The requirements set forth in this section for open space, landscaping, buffers, and parking requirements shall apply to any development or redevelopment approved on or after the date of September 30, 2008.
1. Open Space Required. On each lot, except for one- and two-family dwellings, there shall be provided open space in accordance with the following schedule:
Zoning District Percent of Open Space
A-1* 30
R-1** 30
R-2** 30
R-3** 25
R-4** 30
R-5** 30
R-6** 30
R-7** 30
C-Districts 25
M-Districts 20
* Non-agricultural uses
** Uses other than single-family dwellings and duplexes
A. Said open space shall be unencumbered with any structure, or off-street parking or roadways and drives, and shall be landscaped and maintained with grass, trees, and shrubbery. When the entire lot is not developed, the open space requirement shall be based in proportion to the area of the improved portion of each lot.
B. Each principal structure of an apartment or office complex on same site shall be separated from any other principal structure in the complex by an open space of not less than 16 feet.
2. Landscaping Required. Any development shall provide the following minimum number and size of landscaping plantings based on the minimum required open space for the development. The following is the minimum requirement of trees and shrubs, by number and size, and type of ground cover. Street trees planted in public street right-of-way shall not be counted toward fulfillment of the minimum site requirements set forth below. Plant species to be used for landscaping shall be acceptable to the City that are not considered a nuisance or undesirable species, such as trees with thorns, cottonwood or cotton-bearing poplars, elm trees prone to Dutch Elm Disease, box elder, and silver maple. Existing trees and shrubs to be retained on site may be counted toward fulfillment of the landscaping requirements.
A. Minimum requirements at the time of planting, for all developments other than single-family (R-1) or one- and two-family residential (R-2), 2 trees minimum or 1 tree of the following size per 1,500 square feet of open space, whichever is greater:
40 percent 1½" - 2" caliper diameter
Balance 1" or 1½" caliper diameter
(Evergreen trees shall not be less than 6 feet in height).
B. Minimum requirements at the time of planting – 6 shrubs, or 1 shrub per 1,000 square feet of open space, whichever is greater.
C. To reduce erosion, all disturbed open space areas shall have ground cover of grass or native vegetation that is installed as sod, or seeded, fertilized, and mulched.
D. Minimum requirements at time of planting for single-family residential (R-1) and one- and two-family residential (R-2) developments include:
2 trees minimum 1" caliper diameter or greater
3. Buffers Required. The following conditions shall require a buffer which shall be a landscaped area, wall, or other structure intended to separate and obstruct the view between two adjacent zoning districts, land uses, or properties:
A. Any commercial (C) or industrial (M) districts which abut an R-1, R-2, R-4, R-6, or R-7 use shall require a buffer as described in this section.
B. All industrial (M) districts which abut an R-3 or HM use. Industrial districts will be required to provide a buffer to U-1 district uses unless waived by City Council.
C. All industrial (M) Districts which abut any commercial (C) use, provided the use is not located within the MU-1 Mixed Use overlay. Industrial uses within the MU-1 District shall not be required to provide a buffer from Commercial uses.
D. Any loading area, material holding, and/or assembly or processing areas in any district shall be screened from public street view by a sight tight durable wall or fence.
E. A sight tight enclosure that will also prevent the scattering of refuse shall be provided around all refuse holding areas.
4. Buffers. Buffers required under the provisions of this section or elsewhere in the zoning ordinance shall be accompanied by any one or approved combination of the following methods:
A. Buffer Wall: A buffer wall shall not be less than 6 feet in height; constructed of a permanent low maintenance material such as concrete block, cinder block, brick, concrete, precast concrete or tile block; the permanent low maintenance wall shall be designed by an architect or engineer for both structural adequacy and aesthetic quality; weather resistant wood may be used as a substitute material if designed with adequate structural integrity and permanency and approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.
B. Landscape Buffer: A landscape buffer shall not be less than 25 feet in width, designed and landscaped with earth berm and predominant plantings of evergreen type trees, shrubs and plants as to assure year-round effectiveness; height of berm and density and height of plantings shall be adequate to serve as a solid and impenetrable screen. A chain link or vinyl coated chain link fence may exist for security purposes, but is not considered a part of the landscape screening to satisfy the intent of this requirement.
5. Burden of Provision of Buffer. The burden of provision and selection of the buffer shall be as follows:
A. Where two different zoning districts requiring a buffer between them are in an existing improved condition, the above requirement is not retroactive and a buffer is not required. If a buffer is desired, it shall be provided by mutual agreement between adjacent property owners. However, in the event of any or all of the improved property is abandoned, destroyed, or demolished, for the purpose of renewal or redevelopment, that portion of such property being renewed or redeveloped shall be considered vacant and subject to the requirements herein.
B. Where one of two different zoning districts requiring a buffer between them is developed without any buffering provisions, the developer of the vacant land shall assume the burden, unless otherwise specified herein.
C. Where both zoning districts, requiring a buffer between them, are vacant or undeveloped, the burden shall be assumed by the developer of the land that is improved or developed, except for agricultural uses and unless otherwise specified herein.
6. Waiver of Buffer Requirements. Where the line between two districts, requiring a buffer, follows a street, right-of-way, railroad, stream, or other similar barrier, the requirement for a buffer may be waived by the City Council, provided such waiver does not permit the exposure of undesirable characteristics of land use to public view.
7. Landscaping, Screening, and Open Space Requirements. It is desired that all parking areas be aesthetically improved to reduce obtrusive characteristics that are inherent to their use. Therefore, wherever practical and except for single- and two-family detached and townhouse style residential parking in driveways, parking areas shall be effectively screened from general public view and contain shade trees within parking islands where multiple aisles of parking exist.
8. Off-Street Parking Access to Public Streets and Internal Traffic Circulation. Off-street parking or loading facilities shall be designed so as to permit entrance and exit by forward movement of the vehicle for all uses, except single-family detached or row dwellings which shall permit backward movement from a driveway. The backing or backward movement of vehicles from a driveway, off-street parking or loading area onto an arterial street or highway shall be prohibited for all uses. The number of ingress/egress access points to public streets from off-street parking areas approved by the City and located to limit vehicular conflicts, provide acceptable location of driveway accesses to public streets, preserve proper traffic safety, and, as possible, not impair movement of vehicular traffic on public streets. Ingress/egress driveway approaches to public streets shall be located in alignment with driveway approaches gaining access to the same public street from property on the opposite side of the street. The design of off-street parking and loading facilities shall provide traffic circulation for the internal forward movement of traffic within the parking lot, so designed as not to impair vehicular movement on public streets, or backing of vehicles from an off-street parking or loading area to a public street.
9. Handicap Accessible Parking Requirements. As stated in Iowa SUDAS, provision of handicapped parking spaces within off-street parking areas shall be in accordance with ADA regulations, properly identified with signage and provided with accessible ramps and walks in accordance with ADA regulations, and comply with the following parking space minimum requirements stated therein.
10. Waiver of Requirements. The City Council reserves the right to waive or modify to a lesser requirement any provision or requirement of off-street parking and loading areas contained in this chapter, provided a report on such change is received from the Planning and Zoning Commission, and provided said waiver or modification does not adversely affect the intent of these regulations to adequately safeguard the general public and surrounding property. Exceptions will only be considered for those uses where special circumstances warrant a change and whereby the modification or waiver is determined to be in the best interest of the general public.