(1) All residential developments located within urban growth areas are required to landscape a minimum of 10 percent of the total gross area of the site to the standards set forth in this chapter unless exempted otherwise. The 10 percent requirement may include perimeter landscaping, parking lot and detention facility landscaping, rain gardens, tree canopy areas and street trees not in a public right-of-way.

(2) No building permit shall be issued when landscaping is required until a landscaping plan has been submitted and approved by the department, if applicable. Landscaping plan requirements shall be defined by the department in a submittal requirements checklist, as authorized by SCC 30.70.030. The landscaping plan shall be prepared by a qualified landscape designer.

(3) Planting areas outside of the right-of-way may include landscape features such as decorative paving, sculptures, fountains, rock features, benches, picnic tables, and other amenities; provided that the area devoted to such features may count toward no more than 20 percent of the total required perimeter and parking lot landscaping area. Use of bark, mulch, gravel, and similar non-vegetative material shall be minimized and used only to assist plant growth and maintenance or to visually complement plant material.

(4) An accessible route of travel meeting construction code barrier free requirements may cross a required landscape area at a 90 degree angle or as close to a 90 degree angle to the road right-of-way as conditions allow. The area devoted to an accessible route of travel in a required perimeter area may be included to satisfy the requirements of SCC 30.25.020.

(5) The following minimum planting standards apply, except that street trees required pursuant to subsection (8) of this section shall comply with planting standards in the EDDS:

(6) All landscape materials shall meet or exceed current United States standards for nursery stock published by the American Nursery and Landscape Association and consist of native species. The applicant shall use a list of acceptable species prepared by the director or may substitute a species with similar characteristics not on the list with the director’s approval.

(7) To promote stabilization and continued healthy growth of the landscape areas required by this section, a qualified landscape designer shall determine the need for irrigation. An irrigation plan shall be submitted together with the required landscape plan.

(8) Street trees are required to be planted as frontage improvements along public roads and along private roads and drive aisles in residential developments within urban growth areas. Street trees are not required around turnarounds at the end of road network elements less than 150 feet in length.

(9) Property owners shall be responsible for the maintenance (including pruning) and liability of street trees on their property, or where responsibility has been assumed by the owner through a recorded agreement with the county.

(10) Utility work shall minimize impact to street trees, both above ground and to root systems below ground.

(11) Preservation of native vegetation is encouraged and use of low impact development (LID) best management practices (BMPs) is preferred for stormwater management. When LID BMPs employing native vegetation are proposed, they may be counted towards landscaping requirements when the applicable landscaping criteria in SCC 30.25.020 through 30.25.036 are met. Permeable pavement areas cannot be applied towards landscaping requirements. (Added by Amended Ord. 02-064, Dec. 9, 2002, Eff date Feb. 1, 2003; Amended by Amended Ord. 07-084, Sept. 5, 2007, Eff date Sept. 21, 2007; Amended by Amended Ord. 08-101, Jan. 21, 2009, Eff date Apr. 21, 2009; Amended by Amended Ord. 14-073, Oct. 8, 2014, Eff date Oct. 27, 2014; Amended by Amended Ord. 17-070, Nov. 1, 2017, Eff date Dec. 1, 2017).