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A. Landscaped Areas. Required landscaped areas shall be maintained free from encroachment by any use, structure, vehicle, or feature not a part of the landscaping design, except for the fire hydrants and related fire protection devices, mailbox clusters, pedestals, poles, cabinets, utility-housing boxes, or other permanent fixtures as approved for emergency or service access.

1. Where turf abuts decomposed granite or similar inorganic landscape material, a hardscape edging material such as brick or concrete curb/mowstrip shall be provided.

2. Where vehicular cross-access is provided between adjoining properties that are not part of group commercial, office, or industrial development, a 15-foot-wide perimeter landscape yard except where drive aisle occurs shall be provided.

B. Tree Size. Required trees shall meet the growth dimensions specified in the Arizona Nursery Association “Recommended Tree Specification,” latest edition, a copy of which will be maintained on file by the planning division and available upon request. The zoning administrator may approve deviations from these minimum specifications based on availability, if a deviation is requested prior to installation.

C. Shrubs. Required shrubs shall have a minimum mature growth height of 18 inches. At least 50 percent of required shrubs shall be a minimum of five gallons in size upon installation, but in no case shall any shrub be less than one-gallon size.

D. Ground Cover. Required ground cover may be of two types:

1. Vegetative ground cover consisting of living plant materials characterized by horizontal as well as vertical growth, generally not exceeding 18 inches in height.

2. Inert ground cover consisting of gravel, decomposed granite, crushed rock, desert tree mulch, or other approved materials. The use of “desert cobble” that looks like the desert floor, consisting of natural desert covers and seed mix, is encouraged. Minimum depth of inert material shall be two and one-half inches.

Figure 18.90.030.D. Ground Cover Types

E. Irrigation Systems. Required irrigation systems shall be underground automatic watering systems, unless the lot is served by functioning flood irrigation. Irrigation and plantings within three feet of public utilities, such as but not limited to electrical transformers, light poles and fixtures, and communication services, shall be limited to drip systems so as to not overspray to cause undue corrosion to utility structures.

F. Paving and Hardscape Materials. Paving and ground treatment shall be an integral part of site and landscape design.

G. Minimum Open Space Required. The following indicates the minimum required open space by zoning district.

1. Any parking area landscaping that exceeds the minimum requirements of the code shall be counted as open space if determined by the zoning administrator that the landscape area enhances the general area proposed.

2. Open space does not include parking areas except parking lots for trailheads and/or for the neighborhood parks (not parking lots required for other uses).

4. Bicycle trails (not bike lanes within the pavement section), pedestrian trails, equestrian tracts, and trailheads may also be calculated as open space.

5. Landscape buffers and landscaped medians shall be a minimum of 10 to 15 feet in width in order to be calculated as part of the required open space.

6. Open space does not include retention and/or detention basins that are concrete lined or nonlandscaped, vacant lots, or undeveloped lots.

7. Residential zoning districts shall have a minimum of 60 percent of the required open space for any development and should be developed as “useable” open space with the recreational amenities needed to support the new neighborhood demand incorporated into that open space.

8. Not more than 50 percent of the required open space shall be attributed to golf course use or ancillary golf uses.

Table 1 Open Space Requirements by Zoning Districts

Zoning District

Required Percentage of Open Space

Rural Districts

0% (1 – 49 lots; min. lot size 54,000 sq. ft.)

2% (50+ lots; min. lot size 54,000 sq. ft.)

10% (1 – 49 lots; min. lot size 20,000 sq. ft.)

12% (50 + lots; min. lot size 20,000 sq. ft.)

Residential Districts

15% (1 – 99 lots; min. lot size 12,000 sq. ft.)

17% (100+ lots; min. lot size 12,000 sq. ft.)

20% (1 – 99 lots; min. lot size 7,000 sq. ft)

22% (100+ lots; min. lot size 7,000 sq. ft)

Mixed Use Districts

15%

Commercial Districts

10% (20 acres or less in size)

15% (greater than 20 acres in size)

Industrial Districts

10% (100 acres or less in size)

15% (greater than 100 acres in size)

Public Institutional Districts

10% (20 acres or less in size)

15% (greater than 20 acres in size)

[Res. 21-09; Ord. 21-05 § 2; Res. 14-36 § 404.03; Ord. 14-12 § 1.]