(A) Ground-mounted equipment. All ground-mounted equipment including, but not limited to, pad-mounted transformers, telephone switch boxes, gas meters, shall be reasonably screened from the view of public rights-of-way and the view from adjacent properties.
(1) All required screening shall meet clearances as required by the affected utility companies.
(2) Acceptable means of screening are trees or evergreen-type shrubbery, masonry walls as masonry is defined in this subchapter, earthen berms in conjunction with landscaping.
(3) Screening heights shall be in proportion to the equipment it is designed to screen. A maximum height of a screen shall be ten feet. If a mechanical unit is taller than the maximum permitted height of the screening, screening shall be set back from the screen five feet plus two feet for each foot it exceeds the height of the screen.
(4) Screening for mechanical units shall apply to new building construction only.
(B) Roof-mounted equipment. All roof-mounted equipment including, but not limited to, fans, vents, and cooling towers shall be screened so as not to be visible to the immediate ground level and the ground level of adjacent properties. In addition, roof-mounted equipment shall be placed and finished in a manner which minimizes its visibility from overhead views from nearby buildings and elevated thoroughfare sections.
(1) Screening for mechanical roof-mounted equipment will come into effect only if the footprint for the mechanical equipment exceeds 45 square feet.
(2) Overall screening height shall be the height of the highest element of roof-mounted equipment.
(3) The outside of the screening device shall be painted or otherwise finished so as to be similar in color to the color of the roof surface or to the color of the building facade or trim, whichever color is more effective in minimizing the visibility of the equipment and screen from ground level.
(4) Roof color shall be compatible with building color.
(5) To the greatest extent possible, roof-mounted equipment shall be placed in a linear configuration except for normal plumbing vents or flutes.
(Ord. 2017-14, passed 10-17-2017)