§ 8108-5.14.2. Applicability.

Unless otherwise noted herein, all parking areas shall comply with the landscaping and screening requirements of this section. Underground parking is exempt from these requirements.

a.

Planning Director Waivers/Modifications. The Director may grant modifications and waivers to landscaping requirements where existing structures or irregularly configured lots preclude implementation of the requirements, or where compliance would result in the loss of existing required parking spaces due to site size restrictions. The Director shall seek a compromise between reducing the amount of required parking and reducing the amount of required landscaping. Wherever possible, at least some landscaping shall be required. In granting modifications, the Director shall prioritize the provision of landscaping as follows:

First priority: The provision of landscape screening adjacent to streets.

Second priority: The provision of shade trees.

Water use efficiency, addressed in Ventura County's Landscape Design Criteria, must be incorporated into all landscape designs.

i.

Perimeter Landscaping and Screening, Adjacent to Streets. The Director may allow the use of smaller perimeter planters or waive these requirements, except there shall be no waiver of these requirements for any project that is located across the street from residential zones or land uses.

ii.

Interior Landscaping. If the applicant can demonstrate that compliance with interior landscaping requirements would result in the loss of existing required parking spaces, the Director may modify the interior landscaping requirement. Whenever feasible, the Director shall require a minimum of some interior landscaping with priority given to planting shade trees. The Director may also approve acceptable substitutions for interior landscaping, such as:

· Use of a light-colored/high-albedo (minimum of 0.3) paving surface, or use of a pervious paving surface pursuant to Section 8108-5.9.1. Such surfaces may be substituted for landscaping at a rate of three (3) times the area required for landscaping.

· Installation of public art at the site, such as a mural or sculpture. Such art should complement its surroundings in terms of scale, materials, form, and content, and shall not contain advertising. Public art shall conform to height and setback standards. The art should be designed to last as long as the related building or structure and be vandal/theft resistant. Maintenance of public art shall be the responsibility of the property owner and permittee. Public art pieces must be approved by the Director.

· Shading in the form of canopies with solar photovoltaic or hot water systems, off-site trees and structures, sidewalk canopies and other shade structures.

(Ord. No. 4407, § 1, 10-20-2009)