(A) Purpose.
(1) All new non-residential development and redevelopment areas, shall be landscaped to provide visual buffering, enhance the beautification of the city, safeguard and enhance property values, protect public and private investment, and to protect the public health, safely and general welfare of the citizens of the city. The landscaped area will help reduce soil erosion, and the volume and rate of discharge of stormwater runoff.
(2) All new residential development/ redevelopment of six or more dwelling units and/or three or more acres shall comply with the provisions of this section for landscaping requirements.
(B) Definitions. For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
LANDSCAPED AREA. The area within the boundaries of a given lot which is devoted to and consists of plant material, including but not limited to grass, trees, shrubs, flowers, vines and other ground covers, planters, brick, stone, natural forms, water forms, or aggregate or other inorganic features, but not including the use of smooth concrete or asphalt; provided, however, that the use of the brick, stone, aggregate or other inorganic materials shall not predominate over the use of organic plant material.
REDEVELOPMENT. Remodeling, renovation and/ or expansion of improvements on an existing developed property where the usable square footage of the remodeling, renovation and or expansion is increased by 50%, or the costs of the project exceeds 50% of the preredevelopment valuation, or where the project is required to file a site plan under Chapter 155.
VALUATION OF IMPROVEMENTS PRIOR TO REDEVELOPMENT. A determination of the fair market value of the property from the most reliable information available which includes County Assessor valuation, recent appraisals, recent sales price and such further information as may be determined by the Community Development Director.
(C) Requirements for development and redevelopment.
(1) Development. New construction of buildings classified with respect to use or occupancy as business, mercantile, assembly, educational, or institutional as provided by the International Building Code shall be landscaped with living plants, trees, bushes, grass or similar vegetation. Nonresidential uses that are either permitted by right or under an enabling permit shall be landscaped.
(2) Redevelopment. Redevelopment of buildings classified with respect to use or occupancy as business, mercantile, assembly, educational, or institutional as provided by the International Building Code shall be landscaped with living plants, trees, bushes, grass or similar vegetation. Nonresidential uses that are either permitted by right or under an enabling permit shall be landscaped.
(D) Required area. The public right-of-way between the property line and the curb and not less than 5% of the total land area of the lot shall be landscaped. To the extent practical, at least 75% of the landscaped lot area shall be in the front or side yards and visible from public or private streets providing access to the property. Inner courts that are not visible from the public street shall not be calculated for purposes of meeting this requirement. Exception: When the minimum landscape area requirements cannot be met, the required landscaped area may be reduced, upon approval by the City Council.
(E) Landscaped materials and plan. An application for a building permit and/or special use permit for nonresidential land usages shall be accompanied by a detailed landscaping plan for both the required lot area and the area within the public street right-of-way between the property line and the curb. A landscape plan shall be required as a part of the site plan review process. The plan shall conform to the following requirements:
(1) The quantity, location and types of all plants:
(a) The maximum height for mature trees shall not exceed 25 feet;
(b) Street yard. One tree shall be planted and maintained or preserved for each 1,500 square feet of street yard or fraction thereof;
(c) Surface parking areas located outside the street yard. One tree shall be planted and maintained or preserved for each 12 parking spaces; and at least one tree shall be planted and maintained or preserved in each required landscaped area;
(d) Rock gardens or sculpture may be approved; however, the use of gravel or chat as ground cover shall not be considered as meeting the landscape requirements;
(e) The landscape plan shall respect sight triangles at intersections and all other elements relating to traffic control;
(f) Trees and shrubs located in and over utility easements shall be limited to those trees and shrubs which in their mature state will not interfere with overhead and underground utilities; and
(g) The plan shall be reviewed and approved as part of the building permit and special use permit review process.
(2) (a) Tree requirements.
(b) Selection of tree species. The following list constitutes the species of trees that may be planted under the terms of this chapter. No species other than those included in this list may be planted without the express written permission of the City Arborist.
1. Small trees:
A. Flowering Crabapple; Malus spp;
B. Redbud; Cercis canadensis, Cercis chinensis;
C. Purple Leaf Plum; Prunus cerasifera;
D. Hawthorn; Crateagus spp;
E. Flowering Dogwood; Corpus florida, Corpus kousa;
F. Buckeye; Aesculus arguta, Aesculus glabra;
G. Crapemyrtle; Lagerstroemia indica;
H. Euonymus (deciduous); Euonymus atropurpureus;
I. Holly:
(i) American; Ilex opaca;
(ii) Deciduous; Ilex deciduas; and
(iii) Yaupon; Ilex vomitoria;
J. Amur Maple; Acer ginnala;
K. Russian Olive; Elaeagnus angustifolia L;
L. Autumn Olive; Elaeagnus umbellate Thunberg; and
M. Smoketree; Cotinus coggygria
2. Medium trees:
A. Honeylocust (thornless); Gleditsia triacanthos;
B. Pin Oak; Quercus palustrus;
C. River Birch; Betula nigra;
D. Kentucky Coffeetree; Gymnocladus dioica;
E. Red Mulberry (male); Morus rubra;
F. Golden Raintree; Koelreuteria bipinnata, Koelreuteria paniculate;
G. Osage Orange (male, thornless); Maclura pompifera;
H. Bald Cypress; Taxodium distichum;
I. Japanese Pagoda Tree; Sophora japonica;
J. Chinese Pistachio; Pistacia chinensis;
K. Ornamental Pear; Pyrus calleryana; and
L. Red Maple; Acer rubrum.
3. Large trees:
A. Burr Oak; Quercus macrocarpa;
B. Hackberry; Celtis occidentalis;
C. London Planetree; Platanus X acerifolia;
D. American Sycamore; Platanus occidentalis;
E. Pecan; Carya illinoinensis;
F. Red Oak; Quercus rubra;
G. Black Walnut; Juglans nigra;
H. Green Ash; Fraxinus pennsylvanica;
I. Cottonwood (male); Populus deltoids;
J. Chinese Lacebark Elm; Ulmus parvifolia;
K. Ginkgo; Ginkgo bilboa;
L. Fruit trees (fruitless); Malus spp;
M. Oaks:
(i) Chesnut; Quercus prinus, Quercus muehlengergi;
(ii) Sawtooth; Quercus acutissima;
(iii) Shumard; Quercusw shumardi;
(iv) Water; Quercus nigra;
(v) Willow; Quercus pheloos; and
(vi) Red; Quercus rubra, Quercus falcata;
N. American Linden; Tilia americana;
O. Pine:
(i) Austrian; Pinus nigra;
(ii) Loblolly; Pinus taeda;
(iii) Ponderosa; Pinus ponderosa;
(iv) Slash; Pinus ellioti;
(v) Scotch; Pinus sylvestris;
(vi) White; Pinus strobes; and
(vii) Virginia; Pinus virginiana;
P. Cedar:
(i) Atlas; Cedrus atlantica; and
(ii) Deodar; Cedrus deodara
(3) The following list of trees shall not be planted:
(a) Aspen; Populus spp;
(b) Black Locust; Robinia pseudoacacia;
(c) Box Elder; Acer negundo;
(d) Catalpa; Catalpa speciose, Catalpa bignonioides;
(e) Chinese Elm (except lacebark); Ulmus parvifolia;
(f) Cottonwood (female); Populus deltoids;
(g) Fruit trees (except fruitless); Malus spp;
(h) Osage Orange (female); Maclura pomifera;
(i) Poplar; Populus alba, Populus nigra;
(j) Silver Maple; Acer saccharinum;
(k) Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus); Ailanthus altissima;
(l) Willow; Salix spp;
(m) Eastern Red Cedar; Juniperus virginiana.
(4) A certificate of occupancy for a structure shall not be issued until the landscaping has been installed in accordance with the plan; provided, however, that if a structure and all its site improvements are complete except for the landscaping requirements and the season of the year will not permit planting, temporary occupancy may be permitted until a date certain in the growing season. In this case an inspection date in growing season shall be set by the building inspector to determine if the landscaping has been installed;
(5) All landscaping shall be maintained in a live and healthy condition;
(6) Failure to install or maintain landscaping as required and approved shall constitute a violation of this section; and
(7) A landscape plan shall be required as a part of the site plan submitted for all building permits and special use permit applications. This plan shall show detailed landscape treatment of the area. This landscaping plan must include building footprint, parking, easements, types of plants, typical species of plant, size, location of plants and details of irrigation system, water lines and other utilities, driveways, easements or utilities, irrigation systems or other items as required by the community development director or building inspector.
(F) Landscape plan content. All landscape plans shall include the following information:
(1) North arrow and scale;
(2) The location of existing property lines and dimensions of the tract, accurately drawn to scale;
(3) Exact locations and outline of all rights-of-way;
(4) The location and size of all existing and proposed buildings, and parking areas, including the exact number of parking spaces provided;
(5) The location and size of any permanent fixture or structure including, but not limited to, sidewalks, walls, fences, trash enclosures, project storage, lighting fixtures, signs and benches, which are relevant to the landscape plan;
(6) The location, size, and type of all above- ground and underground public utilities with notation, where appropriate, as to any safety hazards to avoid during installation. Alternatively, a letter of no objection provided by the utility company may be provided;
(7) The location, size, type, species, spacing (on center), and quantity of all proposed plant materials and existing plant materials credited for points shall be graphically represented and referenced on the plan by a common name and/or scientific name, or an appropriate key of all plant species;
(8) Indicate the method of irrigation on plans and define the area of coverage. If an automatic irrigation system is not proposed, the location of all required hose connections and other watering sources shall be noted; and
(9) All screening required by this code.
(G) Maintenance and enforcement.
(1) When it is determined by the director, or person officially designated, that improvements required by this division are not being maintained, it shall be his/her duty to give notice in writing to the property owner. Such notice shall specify in what manner the improvements are in need of maintenance and a date for compliance. The property owner shall not have less than 30 days to comply with the notice; provided, however, that any person aggrieved by any such order or disagreeing with any of the requirements of the notice may file an appeal within the 30-day period to the Board of Adjustment.
(2) Failure to provide the improvements required by this division or failure to maintain required improvements in the manner prescribed by this section shall constitute an offense and violation of this chapter. Each day such violation occurs shall be a separate offense.
(H) Where it is alleged there is error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the administrative official in the enforcement of this section pertaining to landscape requirements, the developer or land owner shall have the right to appeal to the Board of Adjustment for relief.
(Ord. 1912, passed 2-16-16; Am. Ord. 1914, passed 5- 3-16; Am. Ord. 1941, passed 9-5-17; Am. Ord 1974, passed 8-6-19)