(A) Areas regulated. Vehicular use areas covered by the requirements of this section include off-street parking for five or more vehicles, including the internal vehicular circulation system for five or more vehicles. Also covered are the loading areas (and access thereto) for two or more loading bays. Lesser areas are exempt from the provisions of this section.
(B) Street frontage landscaping requirements. On the site of a building or structure or open lot use providing off-street parking, loading, or other vehicular use area, where such area will not be entirely screened visually by an intervening building or structure, landscaping shall be required along any side that abuts the right-or-way of a street or highway. Such landscaping shall be provided as follows:
(1) A landscaping strip of at least five feet in depth shall be located between the abutting right-of-way and any off-street parking, loading, or other vehicular use area, except where driveway openings are to be provided.
(2) The landscaping strip shall be planted in accordance with the following standards as a minimum:
(a) One tree shall be planted for each 50 linear feet of the landscaping strip, or portion thereof.
(b) A hedge, wall, or other landscape barrier shall be planted or erected adjacent to the street right-of-way line.
(c) All portions of the landscaping strip not planted with the shrubs and trees, or covered by a wall or other barrier, shall be planted in grass or other ground cover.
(3) In areas of the city where there is 15 or more feet between the property line and the paved edge of the road, the street frontage landscaping strip may be situated within the public right-of-way. A formal limited use of right-of-way agreement must be approved by the City Commission in accordance with Ord. 122, Series 1986 (as may be amended) for this provision to be used. The property owner shall be responsible for maintenance and liability associated with such right-of-way landscaping.
(C) Peripheral coverage requirements. In addition to the requirements of division (B) above, peripheral landscaping shall be provided along the sides of regulated off-street parking, loading, or other vehicular use areas that abut adjoining property not a right-of-way. Such landscaping shall be, as a minimum, provided as follows:
(1) A landscaping strip at least three feet in width shall be located between the parking, loading, or other vehicular use area and the abutting property lines, except where driveway openings are to be provided. Landscaping is not required along an improved alley.
(2) The landscaping strip shall be planted in accordance with the following standards as a minimum:
(a) One tree shall be planted for each 60 linear feet of landscaping strip, or portion thereof.
(b) A hedge, wall, or other durable landscape barrier shall be planted or erected adjacent to the common lot line (if a yard is required or likely to be provided on the abutting property).
(c) All portions of the landscaping strip not planted with shrubs or trees, or covered by a wall or other barrier, shall be planted in grass or other ground cover.
(3) The provisions of this subsection shall not be applicable in following situations:
(a) Where any off-street parking, loading, or other vehicular use area will be entirely screened visually by an intervening building or structure from abutting property.
(b) Where any vehicular use area is immediately adjacent to a structure built on the side property line.
(c) Where planting and/or fencing is required for screening between incompatible land uses, pursuant to § 157.082.
(D) Interior coverage requirements. Not less than 5% of the interior of any regulated parking, loading, or other vehicular use area shall be landscaped. The location of such landscaping is at the option of the owner or developer, except in the case of large scale commercial, industrial, or residential parking development. In such instances, at least every eighth row of parking shall be separated by a median strip, for landscaping and pedestrian purposes, of not less than eight feet in width. Additionally, and in all other cases, landscaping shall be reasonably dispersed throughout the parking lot in end planters and median strips. Such interior landscaping shall include trees, shrubs, and ground cover. Planting required by this division (B) and (C) and § 157.082, shall not be considered as part of the interior landscaping requirements.
(Ord. 101-1986, passed 10-7-86; Am. Ord. 126-1989, passed 11-21-89) Penalty, see § 157.999