(1) A landscaped earthen berm;
(2) A concrete or masonry wall;
(3) A wood, wrought iron, tubular steel, or similar decorative fence as approved by the Director of the City Planning Commission as compatible with the character of the area in which the fence is to be placed;
(4) A compact hedge or other live evergreen vegetative barrier; or
(5) A combination thereof.
Fences and walls used to meet screening requirements shall display a finished face toward adjacent streets and properties.
(b) Types of Landscaping Materials. As determined by the Commissioner of Park Maintenance and Properties ("Commissioner") or a designee, or in accordance with standards promulgated by the Commissioner or designee, all varieties of living landscape materials used shall be:
(1) Healthy, hardy, and drought-resistant consistent with the availability of water for artificial irrigation; and
(2) Suitable for the climate and environmental influences on the site, such as exposure to sun, wind, water, heat, automobile exhaust fumes, and road salt; and
(3) Compatible with the slope of the site, with existing vegetation to be preserved and with utility lines above or below ground level; and
(4) Tree selection shall be based on recommended species in the Cleveland Tree Plan as it may be amended from time to time.
(c) Ground Cover In Landscaped Strips. Grass or other ground cover shall be planted over all landscaped strips including earthen faces of berms, except in areas planted in flowers, shrubs, or trees, so as to present a finished appearance and reasonably complete coverage within three (3) months after planting.
Non-living landscaping materials such as sand, stones, rocks, or barks may be substituted for living cover over a maximum of thirty percent (30%) of the landscaped area. No artificial plants or turf shall be used.
(d) Preservation of Landscaping.
(1) Credit Toward Requirements. The Director of Building and Housing, in consultation with the Commissioner or designee, shall credit healthy trees or shrubs existing on a site prior to development and proposed to be preserved toward the requirements of the table contained in Section 352.11.
Except as provided herein for bonus credits, each preserved tree or shrub meeting the applicable requirements of the table contained in Section 352.11 shall reduce by one (1) the number of new trees or shrubs required.
(2) Bonus Credit for Larger Trees. Larger preserved trees shall reduce the number of new trees required in the table contained in Section 352.11 as follows:
Trunk Caliper of Existing Tree to be Preserved* | Reduction in Number of New Trees Required
|
8 - 16 inches | 2 trees |
Over 16 inches | 3 trees |
* Measured 4.5 feet above grade at base. | |
(e) Tree Protection During Construction. An applicant may claim a credit for preservation of existing trees and shrubs under division (d) of this section, and shall certify that all trees and shrubs for which a credit is claimed are currently healthy. An applicant shall adhere to the requirements of this section with respect to all trees on the site, including the trees for which the credit is claimed.
(1) Tree protection during construction, including bark and root protection, shall be according to Best Management Standards and ANSI Standards for Arboriculture as may be amended from time to time.
(2) Damage Mitigation. Despite following Best Management Standards and ANSI Standards for Arboriculture, as may be amended from time to time, significant damage has been done to the roots, the tree may need to be removed based on the assessment by the Commissioner or a designee. In this case, the owner shall replace the tree with a tree or trees of equal or greater diameter that are approved by the Commissioner or a designee, or the owner shall make payment to the City's Tree Preservation Fund for the replacement cost of the tree as established using the Trunk Formula Method outlined in The Guide for Plant Appraisal by the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers, as may be amended from time to time, or other tree replacement analysis provided by similar publication.
Tree limbs damaged during construction shall be addressed following Best Management Standards and ANSI Standards for Arboriculture, as may be amended from time to time.
(3) Removal of Barriers. Protective fences and barriers around trees shall be removed only as the final stage of post-construction cleanup.
(f) Berming. Berms used for screening shall be a minimum of two (2) feet high at all points. The interior face of a berm may be retained by a wall, terrace, or other means acceptable to the Director of Building and Housing in lieu of taking the form of an earthen slope.
All earthen berm faces on which ground cover is not yet completely established shall be protected from erosion by a mulch and/or an erosion control net.
Slopes for earthen faces shall not exceed thirty- three percent (33%) if covered with grass and fifty percent (50%) if covered with other vegetative cover.
(g) Curbing. All landscaped strips located in or abutting parking areas shall be separated on all sides from the parking surface by curbing consisting of concrete, stone, brick, asphalt, or other material approved by the Director of Building and Housing as having comparable appearance and durability. Curbing shall be in good condition upon installation.
(h) Other. Other requirements shall be as specified in the table contained in Section 352.11.
(Ord. No. 1121-18. Passed 12-3-18, eff. 12-5-18)