(A) General Purpose. The bufferyard is a precisely defined yard together with the planting required thereon. Both the amount of land and the type and amount of planting specified for each bufferyard requirement of Chapter 92
of the Code of Ordinances are designed to lessen incompatibilities between adjacent land uses or screen a use from a public road. It is intended that bufferyards will separate different land uses from each other in order to eliminate or minimize potential nuisances such as dirt, litter, noise, glare of lights, signs, and unsightly buildings or parking areas, or to provide spacing to reduce adverse impacts of noise, odor, or danger from fires or explosions. The planting units required have been calculation to insure that they do, in fact, function as "buffers."
(B) General provisions.
(1) Initial determination. An initial determination of the proposed use and adjacent uses shall be made using the following:
(a) Single Family Residential is equivalent to R-15, R10, and R-8 districts.
(b) Multi-Family Residential is equivalent to the R-6 and R4 and R-O districts.
(c) High Intensity Commercial is equivalent to the CBD, SCD, GHBD, MUSCD, and I-O districts.
(d) Light Intensity Commercial is equivalent to the NBD, R-O and HMD districts.
(e) Industrial is equivalent to LID and HID districts. These specific uses shall be classified as industrial zoning types for bufferyard purposes only:
1. Banking and financial services, with drive-through facilities;
2. Car wash;
3. Convenience store with gasoline sales;
4. Implement sales and services;
5. Kennels;
6. Outdoor display retail;
7. Motor vehicle repair and maintenance;
8. Motor vehicle storage yard;
9. Outdoor display retail;
10. Recreational vehicle park;
11. Recreational services, outdoor; yard;
12. Restaurants (with drive-through service); and
13. Storage and salvage.
(2) Determine the bufferyard (Type I, II, III, or IV). Determine the required bufferyard for adjacent zoning type of project (impending use) from the following:
(a) Type I Bufferyard. A type I bufferyard is a low density screen designed to partially block visual contact and create spatial separation between adjacent uses.
(b) Type II Bufferyard. A type II bufferyard is a medium density screen designed to partially block visual contact and create spatial separation between adjacent uses.
(c) Type III Bufferyard. A type III bufferyard is a high density screen designed to eliminate visual contact and create spatial separation between adjacent uses.
(d) Type IV Bufferyard. A type IV bufferyard is a higher density screen designed to eliminate visual contact and create spatial separation between adjacent uses.
Bufferyard Requirements
Zoning Type of Project | Zoning Type of Adjacent Property | ||||
SFR | MFR | LIC | HIC | IN D | |
Zoning Type of Project | Zoning Type of Adjacent Property | ||||
SFR | MFR | LIC | HIC | IN D | |
SFR | II+ | II+ + | II+ + | II+ + | II ++ |
MFR | II | * | * | I++ + | I+ ++ |
LIC | II | I | * | * | * |
HIC | III | II | * | * | * |
IND | IV | IV | I | * | * |
* No bufferyard requirement + 25-foot wooded buffer or Type II replacement bufferyard required for single family detached, attached and duplex developments of more than 20 units or 5 acres. SFR developments of less than 20 units or 5 acres shall not require buffering. ++ 25-foot wooded buffer or Type II replacement bufferyard required for single family detached, attached and duplex developments of more than 20 units or 5 acres if no bufferyard is provided on developed adjacent property designated as more intense than SFR. SFR developments of less than 20 units or 5 acres shall not require buffering. +++ Type I bufferyard required if no bufferyard is provided on developed adjacent property designated as HIC or IND zoned types provided on developed adjacent property designated as high intensity commercial (IC) or industrial (IND) zoning types. | |||||
(3) Bufferyard Selection. Select the desired bufferyard option for the required bufferyard type from those described below.
(a) Type I Bufferyard. There are four design options that may be used to satisfy this requirement.
Type I Bufferyard Design Options | |
Minimum Bufferyard Width | Minimum Plant Material/100 Linear Feet |
10 feet | 2 deciduous trees; 8 primary evergreen plants; 10 supplemental evergreen shrubs |
20 feet | 2 deciduous trees; 8 primary evergreen plants |
30 feet | 2 deciduous trees; 5 primary evergreen plants |
50 feet | 2 deciduous trees; 3 primary evergreen plants |
(b) Type II Bufferyard. There are four design options that may be used to satisfy this requirement.
Type II Bufferyard Design Options | |
Minimum Bufferyard Width | Minimum Plant Material/100 Linear Feet |
15 feet | 2 deciduous trees; 8 primary evergreen plants; 20 supplemental evergreen shrubs |
20 feet | 2 deciduous trees; 8 primary evergreen plants; 10 supplemental evergreen shrubs |
30 feet | 2 deciduous trees; 8 primary evergreen plants |
100 feet | 2 deciduous trees; 4 primary evergreen plants |
(c) Type III Bufferyard. There are five design options that may be used to satisfy this requirement.
Type III Bufferyard Design Options | |
Minimum Bufferyard Width | Minimum Plant Material/100 Linear Feet |
15 feet | 2 deciduous trees; 8 primary evergreen plants; 20 supplemental evergreen shrubs |
20 feet | 2 deciduous trees; 18 primary evergreen plants |
30 feet | 3 deciduous trees; 13 primary evergreen plants |
40 feet | 3 deciduous trees; 10 primary evergreen plants |
50 feet | 3 deciduous trees; 5 primary evergreen plants |
(d) Type IV Bufferyard. There are six design options that may be used to satisfy this requirement.
Type IV Bufferyard Design options | |
Minimum Bufferyard Width | Minimum Plant Material/100 Linear Feet |
Type IV Bufferyard Design options | |
Minimum Bufferyard Width | Minimum Plant Material/100 Linear Feet |
15 feet | 2 deciduous trees; 18 primary evergreen plants; 20 supplemental evergreen shrubs |
30 feet | 2 deciduous trees; 18 primary evergreen plants; 10 supplemental evergreen shrubs |
40 feet | 3 deciduous trees; 18 primary evergreen plants |
50 feet | 3 deciduous trees; 14 primary evergreen plants |
100 feet | 3 deciduous trees; 10 primary evergreen plants |
200 feet | 3 deciduous trees; 5 primary evergreen plants |
(C) Additional requirements.
(1) Fractional calculations. Fractional planting requirement calculations shall be rounded to the next higher whole number.
(2) Existing plant material. Existing plant material within the required bufferyard may be included in the computation of the required plantings with approval of the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
(3) Fence or wall option. An opaque fence or wall may be used in lieu of not more than 50% of the required evergreen bufferyard planting with the approval of the Zoning Enforcement Officer and providing the following conditions are met, where applicable.
(a) Fence height for industrial zoning. The minimum required fence height shall be eight feet above ground level when the proposed project zoning type is classified as an industrial zoning type.
(b) Fence height for zoning types except industrial. The minimum required fence height shall be six feet above ground level when the proposed project zoning type is classified as any zoning type except those classified as industrial.
(c) Vegetation planted on exterior sides. Where a fence or wall is used as part of the required screening, all required vegetation shall be planted on the exterior side of the fence or wall.
(d) Screening multi-family residential zoning type. Where the fence option is used to screen multi-family residential zoning types from more intense zoning types, the required vegetation may be planted on the interior side of the fence or wall.
(e) Remaining vegetation distribution. Where a fence is used in lieu of not more than 50% of the required vegetation, the remaining percentage of vegetation to be used in conjunction with the fence or wall shall be evenly distributed in the bufferyard.
(4) Bufferyard locations. Bufferyards shall be located on the outer perimeter of a lot or parcel, extending to the lot or parcel boundary line, with the following exceptions.
(a) On adjacent property. All or part of the bufferyard may be located on adjacent property within a permanent easement dedicated for such purpose with approval of the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
(b) Portion of site proposed for development. If only a portion of a site is proposed for development, the required bufferyard may be located at the limit of the construction perimeter with approval of the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
(c) Topographic irregularities. Where topographic irregularities require a different location to meet the intent of this section, the location of the bufferyard may be varied with approval of the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
(d) Rights-of-way and streets. Bufferyards shall not be located on any portion of an existing, dedicated, or proposed right-of-way, or a private street.
(5) Size of plant material.
(a) Deciduous trees in bufferyards 30 feet in width or less may be either medium or large varieties as described in the appendix, provided, however, at least one-half of the required trees shall be large variety. Deciduous trees in bufferyards or greater than 30 feet in width shall be large variety trees. Suggested plant materials are listed in the office of the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
(b) All deciduous trees used for bufferyard screening must be a minimum of eight feet in height at installation and shall be at least two inches in diameter measured six inches above ground level.
(c) All primary evergreen plants shall be a minimum of six feet in height at the time of installation unless combined with an approved earthen berm, and shall not be less than ten feet in height at maturity.
(d) All supplemental evergreen shrubs shall be a minimum of 18 inches in height at the time of installation and shall attain a minimum height of 36 inches three years after installation.
(6) Spacing of plant material.
(a) All deciduous trees shall be installed with tree trunks spaced a minimum distance of 30 feet apart and a maximum distance of 60 feet apart.
(b) All primary evergreen plants shall be distributed evenly along the length of the bufferyard and shall be staggered where quantities permit. Primary evergreen plants shall be installed with tree trunks spaced a minimum of seven feet apart and a maximum of 15 feet from other primary evergreen plants and from any required deciduous tree.
(c) All supplemental evergreen shrubs shall be distributed evenly along the length of the bufferyard and shall be staggered where quantities permit.
(Ord. 98-01, passed 1-20-98; Am. Ord. 11-24, passed 7-18-11; Am. Ord. 21-02, passed 1-19-21; Am. Ord. 21-26, passed 7-12-21; Am. Ord. 24-16, passed 6-17-24)