Landscape Review

Design Review – Preliminary Plans​ 

Many projects going through Design Review will require a preliminary landscape plan to be included with the submittal. Preliminary landscape plans shall be coordinated with all other design review exhibits to meet applicable Sacramento County Zoning Code, Design Guidelines, Special Planning Areas, and Neighborhood Preservation Areas for landscape, as well as any applicable Federal and State requirements. 


The preliminary landscape plan should be illustrative in nature utilizing text callouts and graphics to clearly communicate the design intent and how applicable requirements are being addressed. The plan should include, but not be limited to showing and calling out areas of accent planting, screen planting, stormwater quality/retention areas, etc. Please refer to the Preliminary Landscape Plan Requirements​​ for minimum requirements, and the County Design Review Program for additional information. 

 

Landscape and Irrigation Plan Review for MWELO – Construction Documents

New development and retrofitted landscape water efficiency standards are governed by the California Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO)​. The purpose of the water efficient landscape ordinance is to not only increase water efficiency but to improve environmental conditions in the built environment. Landscape should be valued beyond the aesthetic since landscapes often replace habitat lost to development. Landscapes provide many other related benefits such as improvements to public health and quality of life, climate change mitigation, energy and materials conservation and increased property values. 

 

Landscape Plan Review Required for:​

  • Construction document level landscape plans must be prepared by a qualified professional as outlined in the Permitted Practices in California document prepared by the California Landscape Architects Technical Committee (LATC).
  • Submit construction document level planting and irrigation plans with complete WELO Application for Landscape Review​ to​ landscape@saccounty.gov​. DO NOT submit landscape plans with Building Plans or Civil Improvement Plans, unless otherwise requested. Landscape plans are reviewed separately by Planning and Environmental Review. Landscape plans submitted to other departments are considered for reference only.​
  •  
    • ​New construction projects with an aggregate landscape area equal to or greater than 500 square feet, regardless of use; OR​
    • Rehabilitated landscape projects with an aggregate landscape area equal to or greater than 2,500 square feet, regardless of use.

 

​Landscape and Irrigation Certification for MWELO 

 

Upon completion of the landscape installation per approved WELO plans, a complete Certificate of Completion (COC) package and images shall be submitted to landscape@saccounty.gov ​ for review and approval prior to sign off of the T2 Hold on the associated building permit(s). This must be completed prior to final inspections and occupancy. Please allow 1-2 business days for review of COC packages. Refer to the Checklist and Forms 1 and 2 below for additional information.

 

Landscape Resources:

  • Applicable County Zoning Code Sections:
    • 5.2.4.B – Landscape Requirements for Institutional, Commercial, Industrial, & Multifamily Residential Use Categories
    • 5.2.4.C – Landscape Requirements for All Residential Use Categories, Except Multifamily and Mobile Home Parks
    • 5.2.5 – Development Standards for Walls and F​ences​
    • 5.9.3 – Parking Size, Location, and Configuration
    • 5.9.4 – Improvement Requirements for Parking and Loading Areas
    • 5.9.9 – Bicycle Parking Requirements
    • Additional Zoning Code sections for particular uses may apply
  • Sacramento Countywide Design Guidelines​​
    • Section 1.0 – Introduction 
    • Section 2.0 – Single-Family Design Guidelines
    • Section 3.0 – Multifamily Design Standards
    • Section 4.0 – Commercial Design Guidelines
    • Section 5.0 – Office, Business Park, Institutional, and Industrial Design Guidelines
    • Section 6.0 – Village Centers/Mixed-Use Design Guidelines
    • Section 7.0 – New Communities Design Guidelines

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