the use of larger trees than the minimum required size will be as indicated in the following table. Fractional measurements shall be attributed to the next lowest category.

Table 16.58-B: Calculation of Tree-Size Credits in New Site Development
Crown Spread of Proposed Trees	and	Height at Planting of Proposed Trees	=	Number of Tree Credits
14 or more feet	and	25 feet or more	=	4
10 – 13 feet	and	17 – 24 feet	=	3
6 – 9 feet	and	11 – 16 feet	=	2
less than 6 feet	and	10 feet or less	=	1

(Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.150 Use of native plant materials.

Trees and other vegetation shall be planted in soil and climatic conditions which are appropriate for their growth habits and characteristics. Plants used in landscape design pursuant to this section shall, to the greatest extent possible, be:

A. Appropriate to the conditions in which they are to be planted;

B. Have noninvasive growth habits;

C. Encourage low maintenance, high quality design; and

D. Be otherwise consistent with the intent of these standards. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.160 Use of adapted plant materials.

The use of plant materials adapted to the vicinity of the development is encouraged to reduce water consumption, general maintenance, and the dependence on fertilizers and insecticides. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.170 Replacement requirements.

Vegetation that is required to be planted or preserved by these standards shall be replaced with equivalent vegetation if it is not living within one year of the issuance of an occupancy permit. Preserved trees for which credit was awarded that die within one year from the date of issuance of an occupancy permit shall be replaced by the required number of living trees as established in these standards. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.180 Maintenance standards for cultivated landscape areas.

The owner or agent of land subject to these standards shall be responsible for the maintenance of said land in good condition so as to present a healthy and neat appearance, and said land shall be kept free from refuse and debris. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.190 Landscape plan requirements.

A. General. Prior to the issuance of any building permit for any development other than a single- or two-family home on its own lot, a landscape plan shall be submitted to the building and zoning official for review and approval.

B. Contents of Landscape Plans. Landscape plans shall:

1. Be drawn to scale of preliminary site plan and include dimensions and distances;

2. Delineate existing and proposed parking spaces and/or other vehicular use areas;

3. Designate by name and location all plant material to be installed or preserved in accordance with these or any other applicable standards;

4. Identify and describe all other landscape material and elements proposed to be used;

5. Show all landscape features, including areas of vegetation to be preserved in relationship to all existing or proposed building and/or any other improvements to the site;

6. Include a tabular summary clearly indicating the relevant statistical information necessary for the building and zoning official to determine compliance with the provisions of these standards. This information shall include gross acreage, square footage of vegetation preservation areas, the number of trees to be planted or preserved, square footage of paved areas, and such other information as the building and zoning official may require. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

Article IV. Location Requirements

16.58.200 Required landscaping adjacent to public rights-of-way.

On the site of a building providing an off-street parking area or other vehicular use area, where such area will not be entirely screened visually by an intervening building or structure from any abutting right-of-way, there shall be provided landscaping between such area and such right-of-way, as follows:

A. A strip of land at least five feet in width, located between the abutting right-of-way and the off-street parking areas or other vehicular use area, which is exposed to an abutting right-of-way, shall be landscaped. Such landscaping shall include one tree for each 25 lineal feet or fraction thereof. Such trees shall be located between the abutting right-of-way and off-street parking or other vehicular use area and shall be installed in a planting area of at least 25 square feet, with one dimension being at least five feet. In addition, a hedge at least two feet in height shall be placed along the perimeter of such landscaped strip. The remainder of the required landscaped areas shall be planted with grass, ground cover, or other landscape treatment, excluding paving.

B. All property abutting a right-of-way, other than the required landscaped strip lying between the right-of-way and off-street parking or other vehicular use areas, shall be landscaped with, at a minimum, grass or other ground cover.

C. Necessary access ways from the public right-of-way through all such landscaping shall be permitted to service the parking or other vehicular use area. Such access ways, however, may not be subtracted from the lineal dimension used to determine the number of trees required. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.210 Perimeter landscaping relating to abutting properties.

A. On the site of a building or structure providing an off-street parking or other vehicular use area, where such areas will not be entirely visually screened by an intervening building or structure from any abutting property, that portion of such area not so screened shall be provided with a hedge that is determined to attain, at maturity, not greater than eight feet, nor less than three and one-half feet in height, to form a continuous screen between the off-street parking or other vehicular use areas and such abutting property. This landscaped barrier shall be located between the common lot line and the off-street parking or other vehicular use area exposed to the abutting property. All plant materials shall be installed in a planting strip not less than two and one-half feet in width.

B. Additionally, one tree shall be provided for each 25 lineal feet of landscape barrier, or fractional part thereof. Such trees shall be located between the common lot line and the off-street parking or vehicular use area. Each tree shall be installed within a 25-square-foot planting area, and no dimension of this area shall be less than five feet. Each such planting area shall be landscaped with grass, ground cover or other landscape material, excluding paving, in addition to the required tree.

C. Exceptions. The provisions of this section shall not be required to be met in the following situations:

1. Where a proposed parking or other vehicular use area abuts an existing hedge, wall, or other durable landscaping barrier on an abutting property, said existing barrier may be used to satisfy the landscape barrier requirements of this subsection; provided, that said barrier meets all applicable standards of this law, and protection against vehicular encroachment is provided for by hedges.

2. Where the abutting property is zoned or used for nonresidential activities, only the tree provision with its planting areas as prescribed in this section shall be required. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.220 Parking area interior landscaping.

A. Off-street parking areas shall have at least 10 square feet of interior landscaping for each parking space, excluding those spaces abutting a perimeter for which landscaping is required by any other section of this zoning code, and excluding all parking spaces that are directly served by an aisle abutting and running parallel to such a perimeter.

B. Additionally, other vehicular use areas shall have one square foot of landscaped area for each 100 square feet of paved area or fraction thereof for the first 10,000 square feet of paved surface, plus one square foot of landscaped area for each 200 square feet or fraction thereof of paved area for all pavement surfaces over 10,000 square feet.

C. Where the property contains both parking and other vehicular use areas (off-street loading space, for example), the two types of areas shall be separated for the purpose of determining the landscape requirements of the other vehicular use area. Each separate landscaped area shall contain a minimum of 50 square feet and shall have a minimum dimension along any one side of five feet.

D. Each separate landscaped area shall include at least one tree having a clear trunk of at least five feet, with the remaining area landscaped with shrubs, ground cover, or other vegetative material not to exceed three feet in height.

E. The total number of trees shall be not less than one for each 100 square feet or fraction thereof of required interior landscaped area. Such landscaped areas shall be located in such a manner as to visually divide and break up the expanse of parking.

F. The front of a vehicle may encroach upon any interior landscaped area when said area is at least three and one-half feet in depth per abutting parking space and protected by wheel stops or curbing. Two feet of said landscaped area may be part of the required depth of each abutting parking space. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.230 Sight distance for landscaping adjacent to public rights-of-way and points of access.

When a driveway or other vehicle access way intersects a public right-of-way, or when a subject property abuts the intersection of two or more public rights-of-way, all landscaping within the triangle areas described herein shall provide unobstructed cross-visibility at a level between three and six vertical feet; provided, however, that trees shall have their limbs and/or foliage trimmed in such a manner that no visual impediment exists within the cross-visibility area; and further provided, that any trees are located in such a manner as to create no traffic safety hazard. Landscaping, except required grass or ground cover, shall not be located closer than three feet from the edge of any access way pavement. The sight clearance triangle areas referred to above are shown on Figure 16.58-1, below.

Figure 16.58-1

(Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.240 Adjustments of standards.

The building and zoning official, upon receipt of an application for adjustment of the landscaping requirements provided herein, and executed and sworn to by the owner of the property concerned or his authorized agent, shall have the authority and duty to consider and act upon such application. The applicant shall clearly and in detail state what adjustment of requirements are being requested and the reasons that such adjustments are warranted. The application shall be accompanied by supplemental data, such as sketches, surveys, and statistical information, as is deemed necessary to support the adjustment. The building and zoning official may approve, modify, or deny the requested adjustment, but shall approve or modify only if he or she determines that any adjustment would not be contrary to the public interest, would be in keeping with and preserve the intent of this chapter, and literal enforcement of the above standards would be impracticable and would result in an unreasonable and unnecessary hardship. The building and zoning official shall act upon any such application within 30 calendar days of its official submission by the applicant. If the department does not take any official action within the aforesaid 30-day period, or if there is no mutually agreed upon extension of the time beyond the 30 days, in writing, between the applicant and the building and zoning official, then the application shall be considered to be approved. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))

16.58.250 Other applicable requirements.

The provisions of these standards shall be subject to other applicable codes and regulations where such regulations are more restrictive and are not otherwise inconsistent with the provisions of these standards. (Ord. 1244-16 § 3 (Exh. A))