Landscaping and Open Space Requirements in the Heavy Industrial (HI) District

In the Heavy Industrial (HI) District of Concord, there are no specific minimum open space requirements for developments, but property owners must comply with general landscaping standards, parking lot landscaping requirements, and transitional buffer requirements when abutting residential districts. While individual site landscaping is required for new nonresidential projects, specific area percentages for the HI district are left to the discretion of the review authority.

Landscaping Requirements in the Heavy Industrial (HI) District

In the Heavy Industrial (HI) District, the minimum area of a site to be landscaped is determined at the discretion of the review authority [Section 18.165.050]. All new nonresidential projects in the Heavy Industrial (HI) District must provide landscaping in compliance with Chapter 18.165 [Section 18.165.020].

Parking Lot Landscaping

For all parking areas within the Heavy Industrial (HI) District, landscaping must be provided in accordance with the following:

Perimeter Landscaping: Surface parking areas must be screened from streets and adjoining properties. For parking adjacent to streets, landscaping must screen cars from view at a height of 30 to 36 inches, and shade trees must be provided at a minimum rate of one tree for every 30 linear feet of landscaped area [Section 18.165.060].
Interior Parking Lot Landscaping: A minimum of 10 percent of the gross area of the parking lot must be landscaped. At least one 24-inch box shade tree must be provided for every five parking spaces [Section 18.165.060].

Transitional Requirements

When a development in the Heavy Industrial (HI) District abuts a residential district, specific transitional requirements apply to provide buffering:

Landscaped Buffers: A five-foot-wide landscape buffer must be provided between parking areas in the Heavy Industrial (HI) District and the common property line of an abutting residential use to buffer glare, light, or noise [Section 18.165.060].
Fencing and Walls: Properties in the Heavy Industrial (HI) District must provide fencing or walls when adjoining residential districts.

Transitional Fence and Wall Requirements

Proposed Use	Adjoining Use	Required
Business park and industrial (HI)	Residential	8-foot wall
Business park and industrial (HI)	Commercial, office, retail, public/quasi-public (no outdoor operations/storage)	6-foot wall
Business park and industrial (HI)	Business park and industrial (no outdoor operations/storage)	6-foot wall
Business park and industrial (HI)	Any use with outdoor operations or storage	6-foot wall

Note: As per Section 18.150.180, these requirements may be increased or upgraded if the review authority determines such measures are necessary due to noise, light trespass, privacy, or security concerns.

Outdoor Storage

Outdoor storage is permitted in the Heavy Industrial (HI) District only in side and rear yards when enclosed by a solid eight-foot masonry wall with landscape screening. Outdoor storage is not permitted in front yards or street-facing yards in the Heavy Industrial (HI) District [Section 18.150.120].

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