(a) Transition Strips. Any use located on a lot having a rear or interior side lot line abutting or across a court or alley right-of-way from a zoning district with a lower index number as provided in the table contained in Section 352.08 shall install a Transition Strip along such lot line as required by the table contained in Section 352.09.
(b) Other. Frontage Strips, Island Strips, and Screen Barriers shall be required as provided in the table contained in Section 352.10.
(c) Uses Approved by Board of Zoning Appeals. Because certain uses require approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals under this chapter because of their potential to create land use conflicts, in order to reduce such conflicts such uses may be required by the Board to provide landscaping or screening that exceeds the requirements herein.
(d) Exceptions.
(1) Screening on Abutting Lot. No screening shall be required along a lot line if screening meeting all other requirements therefor exists along such lot line on the abutting lot or lots. If such existing screening is lawfully discontinued, screening on the subject lot meeting the requirements herein shall be installed within sixty (60) days of the discontinuation.
(2) Below-Grade Areas. The height of a Frontage Strip or Screen Barrier along a lot line which adjoins a below-grade parking or loading area may be reduced by an amount which reflects the difference in grade between the parking or loading area and the area along the lot line. Specifically, such difference in grade shall be determined by comparing the highest point of the finished grade of the parking or loading area and the average grade of the strip of lot area within four (4) feet of the lot line.
(3) Shared Driveway. No screening shall be required along that portion of a lot line along which there is a driveway or vehicular circulation aisle that is shared with an abutting lot.
(4) Building Walls. A building wall meeting the requirements herein shall qualify as wall screening under the table contained in Section 352.11 if its location along the lot line is legally nonconforming or is permitted under yard and setback requirements of this chapter.
(5) Temporary Uses. A temporary use shall not be subject to the provisions of this chapter if it has been issued a permit by the Commissioner of Building and Housing limiting its duration to two hundred seventy (270) days or less, or such a permit and no more than one (1) renewal thereof for no more than ninety (90) additional days. Temporary “for hire” parking lots, however, shall be subject to the applicable requirements contained in Chapter 457 of the Codified Ordinances.
(6) Downtown. No Transition Strip or Screen Barrier shall be required in the Central Business District as defined in Section 325.12 except as a condition to a use requiring either approval under this chapter by the Board of Zoning Appeals or design review approval under Chapter 341 (the Public Land Protective District) or under Chapter 161 (the Landmarks District). Frontage Strips and Island Strips shall be required in the Central Business District, except as otherwise provided herein.
(7) Built-up Lots. The Commissioner of Building and Housing shall waive the requirement for installation of any Strip or Screen Barrier, or reduce any of the required dimensions thereof, for a new use on any developed lot where it has been determined by the Director of the City Planning Commission that:
A. There is insufficient space to allow its installation; or
B. The Strip or Barrier could not be installed without creating either a violation of any provision of this chapter or a greater degree of nonconformity therewith; or
C. Installation would impede essential access onto or within the lot.
No waiver shall be granted if a reduction in dimensions of the Strip or Barrier would allow its installation, and any such reduction shall be the minimum needed to permit the installation, as determined by the Director of the City Planning Commission.
(8) Access Ways. Transition Strips and Frontage Strips shall not be required along the width of access ways. Width of access ways shall not be counted for purposes of spacing requirements in the table contained in Section 352.11.
(9) Lots Without Water Supply. On any lot on which access to City water for irrigation required for landscaping is unavailable or impractical in the judgment of the Director of the City Planning Commission (such as may be the case with a parking lot not associated with a building), the Director may approve exceptions as provided herein.
A. In lieu of the trees and shrubs required by the table contained in Section 352.11:
1. Where feasible in his or her judgment, the Director may approve installation on the lot of drought-resistant xeriscape varieties generally equivalent in number and dimensions to the installations required by the table;
2. Otherwise, the Director may approve waiving the requirement for shrubs and in lieu of the requirement for trees may approve installation of street trees in the public right-of-way abutting the lot. Such street trees shall meet the requirements of the table for trees and shall be approved by the Division of Urban Forestry of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Properties.
B. In lieu of living ground cover in a landscaped strip required as set forth in the table contained in Section 352.11 and division (c) of Section 352.05, the Director may approve exclusive use of non- living materials, such as barks, stones or sand, in an ornamental arrangement but not artificial plants or artificial turf. If in his or her judgment use of non- living materials is impractical, the Director may approve waiving the requirement for the landscaped strip.
(11) Vision Clearance Triangle. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, no part of any wall, fence, hedge, berm, or other opaque landscaping or screening obstruction, except for tree trunks and open fences (as defined herein), shall project between two and one-half (2-1/2) feet and eight (8) feet above grade within any vision clearance triangle.
The vision clearance triangle shall be the area formed by the right-of-way lines of two streets or a street and a railroad, or the right-of-way line of a street and the edge of the pavement of a driveway, between their at-grade intersection and points twenty-five (25) feet therefrom along each line, or ten (10) feet in the case of a driveway, and a straight line connecting those two (2) points. The restrictions for vision clearance triangles shall not apply with regard to driveways on lots in one (1) family or two (2) family zoning districts.
(12) Parking Districts. No Transition Strip shall be required abutting a Parking District, as defined by the provisions of Chapter 339 of the Codified Ordinances. On a lot used for accessory parking in a Parking District, abutting any Residence District a Medium Intensity Transition Strip shall be required. On a lot in a Parking District developed in another use, the required Transition Strip shall be as determined by the table contained in Section 352.09.
(13) Other. Other exceptions may be approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals under provisions for variances in Chapter 329.
(Ord. No. 3077-A-89. Passed 6-17-91, eff. 7-27-91)