A. General.
1. Purpose and Intent. The purpose of this section is to provide additional landscaping necessary to further the design objectives and principles of this article.
2. Administration. The Director of Planning and Zoning or designee shall have the authority to coordinate, interpret, and administer this section.
3. Applicability. The provisions of this section shall apply to all new construction and major modifications to existing sites, excluding single-family and duplex dwelling units on individually platted lots within single-family or two-family residential districts. This section shall not apply to newly created landscaped areas where compliance with regulations does not decrease conformance with parking regulations.
4. Relief from Standards. Any deviation from these landscape standards shall require a community design appeal (CDPA), which is subject to review and approval by the City Commission. A request for a CDPA shall be reviewed in accordance with Chapter 2, Article II, Section 4.B.
B. Foundation Landscaping Areas.
1. Applicability. The requirement for foundation landscaping areas (shrubs and trees) shall apply to all front and side elevations of multi-family residential and non-residential buildings. These provisions are expanded to include rear elevations where buildings are visible from adjacent rights-of-way, residential zoning districts, or where otherwise recommended by staff.
2. Rules. Foundation landscaping areas are not required in those particular locations within a site where vehicular use areas or pedestrian/covered walkways would conflict (i.e in front of loading docks, underneath covered walkways, within streetscape design).
3. Standards.
a. Maximum Distance from Façade. Foundation landscaping areas shall be planted abutting the building façade. It may be placed within separate planter areas, a maximum of fifteen (15) feet from the building wall provided that the added distance allows for the accommodation of enhanced pedestrian features and/or allows greater space for the planting of trees that will exceed the minimum specifications of the landscape code.
b. Minimum Width. Foundation landscaping areas shall be installed within a strip of land not less than five (5) feet in width, unless designed as part of the streetscape design (see Section 4.B.5. above). For large non-residential (big box) buildings greater than forty thousand (40,000) square feet in size, the location and dimensions of the foundation landscaping area shall be designed as follows:
(1) Building façades less than forty-five (45) feet in height: The foundation landscaping area along the front and side façades shall be at least fifteen (15) feet in width or fifty percent (50%) of the façade height, whichever is greater.
(2) Building façades forty-five (45) feet in height or greater: The foundation landscaping area along the front and side façades shall be proportional to the size and growing characteristics of intended plants and tree species, as promoted by the objectives of this article.
c. Shrubs. Foundation landscaping shall consist of shrubs installed in a continuous row or within ten (10)-foot wide clusters spaced a maximum of fifteen (15) feet apart. The selection of shrub species should be compatible with the required plantings of perimeter landscape buffers and landscape strips along the abutting rights-of-way.
d. Trees. Tree sizes within foundation landscape strips shall be proportional to building heights and massing; planted no less than one-half (½) the building height when buildings are forty-five (45) feet in height or less. For large non-residential (big box) buildings greater than forty thousand (40,000) square feet in size, the following shall apply:
(1) At least fifty percent (50%) of the required trees within the foundation landscaping area shall be a minimum two-thirds (2/3) of the height of the building.
(2) One (1) canopy tree or a cluster of three (3) palm trees shall be installed within the foundation planting area every twenty (20) feet on center along each façade. Canopy and palm trees shall be distributed along the entire façade where foundation landscaping areas are required.
4. Miscellaneous. Sidewalks may traverse through the foundation landscaping areas. However, the width of the sidewalk can be no wider than fifty percent (50%) of the required foundation landscaping area or seven and one-half (7-½) feet, whichever is greater. In addition, the minimum width of the area to be planted must be maintained in accordance with the standards of Section 5.B.3. above.
C. Plazas. Plazas shall contain paved, open, and landscaped areas. At least one (1) tree shall be planted for each nine hundred (900) square feet of plaza area. Shade trees shall be planted within the plaza area or along the periphery. See Chapter 4, Article III, Section 7. for additional regulations regarding plazas and open space.
D. Drive-through Facilities. Pursuant to Chapter 4, Article III, Section 3.J., drive-through facilities shall not be allowed on any building façade that directly faces a public or private right-of-way. Landscape material may be used to provide additional screening to ensure that said facilities, located on eligible building façades, are not visible from abutting properties or rights-of-way (pubic and private). This landscape screen shall consist of trees, shrubs, a berm, or a combination thereof, necessary to achieve the desired buffering effect.
E. Service Areas. Additional screening is required where off-street unloading and loading areas are visible from abutting/adjacent rights-of-way or residential properties. Such screening is comprised of shrub and tree species possessing dense foliage and planted of a size to form an opaque screen.
F. Mechanical Equipment. If feasible, all above ground mechanical equipment such as exterior utility boxes, meters, and transformers shall be visually screened. Back-flow preventers shall be painted to match the principal structure. See Chapter 4, Article III, Section 3.I. for additional regulations regarding the screening of mechanical equipment.
G. Dumpster Enclosure. All dumpsters and recycling receptacles are required to be screened in accordance with Chapter 4, Article VI, Section 4.C. Landscape material shall be installed along three (3) sides of the enclosure walls at a minimum of one-half (1/2) the wall height at time of planting. However, within industrial developments, the landscape material may be unnecessary where the dumpster enclosure is located within the vehicular use/loading areas and not visible from adjacent road rights-of-way. Also see enclosure wall requirements Chapter 4, Article VI, Section 4.C.
H. Lift Stations. The walls of an enclosure containing a lift station shall have landscape material planted around the perimeter, at a minimum of one-half (1/2) the wall height at time of planting.
I. Base of Signs. The base of a sign shall be enhanced with a minimum of two (2) colorful shrub species, selected for entrance compatibility not less than two (2) feet in width and placed around no fewer than three (3) sides. The appropriate selection of species and design shall ensure visibility to low monument signs at plant maturity. Landscaping of signs within plazas and shopping centers shall also include a minimum of one (1) signature tree. Annuals and other flower species may supplement but not substitute the required shrub plantings.
J. Landscape Standards for Specific Uses.
1. Exterior (Outdoor) Storage. Outdoor storage areas, including where boat repair is allowed, shall be entirely screened from public and private rights-of-way and adjacent properties by a landscape "barrier". Landscape barrier requirements include a landscape strip containing a six (6)-foot tall buffer wall, trees of varying heights, and shrubs planted tip-to-tip. The buffer wall is not required where the subject property abuts the light industrial (M-1) zoning district. A taller wall (up to eight (8) feet in height) and a berm may be recommended in order to achieve the desired screening effect. Less planting requirements may be allowed depending on the lack of visibility, or based on the adjacent uses and/or zoning districts. See additional regulations regarding the exterior storage of merchandise in supplemental zoning regulations pursuant to Chapter 3, Article V, Section 8.
2. Wireless Communication Facilities (WCF). At minimum, a WCF shall require an urban landscape buffer (Type 1) or suburban landscape buffer (Type 1), whichever is applicable.
3. Group B Satellite Dish Antennae. All Group B satellite dish antennae shall be screened on three (3) sides with landscape materials. If a buffer wall is used for screening purposes, shrubs or other species shall be planted along the base of the wall for visual enhancement.
4. Large Non-Residential (Big Box) Development Regulations. If more than fifty percent (50%) of the required off-street (surface) parking is located between the building and a public street, with no intervening buildings that screen the view into the parking area, the landscape strip abutting the right-of-way shall be a minimum of twenty-five (25) feet in width, including a minimum three (3) foot high berm.
(Ord. 10-025, passed 12-7-10; Am. Ord. 12-016, passed 10-2-12)