Chapter 18.42 - Landscape Design Guidelines

Sections:

18.42.010 - Purpose of Chapter
18.42.020 - Applicability
18.42.030 - General Guidelines
18.42.040 - Landscaping Along Streets
18.42.050 - Project Entry Landscaping
18.42.060 - Pedestrian Area Landscaping
18.42.070 - Installation of Landscaping
18.42.080 - Recommended Plant Materials

18.42.010 - Purpose of Chapter

This Chapter provides landscape design guidelines that are intended as a guide to assist property owners and project designers in understanding the Town's goals for attaining high quality development that is sensitive to the Town's unique character and climate.

18.42.020 - Applicability

These guidelines will be used during the land use permit process as additional project review criteria.

A. The provisions of this Chapter apply to all development projects providing required landscaping, unless otherwise specified. Any addition, relocation, or construction requiring land use permit approval in compliance with Article IV (Land Use and Development Permit Procedures) shall adhere to these guidelines where applicable.

B. These landscape design guidelines may be interpreted with some flexibility in their application to specific projects as not all design criteria may be workable/appropriate for each project. In some circumstances, the review authority may relax the application of one guideline in order to accomplish another, more important guideline. The overall objectives are to ensure that the intent and spirit of the design guidelines are followed and to attain the best possible design within reason.

18.42.030 - General Guidelines

A. Proposed landscaping should relate to the scale of the structures on the site and should be compatible with the location, character and scale of adjacent landscaping that complies with the provisions of this Chapter.

B. Landscaping should not be used to screen or hide an otherwise unattractive structure or other elements of the project (e.g. trash enclosures) that might be more appropriately located on parts of the site where screening may not be necessary.

C. Landscape design should accent the overall design theme through the use of structures, arbors, and trellises that are appropriate to the particular architectural theme of the project.

D. Landscape designs should generally use a three tier concept:

1. Hardy, low growing ground covers;

2. Medium height shrubs; and

3. Trees.

E. The following are common landscape design concepts that can be used throughout the project site to increase the visual and functional quality of the development:

1. Specimen trees (minimum 24 inch box) used in informal groupings or rows at major focal points (e.g. project entry, pedestrian plaza, etc.);

2. Use of flowering vines both on walls and arbors;

3. Use of pots, vases, wall or raised planters for accents in locations which otherwise would be difficult to provide in-ground landscaping;

4. Use of planting to soften hardscape and provide shadows/patterns against walls;

5. Use of distinctive plants and colors as focal points;

6. Use of berms, plantings, and low walls to screen parking areas while allowing views to larger structures beyond; and

7. Dense landscaping to screen unattractive views and features (e.g storage areas, trash enclosures, freeway structures, transformers and generators) and other project features that do not contribute to the enhancement of the surroundings.

F. All landscape areas should be separated from asphalt pavement in accordance with the Public Improvements and Engineering Standards to prevent water leakage to the pavement area.

G. Planters for trees should be located throughout parking areas. The planters should have minimum interior dimensions of five feet by 16 feet, and be of sufficient size to accommodate tree growth.

H. Existing on-site vegetation should be retained whenever possible and new landscaping should respect and incorporate existing landscape elements.

I. Landscape areas should be provided in plazas, malls, and areas of frequent pedestrian use. Plazas and malls should be designed and planted to reflect an informal place suited to the pedestrian scale.

J. Landscape design should reflect a variety of deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs, perennial and groundcovers. Plant materials should be selected for their structure, texture, color, ultimate growth characteristics, and sense of unity with their surroundings.

K. Lawn areas should be kept to a minimum in projects surrounded by native vegetation. The utilization of native drought tolerant grasses and vegetation should be used to help the project blend with the surrounding vegetation.

L. Lanscaping strips along walls separating non-residential land uses from residential land uses should be installed on the residential side of the wall, adjoining the property line.

18.42.040 - Landscaping Along Streets

A. Whenever landscaping of the public right-of-way (parkway) is required along street frontages, the project’s on-site landscaping should be designed in coordination with the parkway landscaping to provide an integrated design concept.

B. Improvements in the public rights-of-way should include sidewalks and/or bicycle-pedestrian ways, trees, shrubs, and groundcover in compliance with Town standards. Landscaping should not exceed a height of 30 inches near project entries so as not to obstruct traffic safety sight areas for vehicles and pedestrians.

18.42.050 - Project Entry Landscaping

A. Entries to multi-tenant projects should be designed as special statements reflective of the character and scale of the project in order to establish identity for tenants, visitors, and patrons. Flowering accent plantings and specimen trees should be used to reinforce the entry statement.

B. Textured paving treatments (i.e., interlocking pavers, stamped concrete, etc.) should be used at project entries. Textures should be selected which:

1. Give a feeling of transition between the sidewalk and the entry driveway;

2. Do not become slippery when wet; and

3. Are not so rough or irregular as to make walking difficult, discourage the use of baby strollers or wheelchairs, conflict with adjacent uses, or create noise.

(See Figure 3-18, Project Entry Treatments)

C. Project identification signs are encouraged at entry drives. These are subject to Sign Plan approval in compliance with Chapter 18.54 (Signs).

18.42.060 - Pedestrian Area Landscaping

A. Planting next to walkways, within plazas, and adjacent to other pedestrian spaces should include smaller species of shrubs and trees in keeping with the intent to maintain an intimate human scale in these areas.

B. Pedestrian spaces should be enhanced by planting accents including vines espaliered against wall surfaces, flower beds, window boxes, and hanging pots with flowers and vines.

18.42.070 - Installation of Landscaping

A. All landscape materials shall be installed in compliance with the Town’s landscaping installation specifications as maintained by the Department.

B. New trees should be planted so that they are separated from turf areas by three to five feet. This will prevent over-watering of the tree, surface rooting, crown-rot, and "girdling" of the tree trunk by maintenance equipment.

C. If trees are to be planted in a turf area, the following criteria should be followed:

1. Only deep-rooted tree species should be used;

2. Turf areas around trees should be graded so that water drains away from the tree; and

3. Turf irrigation should be directed away from the tree. The tree should be irrigated by a combined bubbler/deep water pipe fixture.

D. The spacing of trees and shrubs should be appropriate to the species used. The plant materials should be spaced so that they do not interfere with the adequate lighting of the premises or restrict access to emergency apparatus. Proper spacing should also ensure unobstructed access for vehicles and pedestrians and provide clear vision of intersections.

E. Plant material should conform to the following spacing criteria:

1. A minimum of 25 feet from the property corner at a street intersection to the center of the first tree or large shrub;

2. A minimum of 15 feet between the center of trees and large shrubs to light standards and fire hydrants; and

3. A minimum of 10 feet between the center of trees and large shrubs and the edge of a driveway.

F. Tree grates should be installed around trunks where trees are planted within sidewalks or other paved pedestrian areas.

G. Deciduous trees should predominate along south and west building exposures.

18.42.080 - Recommended Plant Materials

The following list is to provide homeowners, landscape architects, designers, contractors, and developers with a palette of plant materials suitable for use in Truckee. Due to the wide array of micro-climates, soil types, and weather extremes (both temperature and snow) it is difficult to derive an extensive plant list. Prior to specifying plant materials, research should be conducted to determine water requirements, soil needs, hardiness, and ultimate growth in Truckee.

When selecting other species for hardiness, Truckee may be considered U.S.D.A. Zone 3 or 2, although many Zone 3 plants cannot survive and some Zone 4 and 5 species survive in protected locations. (Sunset Magazine’s hardiness guide is not recommended as their maps do not consider areas with climatic extremes similar to Truckee.)

TABLE 3-7

RECOMMENDED PLANT MATERIALS