1 DRAFT
POLICY ON
PARKWAY LANDSCAPING
1. GENERAL
In an effort to further clarify the City’s requirements and the City’s Residential Design Guidelines (adopted 10-7-2003) for parkway landscaping, and to encourage water-wise landscape and irrigation practices, the Public Works Department has prepared following policies to be used in conjunction with adopted guidelines.
Parkways are the landscaped area in the public Right-of-Way, between the street curb and the sidewalk or, where there is no curb or sidewalk, between the street surface and the property line.
The City and the Public shall have access to and through the Parkway areas at all times, except as otherwise permitted, temporarily, by the Engineering Services Division during periods of construction. The City’s Municipal Code (RBMC 10-2.1900) and the California Streets and Highways Code (SHC §5600-5630) requires the adjacent property owner to maintain the parkway adjacent to their property and encourages the property owners to install and maintain attractive, safe, and environmentally responsible landscaping that they are motivated to maintain. Parkway landscaping shall take into consideration pedestrian safety, vehicular safety, and resource conservation.
2. PUBLIC OUTREACH
To provide clear and consistent direction to the public, a “Guidance for Parkway Landscaping” handout will be developed and updated as necessary by the Urban Forestry Manager and the City Engineer. The handout will describe the standards and procedures to be followed in making improvements to the parkway. The contents of the handout will be directed to residential property owners, especially those self-performing the work, since redevelopment projects that engage licensed contractors should be managed through the building or engineering permit process. The handout will encourage property owners to use California Friendly Landscaping principles including Integrated Pest Management. Although the City requires the adjacent property owner to maintain the parkway, it should never be perceived as “belonging to” the adjacent property owner.
3. PROCESS
Proposed Parkway improvements (landscaping, vertical elements, irrigation, etc.) associated with work proposed under a building permit or engineering permit (e.g. driveway approach) shall be reviewed and approved by the City Urban Forestry Manager (aka Superintendent of Parks) or his/her representatives before the engineering permit is issued. Building or Engineering permits issued as described above shall be inclusive with that permit with final inspection of parkway improvements approved by City Urban Forestry Manager.
Public Works Department
Engineering Services Division
415 Diamond Street
Redondo Beach, California 90277
www.redondo.org
tel: 310 318-0661
fax: 310 374-4828
2 Stand-alone parkway improvement activities (i.e. those not associated with a building or engineering permit acquired for other purposes) shall be classified in one of three categories as described below.
Level 1 – Parkway improvement activities may be performed without a permit when standards for Level 1 projects are maintained. There are no fees associated with Level 1 projects and the property owners may submit a design for conformance review. The City reserves the right to inspect the installation, require protection of established trees and require removal of non-conforming elements if necessary. Property owners may submit a design for conformance review. The City may identify Level 1 non-conformance elements, as described below, but cannot provide design services (e.g. plant choice, irrigation layout).
Level 2 - If exceptions to Level 1 standards are desired by the property owner, design approval by the Engineering Division will be required prior to the improvement being made, subject to the discretion of the City Engineer or his/her representatives. This process requires the property owner to submit a design that shall be reviewed and approved by the Engineering Division and the City Urban Forestry Manager (aka Superintendent of Parks) or his/her representatives before the installation can begin. An Engineering Permit is not required; however, fees for design review and/or inspection shall apply.
Level 3 – If a Level 2 project is proposed that has an enduring feature or construction method for which the City, at its sole discretion, deems to be a potential liability issue to the City, the property owner will be required to obtain an Engineering Encroachment Permit.
Encroachment Permits for parkway landscaping will meet the standard Encroachment Permit requirements for the property owner, including payment of fees, design review, and provision of insurance and indemnification to the City. The Encroachment Permit will be subject to an annual renewal process, including payment of fees, as long as the enduring features are in place or construction method is incomplete.
4. STANDARDS
A. ALL LEVELS
The following requirements apply to all levels of activity in the parkway.
1. PUBLIC SAFETY & NUISANCE
For all Levels, parkway landscaping shall not create visual obstructions for pedestrians or drivers of vehicles.
• Trees shall not be located within 5 feet of a driveway approach, unless approved by the City Engineer.
• Plant material shall not exceed a continuous height of 18 inches or a peak height of 24 inches.
• Plants with sharp, pointy protrusions such as spines, prickles, or thorns are not allowed.
3 • Sharp edged rocks, glass, or grouted rocks/bricks/pavers, or any asphalt pavement, are not allowed in the parkway.
• Swings, mirrors or other attachments to trees are not allowed. • Edging, landscape ties, and similar borders shall not create a tripping hazard. • Signs, fences, walls, curbs, or similar barrier elements are not allowed in the parkway. • Lewd, offensive, or politically based elements that are visible from the public right of way are prohibited by City code. (RBMC 4-20).
The City retains the right to require any parkway improvement that creates a safety or nuisance issue to the public to be corrected or removed at the expense of the property owner, as directed by the City Engineer or his designee.
At no time shall improvements, materials or equipment be left in the parkway in a way that impedes public access or passage along the sidewalk.
Exceptions to this policy for parkway areas adjacent to a City approved accessible parking space in the right-of-way shall be reviewed on a case by case basis and in accordance with the City’s policy on public requests for accessible spaces.
2. MAINTENANCE
Irrigation in the parkway, including irrigation for trees, shall be provided and maintained by the adjacent property owner. Maintenance of the parkways, except tree trimming or pruning, is the responsibility of the adjacent property owners. The property owner is also responsible to remove any non-compliant landscaping and irrigation work in his/her fronting parkway as ordered/directed by the City Engineer.
3. TREES
Trees are encouraged in parkway landscaping. Existing tress shall not be removed without approval of the City. No roots shall be disturbed within the drip line, including soil disturbance, material storage or discharge of poisonous substances, without approval of the City. Whenever any activity is taking place within the tree protection zone, which is typically the area within the drip line, the developer/homeowner shall submit a tree protection plan prior to any work. The tree protection plan shall comply with the guidelines and specifications within this policy to the satisfaction of the City’s Urban Forestry Manager.
New trees installed in the parkway will become property of the City and as such will need to conform to City requirements for size, species, location and health. Trees shall be sourced from an approved nursery and sized in no less than a 24-inch box. Trees shall be installed with a root barrier of a type approved by the City Urban Forestry Manager. Typically, no more than one tree per 40-feet of frontage will be allowed. Allowable options for tree species, size, and location shall be determined by the City Urban Forestry Manager or his/her representatives prior to purchase and installation. Recently installed trees in poor health may be required to be replaced by the property owner.
4. UTILITIES
4 The City’s parkways are often the location of City signs, buried utilities or their appurtenant facilities, bus benches, or similar. Location of these facilities have priority over landscaping and other improvements made by the adjacent property owner. City or utility facilities should not be moved except by the City or the appropriate utility, although the City is not obligated to do so, nor is it obligated to compel any utility owner to do so. Any excavation for trees, sprinkler lines, etc. should not be done without checking for buried utilities.
Property owners shall be responsible to call Dig-Alert/Underground Service Alert at 811 to order this free service at least 48-hours prior to digging.
B. LEVEL 1 STANDARDS
Landscape Improvements meeting the following standards are considered Level 1 improvements. All Level 1 improvements shall be made from natural materials or products produced or appropriately used for the purpose of landscaping.
1. ACCESS WAY
One or more access ways is allowed, generally perpendicular to the curb line or street centerline, to provide pedestrian access from the sidewalk to vehicles parked at the curb.
Concrete access ways, which must comply with APWA Standard Plans and Specifications, may not occupy more than 10% of the lineal frontage. Continuous concrete access ways require a City Engineering permit for construction and will escalate the approval process to Level 3. All concrete access ways must have a minimum width of four feet. Alternatively, an access way may be constructed of stepping stones, pavers, or stabilized decomposed granite (DG). A maximum of 30% of the lineal feet of property frontage may be occupied by access ways, regardless of property frontage width. However, not more than 10% of the property footage may be an impermeable surface, exclusive of the driveway. Steps shall escalate the approval process to Level 2 or 3 unless the rise is not more than four inches and the tread width is not less than 24 inches. No finished surfaces of an access way shall be smooth but rather have a medium broom finish or similar.
2. GROUNDCOVERS
Groundcovers shall be grass, low-lying vegetation, stabilized decomposed granite (DG), wood chips, clean mulch, or properly installed synthetic turf set on a pervious base. Planted groundcover areas covering at least 50% of the frontage is recommended. Finish grades of the ground base shall be a minimum of 1 inch below adjacent surfaces. Wood chips, mulch and DG shall be contained such that tracking or runoff will not carry particulate matter onto the adjacent hardscape (e.g. sidewalk, driveway approach, curb or street.)
3. PLANTS
Plants shall be low-growing, drought-tolerant species and not exceed 24 inches in height at maturity. Examples of disallowed species include, but are not limited to, roses and other bushes with thorns; cacti, agave, yucca and other similarly sharp or prickly species. A recommended plant palette will be developed by the City Urban Forestry Manager or his/her representatives and included on the parkway landscaping guidance handout. The City’s Municipal Code also regulates landscaping (§10-2.1900 & §10-5.1900) and appropriate sections thereof shall apply to parkway landscaping. Planting areas shall be designed such 5 that applied fertilizers and pesticides shall not be transported into public streets, sidewalks, or storm drains, either by wind, irrigation, or wet weather.
4. IRRIGATION
Design of irrigation system in parkways shall be according to Federal, State, and Local laws and regulations. Low-volume, non-spray irrigation systems are preferred. Older systems should be retrofitted with low flow, high efficiency nozzles. The City’s Municipal Code includes good housekeeping provisions (§5-7.111(b)) requiring minimization of runoff of water used for irrigation purposes. The Municipal Code also regulates landscaping irrigation (§10-2.1900 & §10-5.1900) and appropriate sections thereof shall apply to parkway landscaping.
5. VERTICAL ELEMENTS
Aside from approved trees, installation of additional of vertical elements (e.g. bench, play equipment, pedestal, bird bath, mail box, etc.) elevates the review process to Level 2 or Level
3. C. LEVEL 2 STANDARDS
Deviations from the Level 1 standards that do not create a predictable liability for the City will be handled as a Level 2 installation (see “PROCESS” section above). Examples of deviations from Level 1 (that do not elicit Level 3) are stairs, tree installation or removal, engineered bio-swale materials, etc. Approved Level 2 projects that are objected to by neighbors or other residents, before or after installation, shall be subject to review by the Public Works Commission at a duly noticed public hearing.
D. LEVEL 3 STANDARDS
Proposed elements that could create an attractive nuisance or liability to the City shall be elevated to Level 3 (see “PROCESS” section above). Examples of such elements include benches, birdbaths, book share pedestals, mailboxes, etc. Approved Level 3 projects that are objected to by neighbors or other residents, before or after installation, shall be subject to review by the Public Works Commission at a duly noticed public hearing.
E. TREE PROTECTION ZONE
1. NECESSITY
Parkway trees or “street trees” are the property of the City and those to be retained shall be adequately protected during construction activities to ensure their continued health and benefit to the community. Each parkway tree to be retained shall have a designated Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) identifying the area around the trunk of the tree that is sufficiently large to protect the tree and roots from damage. The TPZ limits shall be determined by City Urban Forestry Manager or designee. Protective fencing shall be installed and maintained by the contractor or property owner at the limits of the TPZ for the duration of the project activities in the vicinity of the retained tree. Contractor/Property Owner shall notify City Urban Forestry Manager or designee 24 hours in advance of any activity taking place inside the TPZ.
6 The following activities are prohibited within the TPZ • Storing or parking trailers or motorized vehicles, storage of building materials, refuse, excavated spoils or dumping of poisonous materials on or around tree and roots.
Poisonous materials include, but are not limited to paint, petroleum products, concrete or stucco mix or washout, contaminated water or any other material which may be deleterious to tree health.
• Mechanical (machine driven) digging
• Cutting of tree roots, by trenching or digging
• Placement of curbs, post foundations, and other miscellaneous excavation without prior approval of the Urban Forestry Manager or designee. • Soil disturbance or grade change without prior approval of the Urban Forestry Manager or designee.
• Severing roots greater than 2 inch without express approval from City the Urban Forestry Manager or designee
2. INSTALLATION
The TPZ shall be established and protected prior to any demolition or construction activity.
The TPZ shall be surrounded by protective fencing in a manner approved by the Urban Forestry Manager or designee. The TPZ protective fencing shall not interfere with access along adjacent sidewalk, street or driveway. Depending on the installation location and tree vulnerability the following methods may be required, as determined by the Urban Forestry Manager or designee:
• 6-Foot chain link fence mounted on two inch diameter galvanized iron posts driven in to the ground to a depth of at least 2 feet at no more than 10 ft spacing. • 4-Foot environmental (ESA) fence mounted on driven posts per the manufacturers recommendations
TPZ fencing shall be maintained for the duration of the project by the contractor / property owner. Failure to do so may result in a stop work order from the City and additional penalties described below.
3. PENALTIES
Damages to the tree as a result of poorly maintained fencing or violation of this policy may result in monetary damages being assessed against the contractor / property owner up to an including costs to remove and replace the tree and the lost value of the tree meant to be retained.
Policy Adoption Date:
Next Policy Review Date: Adoption + 2 Years