(1) Providing visual relief from large expanses of parking areas and reduction of perceived building scale;

(2) Providing physical separation between residential and nonresidential areas;

(3) Providing visual screens and barriers as a transition between differing land uses;

(4) Retaining existing vegetation and significant trees by incorporating them into the site design;

(5) Providing increased areas of permeable surfaces to allow for:

(6) Encouraging the use of native plant species by their retention or use in the landscape design;

(7) Requiring water use efficiency through water budgeting and efficient irrigation design standards;

(8) Encouraging the use of a diversity of plant species, which promote native wildlife habitat. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.16.010))

(1) All development shall be subject to the landscaping provisions of this chapter; provided, that specific landscaping and tree retention provisions for uses established through a subdivision, short subdivision, commercial site development permit, or conditional use permit application shall be determined during the applicable review process.

(2) Landscaping standards referenced in Chapter 18.31 CMC shall be applicable within the downtown zone. Where all other standards in this chapter may conflict with Chapter 18.31 CMC, the standards contained in Chapter 18.31 CMC shall apply. (Ord. 10-10 § 3 (Exh. C); Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.16.020))

(1) Type I Landscaping Screen.

(2) Type II Landscaping Screen.

(3) Type III Landscaping Screen.

(1) Twenty feet of Type II landscaping shall be provided for an institutional use, excluding playgrounds and playfields;

(2) Ten feet of Type II landscaping shall be provided for an industrial development;

(3) Ten feet of Type II landscaping shall be provided for an above-ground utility facilities development, excluding distribution and transmission corridors, located outside a public right-of-way;

(4) Ten feet of Type III landscaping shall be provided for a commercial or attached/group residence development if not placed adjacent to the property line in conformance with the block-frontage requirements of Chapter 18.31 CMC, Article IV; and

(5) For all development:

(1) Twenty feet of Type I landscaping shall be included in a commercial or industrial development along any portion adjacent to a residential development;

(2) Five feet of Type II landscaping shall be included in an attached/group residence development, except that along portions of the development adjacent to property developed with single detached residences or vacant property that is zoned R-1 through R-8, the requirement shall be 10 feet of Type II landscaping;

(3) Ten feet of Type II landscaping shall be included in an industrial development along any portion adjacent to a commercial or institutional development; and

(4) Ten feet of Type II landscaping shall be included in an institutional use, excluding playgrounds and playfields, or an above-ground utility facility, except distribution or transmission corridors when located outside a public right-of-way. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.16.060))

(1) Building facades placed adjacent to a public right-of-way in conformance with the block-frontage requirements of Chapter 18.31 CMC, Article IV shall be exempt from this provision.

(2) Five feet of Type III landscaping shall be provided.

(3) Potted landscape material may be substituted for the requirements of subsection (2) of this section in areas designed for outdoor eating with the approval of the Department.

(4) Shrubs may be substituted for a portion of the required trees as prescribed in CMC 18.40.040 as approved by the Department. (Ord. 08-21 § 4 (Exh. C); Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.16.065))

(1) Residential developments with common parking areas shall provide planting areas at the rate of 20 square feet per parking stall;

(2) Commercial, industrial or institutional developments shall provide landscaping at a rate of:

(3) Parking islands shall be provided and distributed throughout the parking area as follows:

(4) Permanent curbs or structural barriers shall be provided to protect the plantings from vehicle overhang;

(5) Landscaping around the perimeter of a site that is in addition to the perimeter landscaping required by CMC 18.40.050, and CMC 18.31.130 in the downtown zones, may count toward 10 percent of the required surface parking area landscaping if it is adjacent to the parking area; and

(6) Parking area landscaping shall consist of:

(1) All residential developments shall provide a minimum average width of 20 feet of Type I landscaping adjacent to freeway rights-of-way.

(2) All other developments shall provide a minimum average width of 20 feet of Type III landscaping adjacent to freeway rights-of-way. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.16.080))

(1) Berms shall not exceed a slope of two horizontal feet to one vertical foot.

(2) All new turf areas, except all-weather, sand-based athletic fields shall:

(3) Except as specifically outlined for turf areas in subsection (2) of this section, the organic content of soils in any landscape area shall be as necessary to provide adequate nutrient and moisture-retention levels for the establishment of plantings.

(4) Landscape areas, except turf or areas of established ground cover, shall be covered with at least two inches of mulch to minimize evaporation.

(5) Plants having similar water use characteristics shall be grouped together in distinct hydrozones.

(6) Plant selection shall consider adaptability to climatic, geologic, and topographical conditions of the site. Preservation of existing vegetation is encouraged. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.16.085))

(1) All plants shall conform to American Association of Nurserymen (AAN) grades and standards as published in the “American Standard for Nursery Stock” manual; provided, that existing healthy vegetation used to augment new plantings shall not be required to meet the standards of this manual;

(2) Single-stemmed trees required pursuant to this chapter shall at the time of planting conform to the following standards:

(3) Multiple-stemmed trees shall be permitted as an option to single-stemmed trees; provided, that such multiple-stemmed trees are:

(4) When the width of any landscape strip is 20 feet or greater, the required trees shall be staggered in two or more rows;

(5) Shrubs shall be:

(6) Ground covers shall be planted and spaced to result in total coverage of the majority of the required landscape area within three years;

(7) All fences shall be placed on the inward side of any required perimeter landscaping along the street frontage;

(8) Required street landscaping may be placed within City of Covington street rights-of-way subject to the City road design standards, provided adequate space is maintained along the street line to replant the required landscaping should subsequent street improvements require the removal of landscaping within the rights-of-way;

(9) Required street landscaping may be placed within Washington State rights-of-way subject to permission of the Washington State Department of Transportation;

(10) New landscape material provided within areas of undisturbed vegetation or within the protected area of significant trees shall give preference to utilizing indigenous plant species. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.16.090))

(1) The amount of required landscape area may be reduced to ensure that the total area for required landscaping and/or the area remaining undisturbed for the purpose of wildlife habitat or corridors does not exceed 15 percent of the net developable area of the site. For the purpose of this subsection, the net developable area of the site shall not include areas deemed unbuildable due to their location within sensitive areas and any associated buffers;

(2) The average width of the perimeter landscape strip may be reduced up to 25 percent along any portion where:

(3) In pedestrian district overlays, street perimeter landscaping may be waived provided a site plan, consistent with the applicable adopted area zoning document, is approved that provides street trees and other pedestrian-related amenities;

(4) Where a local or subarea plan with design guidelines has been adopted, the Director shall base the landscaping modifications on the policies and guidelines of such plan;

(5) When an existing structure precludes installation of the total amount of required site perimeter landscaping, such landscaping material shall be incorporated on another portion of the site;

(6) Single-stemmed deciduous tree species that cannot generally be planted and established in larger sizes may have a caliper of less than 1.75 inches; and

(7) The Department shall develop and maintain an advisory listing of trees recommended for new plantings. Such list shall describe their general characteristics and suitability, and provide guidelines for their inclusion within required landscape areas. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.16.100))

(1) The landscape plan submitted to the Department shall be drawn on the same base map as the development plans and shall identify the following:

(2) The proposed landscape plan shall be certified by a Washington State registered landscape architect, Washington State certified nurseryman, or Washington State certified landscaper.

(3) An affidavit signed by an individual specified in subsection (2) of this section, certifying that the landscaping has been installed consistent with the approved landscaping plan, shall be submitted to the Department within 30 days of installation completion, unless the installed landscaping has been inspected and accepted by the Department.

(4) The required landscaping shall be installed no later than three months after issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the project or project phase. However, the time limit for compliance may be extended to allow installation of such required landscaping during the next appropriate planting season. A financial guarantee shall be required prior to issuance of the certificate of occupancy, if landscaping is not installed and inspected prior to occupancy. (Ord. 20-07 § 117; Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.16.115))

(1) All landscaping shall be maintained for the life of the project.

(2) All landscape materials shall be pruned and trimmed as necessary to maintain a healthy growing condition or to prevent primary limb failure.

(3) With the exception of dead, diseased or damaged trees specifically retained to provide wildlife habitat; other dead, diseased, damaged or stolen plantings shall be replaced within three months or during the next planting season if the loss does not occur in a planting season.

(4) Landscape areas shall be kept free of trash. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.16.180))

(1) Prior to receiving a temporary or permanent occupancy certificate for any building or structure for which landscaping is required, an applicant shall provide a performance guarantee adequate to secure the completion and improvement of required landscaping, in accordance with the approved site plan, within three months following issuance of the building or buildings temporary or permanent occupancy certificate, whichever comes first.

(2) Performance guarantees for landscaping shall be sufficient to cover the cost of conformance with conditions of the permit, and shall be required for a period of two years after the planting or transplanting of vegetation to insure proper installation, establishment and maintenance. This time period may be extended by one year by the Director, if necessary to cover a planting and growing season.

(3) The Director may extend the time limit for compliance with the above landscaping requirement up to one year after issuance of the occupancy certificate if circumstances beyond the control of the applicant warrant an extension. The request for an extension shall be in writing, accompanied by a fee for the extension request as set forth in the current fee resolution, and a schedule for completion of remaining work.

(4) Fees. Landscaping installation inspections, performance guarantee release inspections, and requests for extensions are subject to fees as set forth in the current fee resolution. (Ord. 20-07 §§ 85, 118; Ord. 43-02 § 2; Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.16.190))