Title 17C Land Use Standards

Chapter 17C.200 Landscaping and Screening

1. Purpose.
   To provide consistent street frontage character within the street right-of-way. The street tree standards also maintain and add to Spokane’s tree canopy and enhance the overall appearance of commercial and neighborhood development. Trees are an integral aspect of the Spokane landscape and add to the livability of Spokane. They provide aesthetic and economic value to property owners and the community at large.

2. Street Tree Implementation.

   1. Street trees are required along all City streets in downtown, commercial, center and corridor, industrial zones, and along arterials in residential zones.

   2. Street trees shall be planted between the curb and the walking path of the sidewalk. Either five-foot by five-foot pits with tree grates or a continuous planting strip with groundcover that is at least five feet wide may be used. Where tree grates are used, they shall be ADA accessible and have a similar size and material as tree grates found in adjacent developments.

   3. Larger shade trees with spreading canopies or branches are desirable where possible. Species of street trees within the public rights-of-way shall be approved by the City urban forester and reviewed by the director of engineering services. Refer to the urban forester’s list of appropriate street trees for available planting strip widths. See the “Landscape Plants for the Inland Northwest” issued by the Washington State University Cooperative Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, available from the City planning services department.

   
    

   4. Street trees shall meet the most recent ANSI standards for a two-inch caliper tree at the time of planting and shall be spaced in order to provide continuous canopy coverage within ten years of planting.

   5. Street tree plantings shall consider the location of existing utilities, lighting, and existing and proposed signs.

   6. If overhead power lines are present, street trees shall be limited to a mature height of twenty-five feet to avoid conflict with utility lines and maintenance crews.

   7. If a street has a uniform planting of street trees or a distinctive species within the right-of-way, then new street trees should match the planting pattern and species.

   8. Landscape areas between the curb and sidewalk shall be maintained or plant material chosen to maintain a clear view zone between three and eight feet from ground level.

   
    

   9. In center and corridor zones:

      1. street trees shall be planted between the curb and the walking path of the sidewalk.

      2. street trees shall be located in planting areas or in tree wells with a minimum width of four feet.

      3. along arterial streets, tree-grates shall be used. On other streets, either tree-grates or a continuous planting strip along the curb are acceptable.

   10. In downtown zones:

       1. street trees shall be planted between the curb and the walking path of the sidewalk along all streets bordering development. Street trees and other landscaping shall be maintained and irrigated by the adjacent property owner.

       2. street trees shall be spaced no more than twenty-five feet apart except when driveways prohibit this spacing. If existing development prevents in ground planting, trees shall be planted in tubs equipped with irrigation. When large canopy street trees are used the planning director may allow for increased spacing of up to thirty-five feet between street trees depending on the tree species mature crown spread. The tree spacing objective is to create a continuous tree canopy over the sidewalk.

       3. street trees shall be located in planting areas or in tree wells with a minimum width of five feet. When the required clear sidewalk width cannot be achieved with a five-foot tree well, the tree well width dimension encroaching into the sidewalk may be reduced to four feet as long as the planting length running along the curb is six feet or greater.

       4. achieving a minimum of one hundred cubic feet of uncompacted soils, within a maximum depth of three feet, for street trees is desired. See the City policy guidance for soils and street trees.

Date Passed: Monday, December 14, 2009

Effective Date: Saturday, January 16, 2010

Oridinance C34524 Section 3