The landscape plan and screening design shall meet the following property development standards.
(a) The landscape shall incorporate low maintenance plants and allow for continuous maintenance;
(b) The maximum height of the Improvement(s) shall be forty-five (45) feet, and for accessory structures shall be twenty-five (25) feet;
(c) The Premises shall consist of a buffer yard with a natural vegetative screen or opaque fence no less than twenty (20) feet from each side of the common property line;
(d) Trees comprising a vegetative screen shall be set ten (10) feet apart, may be placed within the twenty (20) foot buffer yard and shall not be nearer than ten (10) feet from the property line;
(e) In the buffer yard, the exterior width beyond the vegetative screen or opaque fence shall be planted with grass or ground cover;
(f) A vision field shall be provided at every street intersection. It shall be a triangular area at the street intersection or corner lot, the space being defined by a line across the corner of the lot, the ends of which are on the street lines twenty (20) feet from the corner and containing no plantings, walls, structures, landfills or temporary or permanent vision obstruction from two and one-half (2 ½) feet in height above the street level, except retaining walls or chain link fences with no additional sight obstructions, such as slats or vines, attached. Tree trunks or posts may penetrate the vision field;
(g) The buffer yard shall include a fence or dense screen planting of trees, shrubs and/or other plant material to the full length of the lot line to serve as a barrier to visibility, glare or noise. Such screening shall meet the following requirements:
(1) Vegetative screening shall be of an evergreen variety and must be set in a minimum of two (2) rows with staggered placement of the vegetation. At the time of planting, the vegetation shall be at least four (4) feet in height and its mature size shall be considered when determining if it is appropriate for the planting area;
(2) It shall be the responsibility of the Applicant or his, her or its successors and/or assignees to replace any trees that die and shall be so noted on the site plan;
(3) Screen planting shall be a maximum of ten (10) feet apart;
(4) No structure, fence, planting or other obstruction shall be permitted which would interfere with traffic visibility or violate the vision field provision in the preceding subsection;
(5) Existing vegetation, structures, fence, topography or other screening may be considered as alternatives to the requirements if existing conditions meet the intent of this section; and
(6) Fences shall be a minimum of seven (7) feet in height.
(h) The dominant feature of a landscaped area shall be living plants; vegetative ground cover shall constitute a minimum of fifty percent (50%), by area;
(i) The minimum tree size shall be a fifteen (15) gallon size, and there shall be a minimum of one (1) tree per each five hundred (500) square feet of lot area not covered by Improvements or impermeable surfaces;
(j) The minimum shrub size shall be a five (5) gallon shrub size, and there shall be a minimum of two (2) shrubs per each three hundred (300) square feet of lot area not covered by Improvements or impermeable surfaces; and
(k) Garbage collector areas shall be screened from view.
(Ord. 2005-10. Passed 1-3-06.)