23.50.036

A. Screening and Landscaping Requirements for All Uses. 1. Street Trees. a. All uses which are directly across a street eighty feet (80') or less in width from a lot in a residential or commercial zone shall provide street trees. b. If it is not feasible to plant street trees in the planting strip, then they shall be provided in the required five-foot (5') deep landscaped area along the street property line. 2. Rooftop Screening. a. Heating, ventilating, air conditioning or other wall or rooftop mechanical equipment shall be located and directed away from adjacent residential property. b. Screening shall be provided and shall be of a design and material which is compatible with the structure and shall be as high as the equipment to be screened and shall completely surround the equipment. B. Screening and Landscaping Requirements for Uses Abutting or Across an Alley From a Lot in a Residential Zone. 1. Surface parking areas, off-street loading areas, parking structures, drive-in businesses, gas stations, outdoor sales or storage and outdoor activities, shall provide screening and landscaping as provided in subsection D of this section, screening and landscaping requirements for specific uses. 2. Uses which abut or are across an alley from a lot in a residential zone shall provide view-obscuring screening along the abutting or alley lot line, except as modified by subsection B3 below. 3. When the structure facade is located five feet (5') or less from the lot line, landscaping may be provided in the area between the facade and the lot line as an alternative to view-obscuring screening. This landscaping shall be either: a. Trellises and vining plants attached to the facade up to a minimum height of ten feet (10'); or b. A landscaped area meeting the provisions of subsection C of Section 23.50.034 . C. Screening and Landscaping Requirements for Uses Directly Across a Street Eighty Feet (80') or Less in Width From Lots in a Residential Zone. 1. A view-obscuring fence or solid wall screen greater than six feet (6') in height and less than three feet (3') from the lot line shall be screened by trellises and vining plants attached to the wall up to a minimum height of ten feet (10'). 2. Some specific uses are required to provide additional screening, landscaping and setbacks as regulated in subsection D of this section. D. Screening, Landscaping and Setback Requirements for Specific Uses. 1. Surface parking areas for more than five (5) vehicles. a. When a surface parking area abuts a lot in an NC1, NC2, NC3 or C1 zone, view-obscuring screening along the abutting lot lines shall be provided. b. When a surface parking area is across an alley from a lot in a residential zone, view-obscuring screening shall be required. A five-foot (5') deep landscaped area shall be required inside the screening. The Director may reduce or waive the screening and landscaping requirement for all or a part of the lot abutting the alley, or may waive only the landscaping requirement, when required parking can only be provided at the rear lot line and the alley is necessary to provide aisle space. In making the determination to waive or reduce the landscaping and screening requirements, the Director shall consider the following criteria: (1) Whether the lot width and depth permits a workable plan for the building and parking which would preserve the screening and landscaping; (2) Whether the character of use across the alley, such as multifamily parking structures or single-family garages, make the screening and landscaping less necessary; and (3) Whether a topographic break between the alley and the residential zone makes screening less necessary. c. When a surface parking area or off-street loading area is directly across a street right-of-way eighty feet (80') or less in width from a lot in a residential zone, a five-foot (5') deep landscaped setback area from the street lot line shall be provided. Three-foot (3') high screening and a five-foot (5') landscaped area, with the landscaping on the street side of the screening, shall be provided along the edge of the setback. d. When a surface parking area is directly across a street right-of-way wider than eighty feet (80') in width from a lot in a residential zone, street trees shall be provided. e. When a surface parking area abuts a lot in a residential zone, view-obscuring screening and a five-foot (5') deep landscaped setback area on the inside of the screening shall be provided. f. When a surface parking area is directly across a street right-of-way eighty feet (80') or less in width from a lot in a commercial zone, street trees shall be provided. 2. Parking Structures. a. When a parking structure is directly across a street right-of-way eighty feet (80') or less in width from a lot in a residential zone, a five-foot (5') deep landscaped setback area from the street lot line, including street trees, shall be provided. The street facade of each floor of parking shall have an opaque screen at least three and one-half feet (3½') high. b. When a parking structure abuts a lot in a residential zone, a five-foot (5') deep landscaped setback area from the abutting lot line shall be provided, unless the parking structure is completely enclosed except for driveway areas. In addition to the landscaped setback, view-obscuring screening shall be provided along abutting property line(s). When the parking structure is enclosed by a solid wall, any setback area provided within five feet (5') of the abutting lot line(s) shall be landscaped. The abutting facade of each floor of parking not enclosed by a solid wall shall have an opaque screen at least three and one-half feet (3½') high. c. When a parking structure is across an alley from a lot in a residential zone, a five-foot (5') deep landscaped setback area from the alley lot line shall be provided, unless the parking structure is completely enclosed except for driveway areas. Three-foot (3') high screening along the facade facing the alley with the landscaping on the alley side of the screening shall be provided. When the parking structure is enclosed by a solid wall, any setback area provided within five feet (5') of the alley lot line shall be landscaped. The abutting or alley facade of each floor of parking shall have an opaque screen at least three and one-half feet (3½') high. d. When a parking structure is directly across a street right-of-way more than eighty feet (80') in width from a lot in a residential zone, street trees shall be provided. e. When a parking structure is directly across a street right-of-way eighty feet (80') or less in width from a lot in a commercial zone, street trees shall be provided. 3. Outdoor Sales and Outdoor Display of Rental Equipment. a. When an outdoor sales area or outdoor display of rental equipment is across an alley from a lot in a residential zone, or abutting a lot in a residential or commercial zone, view-obscuring screening shall be provided along the abutting or alley lot lines. b. When an outdoor sales area or outdoor display of rental equipment is directly across the street from a lot in a residential zone, street trees and three-foot (3') high screening along the street front shall be provided. 4. Drive-in Businesses Including Gas Stations. a. Drive-in businesses abutting or across an alley from a lot in a residential zone shall provide view-obscuring screening along the abutting alley lot lines. When the drive-in portion of the business or its access area abuts a lot in a residential zone a five-foot (5') landscaped area shall be required on the inside of the screening. b. Drive-in businesses in which the drive-in portion of the business is directly across a street right-of-way eighty feet (80') or less in width from a lot in a residential zone shall provide three-foot (3') high screening for the drive-in portion and street trees. c. When a drive-in business is directly across a street right-of-way wider than eighty feet (80') in width from a lot in a residential zone, street trees shall be provided. d. Drive-in businesses directly across a street right-of-way eighty feet (80') or less in width from a lot in a commercial zone shall provide street trees. 5. Outdoor Storage, and Outdoor Loading Berths. a. Outdoor storage and outdoor loading berths directly across a street right-of-way eighty feet (80') or less in width from a lot in an NC1, NC2, NC3 or C1 zone shall provide view-obscuring screening along the street lot lines and shall also provide street trees. b. When the outdoor storage or outdoor loading berth is directly across a street right-of-way eighty feet (80') or less in width from a lot in a residential zone, view-obscuring screening shall be provided. A five-foot (5') deep landscaped area including street trees shall be provided between the lot line and the view-obscuring screening. c. When outdoor storage or an outdoor loading berth is directly across a street right-of-way wider than eighty feet (80') in width from a lot in a residential zone, view-obscuring screening and street trees shall be provided. d. When outdoor storage or an outdoor loading berth is across an alley from a lot in a residential zone, view-obscuring screening shall be provided. A five-foot (5') deep landscaped area shall be provided between the lot and the view-obscuring screening, except when the industrial lot is at least fifteen feet (15') above the elevation of the residential lot or when the screen is a solid wall. e. When the outdoor storage or outdoor loading berth abuts a lot in a residential zone, view-obscuring screening and a fifteen-foot (15') deep landscaped area inside the screening shall be provided along the abutting lot line. 6. Outdoor Manufacturing, Repairing, Refuse Compacting or Recycling Activities. a. An outdoor manufacturing, repairing, refuse compacting or recycling activity must be set back fifty feet (50') from a lot in a residential zone. b. An outdoor manufacturing, repairing, refuse compacting or recycling activity abutting a lot in a residential zone or directly across a street eighty feet (80') or less in width or an alley across from a lot in a residential zone shall provide view-obscuring screening. c. An outdoor manufacturing, repairing, refuse compacting or recycling activity directly across a street greater than eighty feet (80') in width from a lot in a residential or commercial zone shall provide street trees and view-obscuring screening on the street lot line. d. An outdoor manufacturing, repairing, refuse compacting or recycling activity abutting or across an alley from a lot in a commercial zone shall provide view-obscuring screening along the abutting or alley lot lines. 7. Fences or free-standing walls associated with utility services uses may obstruct or allow views to the interior of a site. Where site dimensions and site conditions allow, applicants are encouraged to provide both a landscaped setback between the fence or wall and the right-of-way, and a fence or wall that provides visual interest facing the street lot line, through changes in the height, design or construction of the fence or wall, including the use of materials, architectural detailing, artwork, vegetated trellises, decorative fencing, or similar features. Any fence or free-standing wall for a utility services use must provide either: a) A 5-foot-deep landscaped area between the wall or fence and the street lot line; or b) Architectural detailing, artwork, vegetated trellises, decorative fencing, or similar features to provide visual interest facing the street lot line, as approved by the Director. (Ord. 123547, § 8, 2011; Ord. 113658 § 4(part), 1987.)