Parking lot landscaping.
Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 744-505
in effectSec. 744-505. - Parking lot landscaping.
Primary use and accessory parking lots shall provide at least the following amounts and types of landscaping unless alternative requirements are stated in the Zoning Ordinance.
[image omitted; see the official code]
Diagram F Landscaping of a parking lot
A. Street Frontage Landscaping. Any parking lot with off-street parking spaces must provide landscaping along any street frontage in accordance with Table 744-505-1: Required street frontage landscaping.
Table 744-505-1: Required street frontage landscaping
Amount
Minimum depth of landscaped area along frontage
Metro Context Area | 10 feet along the entire frontage
Compact Context Area | 6 feet along the entire frontage
Minimum number of trees
Landscaped area | 1 shade tree per 35 feet of street frontage
Landscaped area within 20 feet of overhead electric distribution lines | 1 ornamental tree with a maximum mature height of 15 feet per 20 feet of street frontage
Minimum number of shrubs
Without a screening wall or fence | 3 large shrubs per 25 feet of street frontage
With an opaque fence or wall at least 3 ft. tall | 3 small shrubs on the streetside of the fence or wall per 25 feet of street frontage
B. Interior landscaping.
[image omitted; see the official code]
Diagram G Interior landscaping of a parking lot
1. Any parking lot with 15 or more off-street parking spaces must provide Interior Landscaping in accordance with Table 744-505-2: Required interior landscaping area.
Table 744-505-2: Required interior landscaping area
Internal landscape areas shall be dispersed on the lot to break up the perception of large uninterrupted expanse of pavement.
Type of development | Amount
For development occurring on land in which 75% or more of the land area was previously developed for purposes other than residential or agricultural | 6% of all uncovered vehicle areas
For any undeveloped commercial out lot established before the first day of the month that is six months after the date of adoption that is 2 acres in size or less | 6% of all uncovered vehicle areas on the out lot
For new development and any other type of development | 9% of all uncovered vehicle areas
Minimum width of required landscape areas
Landscaped area | 8 feet
Landscaped area using structural soil | 6 feet
Minimum number of shade trees | 1 per 180 square feet of interior landscaping area
4. Redevelopment adjustment: For development occurring on land in which 75% or more of the land area was previously developed for purposes other than residential or agricultural and not subject to Section 744-509 (Green Factor Requirement), the required area for interior landscaping may be adjusted by the credits shown in Table 744-505-3: Interior Landscaping Credits.
Table 744-505-3: Interior Landscaping Credits When an interior landscape area of 100 sq. ft or more includes the following elements, the square footage may be increased by the indicated factor and credited to the required interior landscaping area.
Flower bed at least 25 sq. ft. in size (annual or perennials) | 10%
Shrubs and non-native grasses | 15%
Native grasses, shrubs, flowers | 30%
Bioswale with requisite plantings | 40%
(G.O. 64, 2015, § 2)
Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIIPUHEWE_CH744DEST_ARTVLASC_S744-505PALOLAFetched: 10/27/2026