General Design Standards for Street Wall & Foundation Planting

San Diego, California has adopted a street wall planting requirement in their community landscape code for various land uses including large retail establishments and industrial sites.  The street wall planting area for a large retail commercial use is to be planted with a minimum of twenty (20) points derived from tree plantings (measure of landscape design compliance) at a linear rate of thirty (30) feet of building street wall wherever trellises, arcades, awnings or extended covered entries do not occur which shall be a minimum of thirty (30) percent of the length of the building wall.

There are other examples of “street wall planting” design standards.  Some communities prevent paving directly to the wall of a commercial building. This is a very important design standard especially for “strip shopping centers” where many buildings are connected adjacent to a canopy fronting public streets. A street wall design standard will specify that a planting strip be installed between the building and any parking lot. The standard specifies the width of the strip, the types and sizes of plants and the density of the plantings that go into this planting area. Plantings are based on the length of the street wall with provisions made for windows and doors. Some people think that street wall plantings can actually enhance the appearance of poorly designed or pre-manufactured commercial buildings. This is another way to enhance the quality of the community in commercial and industrial areas at minimal cost to property owners fronting on public streets.

 

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