(a) Protection of Existing Plantings: Maximum effort should be made to save fine or exceptional plant specimens. No material or temporary soil deposits shall be placed within the drip line of shrubs and trees designated on the landscape plan to be retained. Protective barriers or tree wells shall be installed around each plant and/or group of plants that are to remain on the site. Barriers shall not be supported by the plants they are protecting, but shall be self-supporting. They shall be a minimum of four feet high and constructed of a durable material that will last until construction is completed. Snow fences and silt fences are examples of acceptable barriers during construction.
(b) Removal of Debris: All stumps and other tree parts, litter, brush, weeds, excess or scrap building materials or other debris shall be removed from the site and disposed of in accordance with the law. If trees and limbs are reduced to chips, they may be used as mulch in landscaped areas.
(c) Topsoil Preservation: Topsoil shall be temporarily stored and later redistributed on all regarded surfaces so as to provide at least four inches of even topsoil cover to all disturbed areas of the development and shall be stabilized by seeding or planting.
(d) Slope Plantings: Landscaping of all cuts and fills and/or terraces shall be sufficient to prevent erosion, and all roadway slopes steeper than one foot vertical to three feet horizontal shall be planted with ground cover appropriate for the land use and for the soil conditions and water availability.
(e) Additional Landscaping: In residential developments, besides the screening and street trees required, additional plantings or landscaping elements may be required throughout the subdivision where necessary for climate control, privacy, or other reasons in accordance with the landscape plan approved by the tree commission taking cost constraints into consideration. In non-residential developments, all areas of the site not occupied by buildings and required improvements shall be landscaped by the planting of grass or other ground cover, shrubs, and trees as part of the landscape plan approved by the tree commission.
(f) Planting Specifications: Deciduous trees shall have at least a two (2) inch caliper at planting. Size of evergreens and shrubs shall be allowed to vary depending on setting and type of shrub. Only nursery-grown plant materials shall be acceptable, and all trees, shrubs, and ground covers shall be planted according to accepted horticultural standards. Dead and dying plants shall be replaced by the property owner during the following planting season.
(g) Landscape Materials: Varieties of living landscape materials used shall be healthy, hardy and drought-resistant. Materials shall be of a plant species hardy for the climate in Washington County and environmental influences on the site, such as exposure to sun, wind, water, heat, automobile exhaust fumes and road salt and appropriate in terms of function and size. Where appropriate, landscape materials shall be protected from damage from pedestrian or vehicular traffic by tree grates, pavers, curbs or other measures.
(Ord. 25-2012-2013. Passed 7-8-13.)