L A N D S C A P E E L E M E N T

Jepson Parkway Concept Plan 27

5 . L A N D S C A P E E L E M E N T
INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION
The Landscape Element uses complementary streetscape design features to provide an attractive and
inviting route for a variety of users. The 12-mile Parkway has several distinct environments that vary by
segment. The landscape design recognizes these variations in the visual and land use character of the
corridor.
The landscape component of the project is designed to achieve the following specific objectives:
q Provide ample landscaping, using low maintenance, low water use native plantings that evoke
the surrounding landscapes.
q Maintain the visual character of the open grasslands and agricultural landscape in the rural
County areas.
q Provide rest areas, landmarks, and consistent signage at key locations to help unify the
Parkway.
q Provide noise mitigation and wide landscape buffers to mitigate impacts to established and
planned residential areas.
q Provide for strategic acquisition of open space lands in the designated Fairfield-Vacaville
greenbelt area to serve as a community separator.
L A N D S C A P E E L E M E N T
28 Jepson Parkway Concept Plan
Landscaping and buffer areas offer many benefits for the Jepson Parkway. First and foremost, landscape
treatment provides visual relief along a major arterial roadway for vehicle passengers, bicyclists and
pedestrians. Tree canopies and understory offer attractive close-in views to frame distant views of
hillsides, Mt. Diablo and the grasslands. Landscaping can visually highlight certain areas such as
intersections or staging areas and screen undesirable views such as industrial structures. Tree canopies
in particular provide shade and cooling, while wind rows or hedgerows provide some measure of wind
and dust protection. Landscaping also can provide habitat for birds and other wildlife species.
Landscaping provides a measure of erosion control at the roadside and a buffer for roadway drainage.
And, perhaps most importantly at established housing areas, a large buffer with landscaping and sound
walls can mitigate the noise and visual intrusion from auto and truck traffic.
During the public workshops, landscaping and buffering emerged as a favored amenity, given its capacity
to mitigate roadway impacts and improve aesthetics. When community members were asked to identify
great roads, every example included significant amounts of roadside landscaping.
These benefits must be weighed against the costs of installing and maintaining the landscape areas. The
concepts developed for this Plan rely on relatively low maintenance, native plantings and durable
features such as masonry sound walls. However, landscape maintenance and management will need to
be factored into operational cost estimates.
LANDSCAPE CONCEPT LANDSCAPE CONCEPT
The Parkways distinct environments can be generally characterized as mixed urban, rural, and
commerical/industrial. The landscape design has been geared to respond to these varied environments.
Figure 7 indicates how these different landscape types are applied to the corridor.
Urban Landscape Concept: This design treatment is intended for an urban environment with a mix of
residential, commercial, recreational and institutional uses. The landscaping is relatively formal using
street trees placed close together with accent trees and ground cover/shrubs to highlight intersections,
and staging areas. Native grasses are used as understory. In places where residential uses are already
built or planned in Vacavilles General Plan such as along Leisure Town Road, a wide greenway is used
to buffer housing from traffic.
Rural Landscape Concept: In the County portions of the parkway, along Vanden Road, the
environment changes to open grasslands with sweeping views and a rural landscape. Here the landscape
concept is informal and in keeping with the prairie environment. Trees are planted in informal clusters
periodically as opposed to formal rows. The tree clusters are designed to mimic the windrows and
occasional homestead tree clusters characteristic of the agricultural landscape. Native understory
shrubs, and grasses are used sparingly to reduce maintenance needs and avoid a manicured appearance.
Urban Industrial Landscape Concept: This type of landscape design is geared for a light industrial,
business park-type environment. Although similar to the formal design of the residential segments, the
industrial parkway is not as densely planted nor does it contain as wide a landscaped area. Trees are
used to provide color and to mark the median and street edge. Trees can also soften the view from the
roadway into adjacent parking lots or industrial buildings.
L A N D S C A P E E L E M E N T
Jepson Parkway Concept Plan 31
Plant Selection Plant Selection
The plants chosen for the Jepson Parkway provide an opportunity for variety, while still maintaining a
consistent, identifiable corridor. The use of California native plants is strongly encouraged for several
reasons. Appropriate native plants are best suited to the climactic conditions of high wind, lower water
requirements, fire resistance, lower maintenance, less pesticide usage, higher survival rate, and an
opportunity to provide plants with a higher habitat value. At no time should exotic (non-native) invasive
plants, such as Pampas Grass, Eucalyptus, Tamarisk, and Giant Reed be used as part of any plantings
along this route.
The following native plant list should form the backbone for the Jepson Parkway landscaping, especially
in the rural and industrial areas:
Trees and Shrubs:
q Interior Live Oak (Quercus wislezenii)
q Valley Oak (Quercus lobata)
q Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia)
q California Sycamore (Platanus racemosa)
q Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis)
q Gray Pine (Pinus sabiniana)
q White Alder (Alnus rhombifolia)
q Fremont Cottonwood (Populus fremontii)
q Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)
q Blue Blossom (Ceanothus thrysiflorus)
Understory grasses and forbes:
q Purple Needle Grass (Nassella pulchra)
q Meadow Barley (Hordeum brachyantherum)
q Blue Wild Rye (Elymus glaucus)
q California Brome (Bromuscarinatus)
q Northern Bush Monkey Flower (Mimulus aurantiacus)
q California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
L A N D S C A P E E L E M E N T
32 Jepson Parkway Concept Plan
In addition to the native plants listed, the following trees could be used in urban settings as accent
species or to integrate with established plantings:
q Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
q London Plane Tree (Platanus acerifolia Yarwood)
q Calabrian Pine (Pinus brutia)
q Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia fauriei)
q Ornamental Pear (Pyrus calleryana)
Ornamental shrubs and ground covers should be selected for their ability to meet the climatic
conditions, low maintenance requirements and pest resistance.
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In addition to landscape planting, the Jepson
Parkway can be uniied through complementary
directional and identiication signs using a series o
common elements. A single identiying logo should
be designed and used throughout the Parkway.
Community signage directing isitors to the Parkway
could use this design. Signage or the staging areas
and bikeway could also adopt the logo design. At
the boundary o each jurisdiction, a low-scale,
monument sign could identiy the city or County.
1hese signs need not be the same, but should be
designed with complementary materials, scale,
lettering and style to enhance the corridor concept.
Regulation o priate signage is under the auspices
o each local jurisdiction. 1o presere the isual
quality o the Parkway, this Plan encourages each
jurisdiction to maintain high quality signage
standards or all adjacent land uses. Pole signs
should not be allowed. Modest-scale monument
signs at the entrances to residential projects, oices,
or business parks can be integrated with the
roadside landscaping.
0A1LwA3
ligure indicates seeral opportunity areas or
isual gateways along the Parkway. 1hese may
take a ariety o orms. 1hey may be a modest
monument sign indicating the entry point to one
o the cities or they may include additional
accent landscaping, lighting or interpretie
signage. 1hey could, i the community desired,
incorporate public art or a landscape eature
,rock wall, sculpture, etc.,. 1o tie the Parkway
together, these gateways should use a
complementary design style, similar lettering and
signage approach and the Jepson Parkway logo.
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31RLL13CAPL ANU u1lLl1lL3
As part o the landscape element or each roadway segment, existing inrastructure should be
modernized and made part o the oerall Parkway concept. As each segment is constructed, remaining
oerhead utility lines would be undergrounded, existing canals and ditches would be improed, placed in
culerts or integrated into the landscape, and street lighting would be installed. In addition, a conduit
capable o supporting iber optic inrastructure would be installed along the entire length o the
corridor.
1he street lighting concept should be compatible with the landscape
design o each road segment. lor example, in the residential
portions o the Parkway, lighting should proide or sae ehicle,
bicycle and pedestrian moement without producing glare into
adjacent homes. Street light design should complement the landscape
design and the lighting standards o the adjacent residential
community. lor each segment, the major roadway light standard and
the spacing o light poles shall relect the approed standard o the
local community. In the industrial and rural segments, street lighting
should be less intensie in keeping with reduced actiity. lor the Class
I bikeway, sae, durable and attractie, low-leel light standards are
needed. Bikeway light poles in urban areas would be typically spaced
about 100-120 eet apart and 12-14 eet in height. 1he example to
the let illustrates an appropriate light standard. 1here would
be no lighting o the bikeway in the rural, County portions o the
Parkway, except at staging areas.
N0l3L Ml1l0A1l0N
In the rural and industrial segments o the Parkway, noise attenuation measures such as berms or sound
walls are not recommended. 1his will maintain the open iews to the hills and beyond and not increase
project costs. \here the Jepson Parkway passes through existing or proposed residential areas, special
attention is needed to mitigate the negatie impacts o noise on adjacent homes and yards. In most
instances, a masonry sound wall imbedded within the landscape buer will be the preerred treatment.
Currently wooden ences separate the homes rom the road. 1hese will be upgraded to masonry walls.
In all cases, sound walls should be designed to attenuate as much noise as possible, while blending into
the surrounding landscaping. Shrubs, trees and ines will be used to soten the iew o the walls.
Sound wall design should be consistent along the Parkway, but there should be ariation by segment to
create isual interest and aoid monotony. A more aggressie approach to noise mitigation is needed in
two speciic areas: Leisure 1own Road in Vacaille and along the 1olenas neighborhood in Solano
County. Along Leisure 1own Road, a 35-55 oot landscaped buer will separate houses rom the road
edge. Sound walls will be placed within the buer in locations where they can be the most eectie and
screened rom iew with shrubs, trees and ines. Along the 1olenas neighborhood, a rontage road will
remain between the existing housing and the Parkway. Sound walls will be constructed next to the
rontage road. 1he cross-sections or each o the roadway segments illustrate the sound wall placement.
Sound wall design and construction has not been actored into project cost estimates. 1hey will be
installed as roadway or residential deelopment occurs and the costs will be determined on a case by
case basis.
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1he Lnironmental Impact Report,Statement will analyze speciic noise impacts along the roadway at a
greater leel o detail. 1he LIR,LIS may recommend additional mitigation measures to urther
attenuate roadway noise.
UL3CRlP1l0N 0l PR0P03LU LANU3CAPL 1RLA1MLN1 B 3L0MLN1
1he ollowing text describes in detail on how the landscape design concepts are integrated into each
Parkway segment. ligure 8 is a key to each cross-section. 1he cross-sections are noted as ligures 9-18.
1he cross-sections are not intended to be precise engineering drawings. Modiications to these
conceptual cross-sections may be needed to meet speciic site constraints, and would be made in the
detailed design phases. In addition, landscaped medians shown may be remoed at intersections or
segments where separate let turn lanes or pockets are required.
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vaoaville: Leisure 1own Road from l-80 to 0range Urive
1his segment is dierent than the rest o the Parkway because there will be six lanes o trael to make
the transition rom the reeway interchange to the city street. 1he landscape concept in this segment
begins the urban bouleard treatment. Most o the landscaping in this segment is conined to the
median consisting o natie trees, understory and accent plantings. A ten-oot wide multi-use path will
occur on either side o the road allowing or pedestrians and bicyclists. A class I bike path requires a
minimum o ie eet o landscaping between the trael lane and the path. \e are describing this path
as a modiied Class I pathway.`
vaoaville: Leisure 1own Road from 0range Urive to Poplar Urive (Cross-3eotion 1ype 1)
1his segment transitions rom six through lanes at the reeway interchange to our through lanes. Most
o the landscaping in this segment is conined to the median with uture deelopment proiding
landscaped edges or the Parkway, A ten oot-wide multi-use path will occur on either side o the road
allowing or pedestrians and bicyclists. Sound walls may be constructed on the east side i noise studies
indicate the need.
ligure 9: Cross 3eotion 1ype 1
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vaoaville: Leisure 1own Road from Poplar Urive to 3equoia Urive (Cross-3eotion 1ype 2)
1his segment is identical to the preious one except the east side o the road may proide additional
space or up to 10 eet o landscaped area. 1he amount and coniguration o the path and landscaping
will depend on the type, design and timing o uture deelopment in this area. On the west side o
Leisure 1own Road, a gol course proides a landscaped edge.
vaoaville: Leisure 1own Road from 3equoia Urive to ulatis Creek (Cross-3eotion 1ype 3)
1his segment is also similar to types 1 and 2, except the east side o the road may be able to
accommodate a 35 oot landscaped buer with a meandering C lass I bike path. 1he landscape buer
and path would only occur in connection with uture residential deelopment i it were approed and
annexed into the City. 1he deelopment would be required to dedicate additional right-o-way and
construct these improements based on City o Vacaille Public \orks approal.
ligure 10: Cross 3eotion 1ype 2
ligure 11: Cross 3eotion 1ype 3
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ligure 12: Cross 3eotion 1ype 4
vaoaville: Leisure 1own Road, ulatis Creek to Alamo Urive (Cross-3eotion 1ype 4)
1his segment proides ample right-o-way to hae ormal tree-lined bouleards on both sides o the
road and a landscaped median. 1his area will eature a broad greenway or landscape buer on both
sides o the road with a ten-oot meandering path. On the east side, which is currently undeeloped,
the landscape buer and path will only occur i residential deelopment is approed. 1he landscaping
and path would be unded by the deelopment project based on City o Vacaille Public \orks
approal.
On the west side o the road adjacent to existing neighborhoods, the wide greenway will be built at the
time when road widenings or improements are completed. 1he landscape concept along this segment
o Leisure 1own Road proides a 35-55 oot landscaped greenway outside o a sound wall to protect
adjacent residents. 1rees proide shade and demarcation o the median and the street edge. Deciduous
trees proide shade, eergreen and seasonal color trees mark intersections. More extensie use o
eergreen trees in this segment proide year-round buering eects. Shrubs and ground coer proide
seasonal color. Many o the key elements are designed to mitigate noise and other impacts rom the
parkway on nearby homes and characterize this segment o the corridor. 1he key dierence in this area
compared to the rest o Leisure 1own Road is as ollows:
1he City o Vacaille has committed to urther consultation with area residents regarding the speciic
design and density o the landscaping buer. It is anticipated that this landscaping buer will be
signiicantly more dense and lush than other portions o the Jepson Parkway corridor. Proiding a
buer o adequate density that is eectie year-round may require the use o non-natie landscaping
material. \hen the City and residents hae selected a design and density o the buer, that selection will
be made a part o this document. 1he multi-use path would meander within this greenway area.
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vaoaville: Leisure 1own Road, Alamo Urive to vanden Road/loxboro Parkway (Cross-3eotion 1ype 5)
1his segment is the same as segment 4 on the preious page with two notable exceptions. 1he
landscape buer on the west side may not extend out up to 55-eet in width, but would be at least 35
eet-wide. 1he other dierence is where Jepson Parkway parallels the railroad tracks, the landscape
buer on the east side would be reduced in width. Again, as with the other Vacaille segments, i uture
residential deelopment occurs on the east side o the road, those projects would be required to
dedicate additional right-o way and construct the 35-oot landscape greenway and multi-use pathway.
ligure 13: Cross 3eotion 1ype 5
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3olano County: vanden Road Rural 3egment (Cross-3eotion 1ype 6)
laing let the urban area and entered the unincorporated area o Solano County, the landscape
concept changes to an open, natie grassland with clusters o trees scattered along the route. Lxisting
trees can be retained where easible, but all new plantings are to be natie species. Key elements o this
segment are: ,1, landscaping on both sides o the road, and ,2, a planted median.
G On both sides o the road, trees are planted at irregular interals ,300` to 500`, and clustered
,minimum o ie per cluster, with natie grasses as the understory. 1he trees are also used to
mark intersections and drainages. In the drainage areas trees are more densely planted, as might
occur naturally in the surrounding prairie landscape. New trees will be planted to augment
existing windrows, hedgerows and clusters. 1he bikeway on the east side o the Parkway may
meander somewhat within the landscaped area.
G 1he median is also characterized by irregularly spaced clusters o closely grouped trees with
natie grasses and shrubs as understory. It is important that understory maintenance is kept to
a minimum in this segment. Irrigation would only be temporary until the understory and trees
are established.
ligure 14: Cross 3eotion 1ype 6
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lairfield: Cement ill Road Between walters Road and Peabody Road (Cross-3eotion 1ype 7 )
1he landscape concept in this segment is more o a commercial or industrial bouleard. 1rees proide
color and demarcation o the median and the street edge. 1rees will also soten the iew rom the
roadway toward large structures or parking lots. Shrubs and ground coers proide seasonal color.
Natie plants are to be used where possible. 1he three key elements o this segment are: ,1, landscaping
on priate property, ,2, a center planted median strip, and ,3, a narrow planting strip between the street
and bike,pedestrian path.
G 1rees and understory plantings would ollow lariield`s landscape guidelines or priate
industrial deelopment. At a minimum, trees should proide shading or the bike,pedestrian
path and screening or buildings and parking lots.
G In the center median trees are to be spaced at regular interals ,30` on center, with an
understory o low shrubs, grasses and decomposed granite.
G On the east side o the roadway, the landscaped strip between the street and the
bikeway,pedestrian path is to be planted with natie shrubs and ground coer to act as
a barrier between the street and the pathway.
ligure 15: Cross 3eotion 1ype 7
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lairfield: walters Road North of Air Base Parkway (Cross-3eotion 1ype 8)
1his segment is ery similar to the industrial segment along Cement lill Road ,Cross Section 1ype ,. 1he
only dierence is a slightly reduced width on the west side because o potential enironmental constraints
due to sensitie species. Additional landscaping or a wider pathway may be possible pending urther
enironmental analysis. I priate commercial or industrial deelopment proceeds in this area, the
deelopment project would proide edge landscape treatment to enhance the Parkway.
ligure 16: Cross-3eotion 1ype 8
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lairfield: walters Road 3outh of Air Base Parkway (ligure 17: Cross 3eotion 1ype 9)
1his segment is constrained by existing deelopment on the west and sensitie egetation and habitat on
the east. 1here are two primary elements in this section: ,1, a planted center median, and ,2, a multi-
use pathway directly adjacent to the roadway on the east side o the road.
G 1he center would include natie trees in a regular spacing ,50` on center, with natie grasses on
ground coer as understory. \hen a let turn lane is needed, the median would be too narrow
or trees and may hae natie grasses or decomposed granite.
G Depending on the results o more detailed biological analysis, it may be possible to plant natie
trees on either side o the road to enhance the corridor.
ligure 17: Cross 3eotion 1ype 9
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3uisun City: 1olenas from Last 1abor to Bella vista (Cross-3eotion 1ype 10)
In the 1olenas area o the County, the landscape theme is that o an urban residential, tree-lined
bouleard. 1here are three key elements: ,1, a sound wall along the rontage road, ,2, a center median,
and ,3, a landscape strip and multi-use path.
G Vines should be planted at regular interals along both sides o the rontage road sound wall to
reduce its isual impact.
G In the center median, trees will be planted at regularly spaced interals ,30` to 50`, on center
with an understory o low shrubs, natie grasses, and ground coer or decomposed granite.
G In the landscape area next to the bike path, trees will be spaced at regular interals ,30` to 50`
on center, with an understory o low shrubs, natie grasses or ground coer. Vines and shrubs
will also be planted at regular interals along wall at bike path.
3uisun City: Bella vista to ighway 12
Most o this segment has already been completed as a our-lane segment with trees, a wide
sidewalk,bike path and striped bike lanes. Improements planned or this segment include additional
raised median, landscaping, and a traic signal at Peterson Road.
ligure 18: Cross 3eotion 1ype 10
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During the public outreach process, the community expressed a desire to presere the rural character o
the middle portion o the corridor. Protecting this area rom urban deelopment will enable the local
communities to maintain a distinct, community separator between the cities o Vacaille and lairield.
1he area identiied or open space acquisition is south and east o the planned loxboro Parkway and
encompasses the 1riangle Staging Area which extends both south, east and northeast o that point ,See
ligure ,. 1his area currently is designated on the general plans o both Vacaille and lairield as
greenbelt,community separator. loweer, there are no ormal mechanisms in place such as
conseration easements to ensure long-term protection. lunding rom the Parkway project could
proide or that open space protection.
1here is a second area where open space acquisition may be appropriate. In the \alters Road extension
portion o the Parkway, arious special biological habitats ,wetlands, Contra Costa Goldields, other
sensitie plants, proide constraints to potential urban deelopment and road expansion. Selectie
acquisition o critical habitat or open space areas may be an appropriate use o enironmental
mitigation unds associated with the Parkway project.
Deeloping a easible approach or obtaining the unds needed or open space acquisition will require
considerably more inormation than is presently aailable. Gien aailable data, there are two potential
scenarios or open space projects:
,1, Consider acquisition o conseration easements rom willing sellers along one or both sides o
the Parkway within the Vacaille,lairield Community Separator,Greenbelt along the Vanden
Road segment. 1his land is designated as greenbelt in Vacaille and lairield`s general plans, but
does not hae any additional open space preseration mechanism at this time. Conseration
easements will allow the land to continue to be used or agricultural purposes and owned and
managed by priate land owners. Any acquisitions here should be large enough ,oer 160 acres,
to allow or continued iable grazing.
,2, Consider acquisition o ee title or conseration easements in the area around the \alters Road
extension portion o the Jepson Parkway to protect endangered plant species, seasonal wetlands
and ernal pools and,or to proide additional space or restoration o wetlands lost by the
project. 1he adantage o this approach is that it is ocused on an attractie and biologically
signiicant segment, howeer it may be necessary to secure enironmental clearance or
mitigation purposes.