Chapter 17.65 LANDSCAPE STANDARDS

A. Enhance the esthetic appearance of commercial developments throughout the City by providing standards related to the quality and functional aspects of landscaping;

B. Increase compatibility between abutting land uses and between land uses and public rights-of-way by providing landscape screening or buffers;

C. Provide for conservation of water resources through the efficient use of irrigation, appropriate mix of plant materials, recycling water elements, and regular maintenance of landscaped areas;

D. Protect public health, safety and welfare by preserving and enhancing the positive visual experience of the built environment, providing appropriate transition between different land uses, preserving neighborhood character, and enhancing pedestrian and vehicular traffic safety;

E. Reduce urban runoff and soil erosion by ensuring the preservation of permeable surface for the absorption of rainwater; and

F. Reduce the urban heat island effect and enhance the local microclimate. [Ord. 2052 § 1, 2004.]

17.65.020 Applicability.

A. Applicability of Standards.

1. New Development. The standards in this article apply to commercial developments proposed after the effective date of this title; provided, however, that such standards shall not apply to commercial developments within the B-3, Retail Core zone.

2. Existing Development. All development existing prior to the effective date of this title shall comply with the maintenance requirements set forth in SMC 17.65.100.

3. Expansion of or Alteration to Existing Uses. The requirements of this article shall apply to remodeling or expansion of existing uses when the value of the new construction or alteration occurring within a two-year period is equal to or greater than 50 percent of the assessed value of the existing structure.

B. Landscaping Plan. Landscape plans are required for all new construction.

C. Modification of Standards. The standards of this article may be modified by the Planning Commission if alternative standards will achieve equivalent results consistent with the purposes and intent of this article, or where site or right-of-way constraints create unusual hardship or make compliance with the standards of this article infeasible. Such requested modification(s) shall be documented on the site plan or landscaping plan, reviewed and recommended for approval by the City, and approved by the Planning Commission. [Ord. 2052 § 1, 2004.]

17.65.030 General requirements.

All pervious surfaces, a minimum of 10 percent of designated parking areas, shall be landscaped with healthy and well-maintained plant materials in a manner consistent with typical high quality business areas. All landscaped surfaces shall be properly maintained and contribute to the visual appeal of the development and surroundings.

A. Landscaping shall employ a variety of trees, shrubs, ground covers and lawn. The horizontal (“shade area”) of the mature crown of each tree incorporated in the landscaping plan shall be included in the calculation of the minimum 10 percent coverage requirement.

B. Boulders, gravel and assorted rocks shall be limited to use as a design accent element that supplements the overall landscape plan.

C. Bark, mulch, wood shavings or other organic product may be used as a supplement to the plantings but shall not be the primary design element.

D. Bioswale landscape areas may contribute toward the 10 percent minimum landscape requirement.

E. Landscaping shall consist primarily of living plant material. Hardscape improvements shall not be counted toward fulfilling the required landscape.

F. Trees and shrubs shall be planted so that at maturity they do not interfere with service lines, traffic safety visibility area and basic property rights of adjacent property owners.

G. Trees planted near public bicycle trails or curbs shall be of a species and installed in a manner which prevents physical damage to sidewalks, curbs, gutters and other public improvements. Trees shall not interfere with the public use of bicycle trails, sidewalks, streets or curbs. Root control barriers shall be utilized.

H. All landscaping projects shall include an operable irrigation system.

I. All State and local regulations pertaining to water conservation shall apply to all new and rehabilitated public and private projects.

J. Site development shall incorporate adequate storm water filtration. [Ord. 2052 § 1, 2004.]

17.65.040 Parking areas.

A. The number and size of parking stalls for employees and visitors shall meet the requirements of the Sunnyside Municipal Code.

B. All parking areas shall be surfaced with durable paving materials and shall be separated from landscape areas with a six-inch concrete curb.

C. Rows of parking stalls abutting a drive aisle shall be separated from drive aisles with a curbed landscape island at least three feet wide. “Drive aisle” is defined as two lanes of traffic going each direction into the parking lot and exiting directly from the parking lot onto a public street. All islands shall be landscaped with ground covers and shrubs. Deciduous shade trees shall be installed in islands to reduce heat and reflection where space allows.

D. Long rows of parking stalls shall have one landscape island for at least every 12 consecutive stalls.

E. Deciduous trees shall be used in parking lot islands and on the south sides of buildings to provide natural cooling. [Ord. 2052 § 1, 2004.]

17.65.050 Building perimeters.

Spaces around buildings shall be landscaped with lawn, ground covers and shrubs. Evergreen and deciduous trees shall be used as accents and to provide shade.

A. The minimum perimeter landscape between the building and the parking or driveways shall be five feet.

B. Perimeter landscaping is not required on the building elevation that faces a rear property line. [Ord. 2052 § 1, 2004.]

17.65.060 Plant materials.

A. Plant materials used should provide visual interest and variety. Plant material used should be acclimated to the general climate.

B. Trees used in parking lot islands and in buffer areas should be a minimum of two inches in caliper.

C. Evergreen trees should be at least six feet tall.

D. Small shrubs (less than three feet mature height) should be one gallon size at a minimum. Larger shrubs should be three-gallon minimum size.

E. Ground cover may be plant materials, mulch or rocks. [Ord. 2052 § 1, 2004.]

17.65.070 Trash and outdoor storage.

A. Materials, supplies or equipment shall not be stored outside unless screened from a neighboring parcel or street.

B. Trash and outdoor storage areas shall not be located between the building and street frontage.

C. Waste and recycling dumpsters shall be screened from view on all sides by durable, high quality and sight-obscuring fences at least six feet high; provided, however, that such screening shall not apply to designated recycling bins or facilities maintained by the City for public use. [Ord. 2052 § 1, 2004.]

17.65.080 Fencing and walls.

A. Fencing and walls, and a description of the materials to be used for such fencing and walls, shall be shown and designated on the landscaping plan.

B. Fencing is not allowed within the minimum front building setback.

C. Fencing will be landscaped on the street face with evergreen plant materials. Alternate materials may be used upon approval by the City.

D. Fencing between a building and street shall not exceed eight feet except for specific screening purposes as approved by the Board of Adjustment. Razor wire fencing is not allowed except for security purposes upon prior approval by the Board of Adjustment. [Ord. 2052 § 1, 2004.]

17.65.090 Loading and service areas.

The intent of this section is to reduce and mitigate direct visibility of service and loading activities. Loading facilities and service areas should be located so that they are not visible from primary streets. Where necessary, due to operational or site constraints, service docks may face the street if well organized and maintained in a neat and orderly manner and screened as possible. [Ord. 2052 § 1, 2004.]

17.65.100 Maintenance standards.

Property owners shall be responsible for maintaining their property in a fashion that reflects high quality development and maintenance standards.

A. Each property owner is responsible for the maintenance of his or her building and landscape areas. The property shall be kept in a continuously clean and attractive condition free of fire hazards, refuse and injury risks and shall comply with all applicable codes of the City, including but not limited to SMC Title 8 and Chapter 9.34 SMC.

B. Property owners are responsible for the cost of regularly attended landscape maintenance including weeding, mowing, pruning, replacement and watering.

C. Owners who do not maintain the landscape will be assessed the cost of such maintenance by the applicable authority pursuant to the provisions of SMC Title 8, Chapter 9.34 SMC, and other applicable provisions of this code. [Ord. 2052 § 1, 2004.]

17.65.110 Enforcement.

The provisions of this article may be enforced by the Property Maintenance Facilitator or other enforcement agency in accordance with the procedures set forth in SMC Title 8 and Chapter 9.34 SMC as applicable. As an additional remedy, and supplemental to any other remedy authorized by this code or applicable law, the City will not issue a final certificate of occupancy until all required landscaping, as shown on the approved site plan/landscaping plan for the property and improvements, has been installed. In order to accommodate growth season and other similar circumstances, the City may issue a temporary certificate of occupancy, for a term of six months, to enable the property to be occupied for business, with issuance of the final certificate of occupancy upon completion of the required landscaping improvements. The temporary certificate of occupancy may be extended by the City for good and sufficient cause and may be conditioned upon the delivery or posting by the developer of a bond or other security satisfactory to the City sufficient to construct and complete the required improvements. [Ord. 2052 § 1, 2004.]

17.65.120 Effective date.

This article shall be effective July 1, 2004. [Ord. 2052 § 1, 2004.]

Article II. Residential Properties

17.65.130 Purpose and intent.

The purpose of this article is to:

A. Enhance the esthetic appearance of residential developments throughout the City by providing standards related to the quality and functional aspects of landscaping;

B. Increase compatibility between abutting land uses and between land uses and public rights-of-way by providing landscape screening or buffers;

C. Provide for conservation of water resources through the efficient use of irrigation, appropriate mix of plant materials, recycling water elements, and regular maintenance of landscaped areas;

D. Protect public health, safety, and welfare by minimizing the impacts of soil erosion, pollution, refuse, fire hazards, and unmanaged growth by promoting natural landscaping or “xeriscaping,” and water conservation;

E. Reduce urban runoff and soil erosion by ensuring the preservation of permeable surfaces for the absorption of rainwater. [Ord. 2150 § 1, 2006.]

17.65.140 Applicability.

The provisions of this article shall govern and be applied to all owners and occupants of real property located within the City of Sunnyside with a zoning designation of R-1, R-2 or R-3.

A. New Residential Properties. All newly constructed residential properties shall be brought into conformity and compliance with this article within three months of occupancy and be subject to all provisions in this article unless occupancy occurs during fall or winter months, in which case the time for compliance shall be extended to the next June 30th.

B. Expansion of or Alteration to Existing Residential Properties. The requirements of this article shall apply to remodeling or expansion of existing residential properties when the value of the new construction or alteration occurring within a two-year period is equal to or greater than 50 percent of the assessed value of the existing structure.

C. Existing Residential Properties. Only the provisions of this article regarding maintenance of landscaping shall apply to existing residential properties. Landscaping on existing properties shall be maintained as originally installed or as improved from time to time. In no case may a property owner remove existing landscaping unless it is replaced in an equivalent or better manner. [Ord. 2150 § 1, 2006.]

17.65.150 Modification of standards.

The standards of this article may be modified by the Staff Review Committee if alternative standards will achieve equivalent results consistent with the purposes and intent of this article, or where site or right-of-way constraints create unusual hardship or make compliance with the standards of this article infeasible. Such modification(s) shall be documented on the site plan or landscaping plan. [Ord. 2150 § 1, 2006.]

17.65.160 Definitions.

“Hardscape space” means any space made up of concrete, paving stones, asphalt, gravel, cobblestones, or other such materials, that are not of a vegetative nature or intended for traffic areas; i.e., driveways, sidewalks, parking strips, etc.

“Living landscape” consists of turf, trees, shrubs, plant material both flowering and non-flowering, and may include indigenous plants that are not noxious weeds and are maintained as set out within this article.

“Nonliving landscape” consists of boulders, rock, lava rock, wood chips, decorative curbing, and masonry work.

“Open space” means all the space on the property not occupied by the residence, a driveway, carport, or attached garage, swimming pool, or any other structure or improvement creating an impervious surface.

“Xeriscaping” means a system of landscaping that includes a mix of living and nonliving landscape designed to minimize the use of water with an emphasis on the use of plant material compatible with the local climate. [Ord. 2150 § 1, 2006.]

17.65.170 Standards.

A. Landscaping for newly constructed residential properties shall consist of predominately living landscape or a balance of living landscape, nonliving landscape, or xeriscaping.

B. All newly constructed properties shall have an automatic underground sprinkler system installed to accommodate watering of live plant material.

C. Trees and shrubs shall be planted so that at maturity they do not interfere with power lines, traffic safety visibility areas, or basic property rights of adjacent property owners.

D. Trees planted near public trails, sidewalks, streets, curbs, gutters, or any other public improvements shall be of a species and installed in a manner which prevents physical damage to or interference with the use of such public improvements. Root control barriers shall be utilized when trees are planted in park strips or immediately adjacent to sidewalks, curbs, or adjacent property owners’ sidewalks or driveways.

E. All living landscape shall be maintained in an orderly, attractive, and healthy condition to include but not be limited to proper pruning, mowing, weeding, and removal of litter.

F. All hardscape and xeriscaping shall be maintained to be free from defects and weeds.

G. In no case shall bare dirt be exposed except for small areas around plants, trees, and other shrubs, etc., or an area designated for a garden, in which case the area shall be properly watered and maintained not to cause any dust problems. [Ord. 2150 § 1, 2006.]

17.65.180 Maintenance standards.

Property owners shall be responsible for maintaining the required or existing landscaping on their property to include, but not be limited to, cleanup, weeding, mowing, pruning, replacement, and watering. Owners who do not maintain the landscape will be assessed the cost of such maintenance by the applicable authority pursuant to the provisions of SMC Title 8, Chapter 9.34 SMC, and other applicable provisions of this code. [Ord. 2150 § 1, 2006.]

17.65.190 Enforcement.

The provisions of this article shall be enforced in accordance with the procedures set forth in SMC Title 8 and Chapter 9.34 SMC as applicable. [Ord. 2150 § 1, 2006.]

17.65.200 Effective date.

This article shall be effective January 1, 2007. [Ord. 2150 § 1, 2006.]