The City of Socorro desires to promote and preserve visually attractive development and to improve the quality of the environment. Therefore, landscaping shall be provided and maintained in the manner set forth in this article.

The style of landscape is not described; however, indigenous or drought-tolerant plants are recommended.

For the purposes of this article, "site" is defined as the lot or lots included within the area for which a landscaping plan is submitted and upon which the landscaping obligations of this article are imposed. The standards presented herein are to be considered the minimum acceptable for landscaping.

New construction. All new construction within the C-1, C-2, and M-1 Districts and all new mobile home parks (MHPs) recreational vehicle parks (RVPs) and multifamily dwellings shall contain a landscaped area that is equal to not less than 15% of the required parking areas for the site. The parking area shall include all driveways, accessways, loading and unloading areas, and sidewalks. Up to 1/3 of the required landscaping may be located in the public right-of-way if approved by the Commission.

Additions or structural modifications. Additions or structural modifications valued at more than $50,000 for a site within the C-1, C-2, and M-1 Districts or within an existing MHP, RVP, or multifamily dwelling complex shall include landscaping improvements which bring the site into compliance with this article by providing a landscaped area that is equal to not less than 15% of the required parking area for the site. The parking area shall include all driveways, accessways, loading and unloading areas, and sidewalks. Up to 1/3 of the required landscaping may be located in the public right-of-way if approved by the Commission. Buildings which are to be structurally modified upon sites which do not contain sufficient area for landscaping may be exempted from these requirements after approval by the Commission.

Ground covers. "Ground covers" means grass, low shrubs, or flowers but does not include asphalt, concrete, or bare soil which is exposed and untreated. Gravel, decorative stone, or bark mulch shall also be considered as acceptable ground cover if used in combination with grass, shrubs, flowers, and trees. A minimum of 100 square feet of ground cover shall be provided for every 1,000 square feet of required landscaped area.

Shrubs. Shrubs must be a minimum two-and-a-half-gallon size utilized by plant nurseries and should be approximately one foot in height and one foot in width at the time of planting. A minimum of 20 live shrubs shall be provided for every 1,000 square feet of required landscaped area.

Trees. Trees must be of the deciduous or coniferous types and must have a minimum diameter of two inches at the time of planting. A multi-trunk tree shall have no fewer than three trunks, each of which is at least one inch in diameter. A minimum of one live tree shall be provided for every 1,000 square feet of required landscaped area.

Substitution of plant materials. Variations from the minimums defined above will be considered in review of a landscaping plan by the Commission if the proposed landscaping is environmentally sound and aesthetically pleasing.

Yard location.

Parking lots. All new parking lots in excess of 100 spaces shall include one tree, in addition to the minimum required above, for every 20 parking spaces to provide shade and visual relief. Covered parking areas are exempted from this requirement.

Sites in C-1, C-2, and M-1 Districts. Sites in C-1, C-2, and M-1 Districts which are contiguous with residential zones shall be required to include a landscaped screen on that perimeter contiguous to the residential zone.

Multifamily dwellings. Multifamily dwellings shall be required to include a landscaped screen on that perimeter contiguous to single-family housing.

An automatic or manual irrigation system shall be provided for any landscaping or screening installed in compliance with this article. The irrigation system shall be adequate to properly irrigate the landscaping at maturity. The owner of the landscaped property shall be responsible to maintain landscaping or screening in a healthy, neat, and clean condition. Dead plant material shall be replaced with new plant material immediately.

All landscaped and screened areas shall be controlled by pruning or trimming so as to not interfere with the installation, maintenance, or repair of any public utility, restrict pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or constitute a traffic hazard.

A landscaping plan is required as a part of the application for all special use permits and for those developments or improvements which meet those criteria stated in § 250-10.2.

Each landscaping plan shall indicate the type, size, and location of landscaping, along with existing and proposed topography and proposed irrigation systems. The scale of the landscaping plan shall be as recommended by the Zoning Administrator/Code Enforcement Officer. No zoning permit or certificate shall be approved by the City of Socorro for those developments requiring a landscaping plan unless said plan is reviewed and approved as part of the application process.[1]