5-6(F)   PARKING LOT LANDSCAPING

5-6(F)(1)   Parking Lot Edges

5-6(F)(1)(a)   Landscape buffer areas are required to separate off-street parking and circulation areas from front, side, and rear boundaries of premises.

5-6(F)(1)(b)   Where a parking lot is abutting an R-A, R-1, R-MC, or R-T zone district, provisions related to parking area in Subsection 14-16-5-9(D) (Parking, Drive-through Or Drive-up Facilities, and Loading) shall apply.

5-6(F)(1)(c)   Where development is coordinated on 2 or more abutting sites, or where multiple parking areas are located on a single lot, or on planned development areas controlled by Site Plans, these requirements shall be based on the entire development area unless otherwise approved by the decision-making body.

5-6(F)(1)(d)   Landscape buffers may be crossed by drive aisles connecting to abutting land.

5-6(F)(1)(e)   No parking is allowed within a required landscape buffer area.

5-6(F)(1)(f)   Landscape approved within the abutting public right-of-way or private way may be counted toward this requirement if there is no existing or planned public sidewalk between such landscape and the premises, but in no case shall the width of the on-site landscape buffer be less than 5 feet.

5-6(F)(1)(g)   The landscape area may be reduced by up to 25 percent if the surface of the parking or vehicle circulation area is of a permeable material with approval from the Planning Director.

5-6(F)(1)(h)   Where walls are required, they shall integrate with building materials and colors.

5-6(F)(1)(i)   Landscape buffers are required in the following locations, with minimum widths and design requirements as specified below.

   1.   Front Lot Edge

      a.   General

Any parking lot located within 30 feet of the front lot line shall be screened from the street either by a masonry wall constructed of a material similar in texture, appearance, and color to the street-facing façade of the primary building (but excluding exposed CMU block) at least 3 but not more than 4 feet in height, or by a landscape buffer at least 10 feet in width with a continuous line of evergreen shrubbery 3 feet in height, or by other means that the Planning Director determines provides equal or better screening of the headlights of parked vehicles.

      b.   Downtown, Urban Centers, and Main Street and Premium Transit Areas

Any parking lot located within 30 feet of the front lot line shall be screened from the street by a masonry wall as described in Subsection a above. Openings in the masonry wall no more than 4 feet wide to allow passage of bicycles and pedestrians from the street into the parking lot are allowed.

   2.   Side and Rear Lot Edges

Where no side or rear lot line buffer is required by Subsection 14-16-5-6(E) above, the following standards apply where the side or rear lot line abuts a public street.

      a.   General

Any parking lot located within 20 feet of a side or rear lot line shall be screened by a landscaped strip at least 6 feet wide containing at least 2 trees and 6 shrubs per 25 feet of the parking lot edge closest to the lot line, or by other means that the Planning Director determines provides equal or better screening of the headlights of parked vehicles.

      b.   Downtown, Urban Centers, and Main Street and Premium Transit Areas

Any parking lot located within 20 feet of a side or rear lot line shall be screened by a landscaped buffer at least 5 feet wide containing one tree and 3 shrubs per 25 feet of the parking lot edge closest to the lot line, or by a masonry wall constructed of a material other than cement block, at least 3 but not more than 4 feet tall.

5-6(F)(2)   Parking Lot Interior

5-6(F)(2)(a)   General

At least 10 percent of the parking lot area of lots containing 50 or fewer spaces, and at least 15 percent of the parking lot area of lots containing 50 or more spaces, shall be landscaped.

5-6(F)(2)(b)   Downtown, Urban Centers, and Main Street and Premium Transit Areas

At least 5 percent of the parking lot area of lots containing 50 or fewer spaces, and at least 10 percent of the parking lot area of lots containing 50 or more spaces, shall be landscaped.

5-6(F)(2)(c)   Tree Requirements

   1.   One (1) tree is required per 10 parking spaces.

   2.   No parking space may be more than 100 feet in any direction from a tree trunk.

   3.   At least 75 percent of the required parking area trees shall be deciduous canopy-type shade trees, capable of achieving a mature canopy diameter of at least 25 feet.

5-6(F)(2)(d)   Location and Dimension of Landscaped Areas

   1.   The minimum size of tree planters within off-street parking areas shall be 60 square feet per tree. This requirement may be reduced to 36 square feet if the surface of a parking or vehicle circulation area abutting the tree planter is of a permeable material and, combined with the tree planter area, meets the 60 square foot per tree requirement.

   2.   In parking areas of 100 spaces or more, the ends of parking aisles shall be defined as landscaped islands no narrower than 8 feet in any dimension.

5-6(F)(3)   Abutting Arroyos or Major Public Open Space

When a parking lot is located abutting a major arroyo or any Major Public Open Space, screening shall be provided via 1 of the following options:

5-6(F)(3)(a)   Walls or fencing a minimum of 6 feet high; fencing requires landscaping with evergreen shrubs or vines to form a screen at least 75 percent opaque.

5-6(F)(3)(b)   Shrubs and trees sufficient to act as a screen at least 4 feet high and at least 75 percent opaque.