Coronado — Landscaping and Screening

Overview

Coronado regulates landscaping, hedges, walls, fences, and visual screening in Title 86 Zoning. The rules set minimum landscaped area by district/chapter, require street trees with defined sizes, control front-yard fence heights (with corridor-specific exceptions), and mandate screening of larger parking lots. Some standards are citywide; others are embedded in district chapters. Cross-check your site’s base zoning in the city’s Coronado Zoning map and confirm any companion standards in Coronado Development Standards and Coronado Design Review.

The default rule: front-yard fences/hedges max 4 ft; screen parking lots with 6 ft fencing next to residential or institutional uses and 3.5 ft along streets; and landscape at least 25–35% of new residential sites and 5–15% of new nonresidential sites, depending on the governing district chapter (§§ 86.56.165, 86.58.130, 86.08.130, 86.09.160, 86.10.120, 86.14.130, 86.20.100, 86.32.100, 86.36.040, 86.42.060).

Citywide definitions and cross-cutting rules

• Definition of landscaping: plantings (including trees, shrubs, lawn and artificial turf), water features, and listed hardscape elements if “suitably designed, selected, installed and maintained” (§ 86.04.403).
• Parking-area screening: lots with more than five spaces must be screened on residential/institutional sides by a fence/wall up to 6 ft, and along streets/alleys by a 3.5 ft fence/wall; no advertising allowed on the screens (§ 86.58.130). See Coronado Parking.
• Citywide front-yard fence/hedge baseline: 4 ft max in required front yards, with specific exceptions and required landscape buffering for taller frontage walls on named corridors (§ 86.56.165).
• Commercial and industrial: fences/walls/hedges up to 8 ft may be allowed or required when the Zoning Administrator finds it protects public health/safety/welfare without detriment (§ 86.54.180). Relief outside these findings should be handled through Coronado Variances and Exceptions.
• Landscaping credit and visibility: for commercial and multifamily, up to three-quarters of required landscaping can be by water features and garden features, but no more than one-half by garden hard surfaces; keep storefront landscaping from unduly separating or concealing pedestrian views; parking-lot landscaping can count toward the overall requirement (§ 86.56.800).
• Vacant nonresidential lots: require a 6 ft opaque property-line fence that screens the lot from view, with landscaped buffering along public rights-of-way, automatic irrigation, and prior approval by the Design Review Commission; weeds over 10 inches are not allowed and fences must be maintained (§ 86.56.820(D)(1)(a)–(c)). Approvals route through Coronado Design Review.

Most decision-relevant standards

District-by-district landscaping and screening standards

Note: The source materials provide section numbers with standards but do not identify the associated district names. Where a chapter-specific standard is listed below, confirm your site’s governing chapter in Coronado Zoning. Items marked “Not found in source materials” indicate details not provided in the materials.

District governed by § 86.08.130

• Purpose, permitted uses, dimensional standards, geography: Not found in source materials. Verify with the jurisdiction.
• Landscaping:
  • Minimums: 35% residential; 15% commercial (§ 86.08.130(A)).
  • Hardscape/water features: Up to 50% of required landscaping may be met by water features and listed garden hard surfaces (§ 86.08.130(B)).
  • Frontage landscaping: Lots < 50 ft frontage: at least 40% of area between the front of the main building and front property line; ≥ 50 ft frontage: 60% of that area (§ 86.08.130(C)–(D)).
  • Street trees: Required with new construction or additions over 500 sq ft; shade trees min 2 in caliper at 4'6"; palms min 6 ft brown trunk; owner installs irrigation; species/spacing per City and approved street tree list (§ 86.08.130(E)).

District governed by § 86.09.160

• Purpose, permitted uses, dimensional standards, geography: Not found in source materials. Verify with the jurisdiction.
• Landscaping:
  • Minimums: 35% residential; 15% commercial (§ 86.09.160(A)).
  • Hardscape/water features: Up to 50% may be water features and listed hard surfaces (§ 86.09.160(B)).
  • Front-yard share: For frontage < 50 ft, landscape 40% of the required front yard; for ≥ 50 ft, 60% of the required front yard (§ 86.09.160(C)–(D)).
  • Street trees: Same triggers/specs as above (§ 86.09.160(E)).

District governed by § 86.10.120

• Purpose, permitted uses, dimensional standards, geography: Not found in source materials. Verify with the jurisdiction.
• Landscaping:
  • Minimums: 35% residential; 15% commercial (§ 86.10.120(A)).
  • Hardscape/water features: Up to 50% (§ 86.10.120(B)).
  • Frontage landscaping: 40% (< 50 ft frontage) and 60% (≥ 50 ft) of area between the front of the main building and front property line (§ 86.10.120(C)–(D)).
  • Street trees: Required; 2 in caliper shade trees, 6 ft brown trunk palms; owner irrigation (§ 86.10.120(E)).

District governed by § 86.14.130

• Purpose, permitted uses, dimensional standards, geography: Not found in source materials. Verify with the jurisdiction.
• Landscaping:
  • Minimums: 25% of new residential; 15% of new nonresidential (§ 86.14.130(A)).
  • Street trees: Required with new construction or >500 sq ft additions; 2 in caliper shade trees; 6 ft brown trunk palms; owner irrigates (§ 86.14.130(B)).

District governed by § 86.20.100

• Purpose, permitted uses, dimensional standards, geography: Not found in source materials. Verify with the jurisdiction.
• Landscaping:
  • Minimums: 35% residential; 15% commercial (§ 86.20.100).

District governed by § 86.32.100

• Purpose, permitted uses, dimensional standards, geography: Not found in source materials. Verify with the jurisdiction.
• Landscaping:
  • Minimums: 25% residential; 5% nonresidential (§ 86.32.100(A)).
  • Street trees: Triggered by >500 sq ft addition or ≥ $50,000 permit valuation; shade tree min 4 in caliper at 4'6"; palm 6 ft brown trunk; owner irrigates; number/species/irrigation per City (§ 86.32.100(B)).

District governed by § 86.36.040

• Purpose, permitted uses, dimensional standards, geography: Not found in source materials. Verify with the jurisdiction.
• Landscaping:
  • Minimums: 25% residential; 15% nonresidential (§ 86.36.040).

District governed by § 86.42.060

• Purpose, permitted uses, dimensional standards, geography: Not found in source materials. Verify with the jurisdiction.
• Landscaping:
  • Minimums: 35% residential; 15% nonresidential (§ 86.42.060).

Citywide front-yard fences/hedges (all zones) — § 86.56.165

• Baseline: Max 4 ft height within the required front yard (§ 86.56.165(A)).
• Side-line exception: Along side property lines, a 6 ft fence/wall may extend 8 ft into the front yard but must stay 10 ft back from the front property line (§ 86.56.165(A)(1)).
• Corridor exception: On lots fronting solely on an alley or on specified segments of Third Street (A Ave to Alameda Blvd), all of Fourth Street, Alameda Blvd (Third to Fourth), and Pomona Ave (Third to Fourth), you may enclose 100% of the front yard with a fence/wall/hedge up to 8 ft. Where over 4 ft and adjoining public ROW, add landscape buffering approved by the City; no buffering is required where the wall/fence over 4 ft is adjacent to an alley (§ 86.56.165(A)(2)).

Commercial and industrial fence height — § 86.54.180

• ZA discretion: In commercial or industrial zones, fences/walls/hedges up to 8 ft may be allowed or required if necessary to protect health/safety/welfare and without detriment to the neighborhood (§ 86.54.180). If you need relief outside these findings, see Coronado Variances and Exceptions.

Parking lot screening — § 86.58.130

• Lots >5 spaces: Provide effective screening on each side adjoining any R Zone or institutional use with a fence/wall up to 6 ft in height from the property line to a point equal to the required front yard of the adjoining R Zone. Along streets/alleys, provide a 3.5 ft fence/wall. Maintain screens free of advertising (§ 86.58.130). Coordinate with Coronado Parking.

Landscaping credits and storefront visibility — § 86.56.800

• Multifamily/commercial composition: Up to 75% of required landscaping may be provided by water features and garden features, but no more than 50% by garden hard surfaces (§ 86.56.800(A)).
• Storefront visibility: Streetside landscape for commercial uses should not unduly separate or conceal pedestrian views into nonresidential structures (§ 86.56.800(B)).
• Parking-area landscaping: Counts toward overall required landscaping (§ 86.56.800(C)).

Vacant premises and vacant nonresidential lots — § 86.56.820

• Maintenance: Keep premises clean, safe, sanitary; weeds/plant growth under 10 inches; fences/walls/garages maintained sound (§ 86.56.820(D)(1)(a)–(b)).
• Screening for vacant nonresidential lots: Enclose with a 6 ft opaque fence on property lines to screen from view; buffer along public rights-of-way with landscaping and automatic irrigation; get Design Review Commission approval before installation (§ 86.56.820(D)(1)(c)). This is processed under Coronado Design Review.

Practical notes and comparisons

• “Landscaping” includes artificial turf and specified hardscape/garden elements; however, several chapters cap how much of the required landscape area can be satisfied by those non-plant features. Where both a chapter-specific 50% cap and the citywide multifamily/commercial 75%/50% rule could apply, treat § 86.56.800(A) as a use-specific overlay and confirm with staff which cap controls on your site. Verify with the jurisdiction.
• Front-yard landscape percentages are tied to lot frontage width in some districts. The wording varies between “area between building and front line” and “required front yard” — design to the stricter interpretation unless cleared by the City (§§ 86.08.130(C)–(D); 86.09.160(C)–(D); 86.10.120(C)–(D)).
• Street-tree specs differ across chapters: most require 2 in caliper shade trees; one requires 4 in (§ 86.32.100(B)). Check your governing chapter before ordering trees, and use the City’s approved street tree list.
• Corridor exceptions allowing 8 ft front-yard enclosures are narrow and require landscape buffering and City approval along rights-of-way (§ 86.56.165(A)(2)). Consider whether your frontage is among the named segments before designing tall walls.

Checklist

• Confirm your base zoning chapter in Coronado Zoning and identify which “Development landscaping required” section governs your parcel.
• Compute minimum landscaped area for your use: 35/25% residential or 15/5% nonresidential per the applicable section (§§ 86.08.130; 86.09.160; 86.10.120; 86.14.130; 86.20.100; 86.32.100; 86.36.040; 86.42.060).
• If applicable, allocate the front-yard landscape share based on lot frontage (40% for < 50 ft; 60% for ≥ 50 ft) (§§ 86.08.130(C)–(D); 86.09.160(C)–(D); 86.10.120(C)–(D)).
• Keep hardscape/water features within the allowed fraction of required landscaping (chapter 50% caps; and for multifamily/commercial, citywide 75% overall with 50% hard-surface sublimit) (§§ 86.08.130(B); 86.09.160(B); 86.10.120(B); 86.56.800(A)).
• Provide street trees when triggered (new construction or >500 sq ft additions, and in one chapter also $50,000 valuation) with the correct caliper/height and automatic irrigation (§§ 86.08.130(E); 86.09.160(E); 86.10.120(E); 86.14.130(B); 86.32.100(B)).
• Design parking areas >5 spaces with required screening heights and no advertising (§ 86.58.130).
• Keep front-yard fences/hedges at ≤4 ft, unless you qualify for and design to a listed exception with required buffering and approvals (§ 86.56.165).
• For commercial/industrial fences above standard heights, obtain Zoning Administrator determination; otherwise consider a request under Coronado Variances and Exceptions (§ 86.54.180).
• If the site is or will be vacant in a nonresidential zone, plan the 6 ft opaque perimeter fence, landscape buffer, irrigation, and Coronado Design Review approval (§ 86.56.820(D)(1)(c)).
• Coordinate any storefront landscape so it does not block pedestrian views into nonresidential uses (§ 86.56.800(B)).
• Maintain landscape health and weed height, and keep all screening devices in good repair (§ 86.56.820).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Coronado requires you to landscape a set percentage of your lot when you build or substantially add on—usually 25–35% for homes and 5–15% for nonresidential sites, depending on the zoning chapter. Smaller or wider lots in some districts must devote 40% or 60% of the front area to landscaping, and street trees with defined sizes and irrigation are required. Keep front-yard fences under 4 ft unless you fit a listed exception, and screen big parking lots with 6 ft fencing on residential sides and 3.5 ft along streets.

Information Gaps

• District names, purposes, typical permitted uses, key dimensional standards, and geographic applicability for chapters cited (e.g., which zones correspond to §§ 86.08, 86.09, 86.10, 86.14, 86.20, 86.32, 86.36, 86.42): Not found in source materials. Verify with the jurisdiction.
• Any additional district-specific landscape or screening overlays beyond the sections provided: Not found in source materials.

Source References

• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.04.403 (Landscaping definition)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.08.130 (Development landscaping required)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.09.160 (Development landscaping required)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.10.120 (Development landscaping required)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.14.130 (Development landscaping required)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.20.100 (Development landscaping required)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.32.100 (Development landscaping required)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.36.040 (Development landscaping required)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.42.060 (Development landscaping required)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.54.180 (Fences, hedges, walls in commercial/industrial)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.56.165 (Front-yard fences, walls, hedges)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.56.800 (Landscaping composition and credits)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.56.820 (Vacant premises)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.58.130 (Parking screening)
• Related pages: Coronado zoning & planning overview, Coronado Land Use, Coronado Development Standards, Coronado Parking, Coronado Design Review, Coronado Overlay Districts, Coronado Variances and Exceptions, Coronado Nonconforming Uses, California Building Standards Code

Source passages

• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.56.820) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.54.180) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.04.403) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.58.130) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.08.130) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.20.100) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.10.120) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.09.160) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.42.060) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.14.130) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.56.165) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.36.040) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.32.100) Medium relevance show source text
• Coronado Zoning Code (§ 86.56.800) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.04.403 (Landscaping definition) (§ 86.04.403)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.08.130 (Development landscaping required) (§ 86.08.130)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.09.160 (Development landscaping required) (§ 86.09.160)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.10.120 (Development landscaping required) (§ 86.10.120)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.14.130 (Development landscaping required) (§ 86.14.130)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.20.100 (Development landscaping required) (§ 86.20.100)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.32.100 (Development landscaping required) (§ 86.32.100)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.36.040 (Development landscaping required) (§ 86.36.040)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.42.060 (Development landscaping required) (§ 86.42.060)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.54.180 (Fences, hedges, walls in commercial/industrial) (§ 86.54.180)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.56.165 (Front-yard fences, walls, hedges) (§ 86.56.165)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.56.800 (Landscaping composition and credits) (§ 86.56.800)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.56.820 (Vacant premises) (§ 86.56.820)
• Coronado Zoning Code: § 86.58.130 (Parking screening) (§ 86.58.130)
• Related pages: Coronado zoning & planning overview, Coronado Land Use, Coronado Development Standards, Coronado Parking, Coronado Design Review, Coronado Overlay Districts, Coronado Variances and Exceptions, Coronado Nonconforming Uses, California Building Standards Code