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5-6(E)   EDGE BUFFER LANDSCAPING
5-6(E)(1)   General Requirements
5-6(E)(1)(a)   Landscaped edge buffers and/or edge buffer walls are required between properties to mitigate the impacts of significant differences in property use, size, or scale through standards specified in Subsections (2) through (5) below.
5-6(E)(1)(b)   If a landscaped edge buffer is required and a wall is required or will be provided, the wall shall be provided on the property line between the two properties unless specified otherwise in this IDO.
5-6(E)(1)(c)   Required edge buffering is not required to be installed along any portion of the lot line covered by an access easement between adjacent lots, but an equivalent amount of landscaping shall be installed on remaining portions of the side or rear lot line, as applicable.
5-6(E)(1)(d)   For the purposes of this Subsection 14-16-5-6(E), "industrial development" refers to the zone districts and uses indicated in Subsection 14-16-5-6(E)(4)(a) (Industrial Development Adjacent to Non-industrial Development).
5-6(E)(1)(e)   Additional buffering may be required for specific uses, pursuant to any Use-specific Standards for those uses in Section 14-16-4-3 or Neighborhood Edge standards in Section 14-16-5-9.
 
Table 5-6-4: Edge Buffer – Development Type Summary[1]
Development Type
Development Next to
Specific Standards
General Buffering
Buffering in
DT-UC-MS-PT
Industrial
Non-industrial development
Landscaped buffer area 25 ft.
Wall, fence, or vegetative screen 6 ft.
Multi-family
Industrial development
Mixed-use or other non-residential
R-ML or R-MH
Landscaped buffer area 20 ft.
Multi-family, mixed-use, or other non-residential
R-A, R-1, R-MC, R-T, or R-ML
Landscaped buffer area 15 ft.
[1] See Subsections 14-16-5-6(E)(2), 14-16-5-6(E)(3), and 14-16-5-6(E)(4) for complete edge buffer standards.
 
5-6(E)(2)   Development Next to Low-density Residential Zone Districts
Where multi-family, mixed-use, or non-residential development other than industrial development occurs on a lot abutting or across an alley from a lot containing low-density residential development in an R-A, R-1, R-MC, R-T , or R-ML zone district, a buffer shall be provided along the lot line, as specified in Table 5-6-4 and for the relevant area below.
5-6(E)(2)(a)   General
A landscaped edge buffer area shall be provided on the subject property along the property line between the two properties.
   1.   If a wall at least 3 feet in height is provided or exists along the property line between the 2 properties, 1 tree at least 8 feet high at the time of planting shall be provided every for 15 feet along the wall, with spacing designed to minimize sound and light impacts of the proposed development on the adjacent property.
   2.   If no wall is provided or exists, 1 tree at least 6 feet tall at the time of planting and at least 25 feet tall at maturity and 3 shrubs shall be provided for every 25 feet along the lot line, with spacing designed to minimize sound, light, and noise impacts.
5-6(E)(2)(b)   Downtown, Urban Centers, and Main Street and Premium Transit Areas
   1.   A landscaped edge buffer area at least 6 feet wide shall be provided. For buildings over 30 feet in height, the edge buffer area shall be at least 10 feet wide.
   2.   An opaque wall, fence, or vegetative screen at least 6 feet tall shall be provided at the property line between the two properties, and all of the following requirements shall be met.
      a.   One (1) tree at least 8 feet high at the time of planting shall be provided every for 15 feet along the wall, with spacing designed to minimize sound and light impacts of the proposed development on the adjacent property.
      b.   The side facing the low-density residential development shall be at least as finished in appearance as the side facing the multi-family, mixed-use, or non-residential development.
      c.   If there is an existing wall between the two properties, it may count toward satisfying the requirements of Subsection 14-16-5-6(E)(2)(b)2 if it meets, or is improved to meet, the height and design standards above.
5-6(E)(3)   Development Next to a Multi-family Residential Zone District
Where mixed-use or non-residential development other than industrial development occurs on any lot abutting or across an alley from a lot in the R-ML or R-MH zone districts with townhouse development or multi-family residential development, a buffer shall be provided along the lot line, as specified in Table 5-6-4 and for the relevant area below.
5-6(E)(3)(a)   General
An edge buffer area shall be provided on the subject property along the property line between the two properties.
   1.   If a wall at least 3 feet in height is provided or exists along the property line between the two properties, 1 tree at least 8 feet high at the time of planting shall be provided every for 15 feet along the wall, with spacing designed to minimize sound and light impacts of the proposed development on the adjacent property.
   2.   If no wall is provided or exists, 1 tree at least 6 feet tall at the time of planting and at least 25 feet tall at maturity and 3 shrubs shall be provided for every 25 feet along the lot line, with spacing designed to minimize sound, light, and noise impacts.
5-6(E)(3)(b)   Downtown, Urban Centers, and Main Street and Premium Transit Areas
   1.   An opaque wall, fence, or vegetative screen at least 6 feet tall shall be provided at the property line between the two properties, and both of the following requirements shall be met.
      a.   One (1) tree at least 8 feet high at the time of planting shall be provided every for 15 feet along the wall, with spacing designed to minimize sound and light impacts of the proposed development on the adjacent property.
      b.   The side facing the multi-family development shall be at least as finished in appearance as the side facing the mixed-use, or non-residential development.
   2.   If there is an existing wall between the two properties, it may count toward satisfying the requirements of Subsection 14-16-5-6(E)(3)(b)1 if it meets, or is improved to meet, the height and design standards above.
5-6(E)(4)   Industrial Development Adjacent to Non-industrial Development
5-6(E)(4)(a)   Applicability
An edge buffer shall be provided as specified in Table 5-6-4 and for the relevant areas in Subsections (b) and (c) below in all of the following locations:
   1.   Where a lot with industrial zoning or development is adjacent to a lot with non-industrial zoning or development, including, but not limited to both of the following locations:
      a.   Where any development in an NR-LM or NR-GM zone district is adjacent to any lot that is not in an NR-LM or NR-GM zone district.
      b.   Where light manufacturing; heavy manufacturing; special manufacturing; natural resource extraction; non-linear portions of an electric utility, drainage facility, or other major utility; or any primary use in the Waste and Recycling category in Table 4-2-1 is developed on a lot abutting a vacant lot or a lot with a use other than one of these specified uses.
   2.   Where multi-family residential development is adjacent to a lot with industrial development.
5-6(E)(4)(b)   General
A landscaped edge buffer area shall be provided on the subject property along the property line between the two adjacent properties. For drainage facilities, a landscaped edge buffer area at least 15 feet wide shall be provided on the subject property along the property line between the two adjacent properties, unless a smaller edge buffer area is approved by the City Engineer as necessary on a particular lot.
   1.   If a wall at least 3 feet in height is provided or exists along the landscaped edge buffer area, 1 of the following requirements shall be met.
      a.   If the wall is located on the property line, 1 tree at least 8 feet high at the time of planting shall be provided every for 15 feet along the wall, with spacing designed to minimize sound and light impacts of the proposed development on the adjacent property.
      b.   Where the edge buffer area is across the street from the lot with non-industrial zoning or development, the wall may be set back from the property line if both of the following requirements are met.
         i.   Landscaping that meets the requirements in Subsection 2. below shall be provided between the wall and the street.
         ii.   The landscaping shall be maintained by the owner of the subject property.
   2.   If no wall is provided or exists, 1 tree at least 8 feet high at the time of planting and 5 shrubs shall be provided for every 20 feet along the lot line, with spacing designed to minimize sound and light impacts of the proposed development on the adjacent property.
5-6(E)(4)(c)   Downtown, Urban Centers, and Main Street and Premium Transit Areas
An opaque wall or fence at least 6 feet tall shall be provided on the subject property along any lot line abutting or across an alley from the non-industrial development.
   1.   One (1) tree at least 8 feet high at the time of planting shall be provided every for 15 feet along the wall, with spacing designed to minimize sound and light impacts of the proposed development on the adjacent property.
   2.   The side of the wall facing the non-industrial development shall be at least as finished in appearance as the side facing the industrial use.
   3.   If there is an existing wall between the two properties, it may count toward satisfying the requirements of Subsection 14-16-5-6(E)(4)(c) if it meets, or is improved to meet, the height and design standards above.
5-6(E)(5)   Area of Change Next to Area of Consistency
Where a premises partially or completely in an Area of Change is abutting or across an alley from a premises partially or completely in an Area of Consistency (per City Development Areas in the ABC Comp Plan, as amended), the following standards shall apply on the lot(s) adjacent to the premises partially or completely in the Area of Consistency, regardless of the proposed land use on that lot or premises, unless specified otherwise in this IDO.
 
Table 5-6-5: Edge Buffer – Development Area Summary[1]
Lot in Area of Change Next to
Specific Standards
General Buffering
Buffering in DT-UC-MS-PT
Area of Consistency in R-A, R-1, R-MC, or R-T
Landscaped buffer area 15 ft.
Wall, fence, or vegetative screen 6 ft.
Area of Consistency in R-ML or R-MH
Area of Consistency in Mixed-use, NR-C, or NR-PO
[1] See subsections 14-16-5-6(E)(5)(a), 14-16-5-6(E)(5)(b), and 14-16-5-6(E)(5)(c) for the complete buffer standards for Development Areas.
 
5-6(E)(5)(a)   If the lot in the Area of Consistency is in an R-A, R-1, R-MC, or R-T zone district, the requirements of Subsections 14-16-5-6(E)(1) and 14-16-5-6(E)(2) shall apply.
5-6(E)(5)(b)   If the lot in the Area of Consistency is in an R-ML or R-MH zone district, the requirements of Subsections 14-16-5-6(E)(1) and 14-16-5-6(E)(3) shall apply.
5-6(E)(5)(c)   If the lot in the Area of Consistency is in any Mixed-use, NR-C, or NR-PO zone district, the requirements of Subsections 14-16-5-6(E)(1) and 14-16-5-6(E)(4) shall apply.