Parking Lot Screening Requirements in Concord
Jurisdiction: Concord•Code Version: February 10, 2026
In the City of Concord, all surface parking areas must be screened from streets and adjoining properties to enhance visual appeal and mitigate environmental impacts. Depending on the location, screening may involve a combination of plant materials, earth berms, decorative fencing, or solid masonry walls, with specific height and landscaping standards applied to ensure effective buffering.
Perimeter Landscaping and Screening
All surface parking areas in the City of Concord must be screened from the street and adjoining properties. The open areas between the property line and the street right-of-way must be landscaped in accordance with the following requirements:
Adjacent to Streets
- Location: Parking, except for single-family dwelling or duplex units, shall not be located within the required setback areas, which must be landscaped.
- Screening Height: Landscaping must be designed and maintained to screen cars from view from the street to a minimum and maximum height of 30 to 36 inches [Section 18.165.060].
- Screening Materials: Acceptable materials include a combination of plant materials, earth berms, decorative fencing or walls, or raised planters.
- Shade Trees: Shade trees must be provided at a minimum rate of one tree for every 30 linear feet of landscaped area.
Adjacent to Side or Rear Property Lines
- Perimeter Strip: Parking areas for multifamily and nonresidential uses must provide a perimeter landscaped strip at least five feet wide (measured as an inside dimension) where the parking area adjoins a side or rear property line.
- Tree Requirement: Trees must be provided at the rate of one tree for each 30 linear feet of landscaped area [Section 18.165.060].
Adjacent to Residential Uses
- Landscape Buffer: Parking areas for nonresidential uses that adjoin residential uses must comply with the transitional requirements in Section 18.150.180. A five-foot-wide landscape buffer must be provided between the parking area and the common property line bordering the residential use to buffer glare, light, or nuisance noise.
- Tree Requirement: Trees must be provided at a rate of one for each 30 linear feet of landscaped area [Section 18.165.060].
Interior Parking Lot Landscaping
For parking lots in the City of Concord, internal landscaping is required to improve the site's environmental performance and aesthetic quality:
| Requirement | Standard |
|---|---|
| Minimum Landscaped Area | 10 percent of the gross area of the parking lot |
| Tree Size (Minimum) | 24-inch box |
| Shading Requirement | 50 percent shade coverage of parking lot pavement within 10 years |
| Shade Tree Ratio | Minimum of one 24-inch box shade tree for every five parking spaces |
Design and Maintenance Standards
- Curbing: All areas containing plant materials within a parking lot must be protected by a concrete curb at least six inches high and six inches wide. Alternate barrier designs that protect landscaped areas from vehicle damage and filter/retain runoff are subject to approval by the planning division [Section 18.165.060].
- Pedestrian Access: Landscaping and stormwater treatment areas must be oriented so that pedestrians are not required to cross unpaved landscaped areas to reach building entrances or walkways from parked cars.
- Paving near Stormwater Areas: For parking stalls adjacent to stormwater treatment areas, an additional two feet of paving must be added adjacent to the parking stall to facilitate vehicle access [Section 18.165.060].
- General Maintenance: All landscaped areas in the City of Concord must be permanently maintained in a healthy, thriving condition, with irrigation systems kept in a fully functional manner to reflect best water efficiency practices [Section 18.165.080].
Sections Cited
- Section 18.150.180: Transitional requirements
- Section 18.165.050: Landscape requirements
- Section 18.165.060: Parking lot landscaping
- Section 18.165.080: Maintenance of landscape areas