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Irvine, Calif. is one of the nation?EUR??,,????'?????<
Irvine developed as a planned town by the Irvine Company to be built around a proposed branch of the University of California in the 1960s. Irvine is noted today as a city that understands sustainability. The city boasts several major green projects from planned mixed use developments, to commercial office buildings, university housing to large planned parks. All of the commercial office buildings and homes within the 93,000-acre Irvine Ranch development are being constructed with sustainability in mind. UC Irvine has implemented a green building design goal to outperform the California Energy Code (Title 24) and to meet LEED standards.
This progressive community has developed a series of environmental programs to assist the city on its path toward sustainability. Citizens in the community have embraced a variety of programs that include building green, waste reduction, recycling, air and water pollution programs and energy conservation all of which are designed to cut down on waste and inefficiency. Many of these programs involve trees and landscape to some extent. Tree requirements in this code are located in two places within the Irvine municipal code. Landscape regulations are found in the community landscape code and tree regulations are found in the tree ordinance.
The Landscape Code, found in the Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 3-15. Landscaping Standards Sec. 3-15-1-Sec. 3-15-10) sets design standards for building sites. Included in the Irvine code are standards for lot perimeter boundaries; 30-foot streetscape master plan landscaped setback area, planting and screening of parking lots; parking structures; and plant material standards. In addition, the code sets a minimum percentage of the amount of the site that must be landscaped, permeable, irrigated and shaded. In addition, the Irvine Municipal Code directly addresses sustainability in landscaping. One of the only sustainable landscape codes adopted in the United States. The code is Title 5, Public Planning, Division, ?EUR??,,????'?????<
The tree ordinance, titled the Urban Forestry Ordinance, is found in the municipal code. Chapter 4. Urban Forestry, Sec. 5-7-401. (Code 1976, ???????(R)???? V.G-400; Ord. No. 94-8, ???????(R)???? 2, 6-14-94) The stated purpose of this ordinance is ?EUR??,,????'?????<
Citizens in the planned community of Irvine understand that the urban forest provides many sustainable ecosystem services including energy reduction, carbon storage, oxygen production.
Sustainability in Irvine is based upon the Irvine Build Green Program in which the community is encouraged to utilize sustainable practices for residential and commercial land uses. A LEED type rating system has been developed to help the city build a greener more sustainable future. Among these methods are practices directly affecting the landscape and the community urban forest. Examples include using recycled materials, waste diversion, minimize turf, treat stormwater, reduce exterior lighting illumination, use reclaimed water, plant shade trees for shade in parking areas (one tree/four spaces), install a water efficient irrigation system, encourage bike riding and build a California Friendly landscape.
An approach to sustainable landscaping is used locally in California, e.g., Hayward, Calif. in the San Francisco East Bay area. This approach could be a model for many other communities wishing to become greener or adapt their green laws to be more effective. Following a set of sustainable site design standards or green practices will make a cleaner, healthier environment for people. The Bay-Friendly Landscape Scorecard is a LEED style system that lists many ways that landscapes can be designed for sustainability. This rating system can be used by landscape architects, horticulturists, arborist and urban foresters to devise sustainability requirements for urban forests since a garden and an urban forest are only a matter of scale. Visit the Bay Friendly Landscape Ordinance at www.ci.hayward.ca.us/ municipal/ HMCWEB/BayFriendlyLandscaping.pdf.
Sustainable landscape metrics are set forth for in the Bay Friendly program for site context, waste reduction, soil protection, water conservation, energy conservation, air quality and protection of wildlife habitat.
Residents of Irvine believe that a sustainable city will conserve natural resources, preserve the environment for future generations, create a more efficient economy, and help prevent pollutants from entering the air, land and water. It would be well worth your time to visit the city of Irvine Environmental Programs office at www.cityofirvine.us/green_build_project.html.
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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