(A) Intent. The intent of this section is:
(1) To screen undesirable views of permitted industrial uses from fronting streets and surrounding residential areas;
(2) To increase soil and water retention through landscape requirements;
(3) To protect and preserve the appearance, privacy and property values of single-family residential uses from any adverse influences of adjoining industrial uses; and
(4) To shield adjoining single-family residential uses from noise, dust and objectionable views during site construction.
(B) Definitions. As used in this section:
“Buffer.” Means a dense five to six-feet high site improvement consisting of landscape materials and groundforms located and designed to alleviate otherwise objectionable views of necessary permitted accessory uses, such as parking and loading facilities (see Appendix I, following this Zoning Code), trash containment areas and utility installations.
“Groundforms.” Means natural or human-made earth berms and other changes in topography commonly employed in the development of buffers and visibility screens.
“Landscape materials.” Means winter-hardy ornamental plantings and nonliving durable wall and fencing materials properly employed in the development of buffers and visibility screens, subject to Planning Commission approval.
“Visibility screen.” Means a medium-dense eight to 15-feet high site improvement consisting of landscape materials and groundforms located and designed to reduce the visual effect of large building masses otherwise disproportionate to the scale of adjacent development, existing or proposed.
(C) Location. Buffers and visibility screens shall be mandatory within the required side and rear yards of Class E Industrial Districts abutting residential districts so as to achieve the intent of this section without visually obstructing necessary lines of sight required for safe pedestrian and vehicular movement.
(D) Compliance Period and Maintenance.
(1) Effective buffers or screening may be required prior to other site development in order to reduce objectionable views, noise and dust associated with the construction process.
(2) If not determined necessary prior to other site development, all buffer and screen requirements shall be in place before a certificate of occupancy is issued.
(3) If not determined necessary prior to other site development, the desired buffer or screening effect shall be achieved not later than 12 months after the initial installation. The Planning Commission may extend this period of time where a hardship would be created because of unexpected slow growth or material shortages, but in no event shall the Commission extend such period beyond two years from the time that initial installation was to have been or has taken place.
(4) Once achieved, the required buffer or screening effect shall be satisfactorily maintained in perpetuity by the owner.
(E) Applicability. All provisions of this section shall be applicable to both new development and the expansion, alteration or modification of existing development, including such expansion, alteration or modification limited solely to parking and/or access.
(F) Procedures.
(1) A landscape plan showing buffer and visibility screen provisions shall be included as part of all preliminary and final development plans. Such plan shall accurately convey the nature and effect of proposed buffer and screening solutions.
(2) The Planning Commission may request photographs, elevations, sight lines or other descriptive data considered necessary to determine the effectiveness of the landscape plan.
(G) Violations; Notice. Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section and fails to comply therewith within 30 days of notification thereof shall be punished as provided in § 1262.99
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(Ord. 88-137, passed 9-6-1988)