The provisions below represent the minimum standards required for compliance of this chapter. These regulations are not intended to suppress creative design concepts or the use of variety in the landscape plan.
A. Minimum Size: The minimum size for required plantings, other than those in required buffers, shall be as follows:
1. Deciduous overstory trees shall be a minimum two and one-half inch (21/2") caliper.
2. Evergreen overstory trees shall be a minimum height of six feet (6').
3. Ornamental trees shall be a minimum one and one-half inch (11/2") caliper in size.
B. Minimum Quantity: The minimum number of plantings per site shall be as follows:
1. A minimum of fifty percent (50%) of all required trees shall be overstory shade trees.
2. For all uses except single-family and duplex family residential dwellings, a minimum of twenty five percent (25%) of all required trees shall be evergreen trees.
PLANTING REQUIREMENTS
R-1, R-2, R-4, R-5 | R-3, Commercial, Manufacturing | |
Planting requirement | 2 trees per dwelling unit | 1.5 trees per 1,000 square feet of required open space |
3. Values expressed in the table above are in addition to plantings required in buffer.
4. Based upon recommendation by planning and zoning commission and approval by city council, the evergreen requirement may be modified, substituting a different species of trees.
C. Off Street Parking Areas: All of the following requirements shall apply to off street parking areas as follows:
1. All rows of parking spaces shall be provided a terminal landscaped island, with a minimum width of ten feet (10'), to protect parked vehicles, provide visibility, confine moving traffic to driveways, and provide space for landscaping.
2. There shall be provided within each row of parking spaces, landscaped islands, with a minimum width of ten feet (10'), located so as to prevent more than fifteen (15) vehicles from being parked side by side in an abutting configuration.
3. All landscaped islands required in subsection C2 of this section shall be planted with at least one ornamental or one deciduous overstory tree. A minimum of fifty percent (50%) of the landscaped islands shall be provided with a deciduous overstory tree. The entire landscaped island area shall be covered with plant materials, lawn or mulches.
4. The setback between the parking area and the public right of way shall be landscaped with a minimum of one overstory deciduous tree per forty (40) linear feet of frontage. The frontage calculation shall be exclusive of the driveways. The plantings may be planted individually or in clusters. This requirement shall be included in the minimum number of trees required for the site and is not in addition to.
D. Open Space Requirements:
1. It is recognized that the extensive use and excessive congestion of land may become hazardous to the general health and welfare of the community. Therefore, the intent of this chapter shall be to require not less than that open space which is necessary to preserve the basic qualities and beauty of nature. Open space shall be provided for each site in each district in accordance with the table below. Values are in percentage of total site:
OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS
(Values In Percent)
R-3 | C-1 | C-2 | C-3 | C-4 | C-5 | M-1 | M-2 |
25 | 15 | 15 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 15 | 15 |
2. The calculation of required open space shall be the entire limits of the lot, exclusive of the required buffer areas. The calculation shall not include sidewalks or patios in the minimum required open space.
E. Maintenance Of Open Space: All open space and common areas shall be under single management or control, and shall be maintained and preserved in accordance with the site plan requirements.
F. Buffers: It is recognized that the transition from one district to another district of contrasting and conflicting uses is across a line in theory, not in existence. Therefore, it is the intent of this chapter to require the actual provision of a physical barrier so as to reduce possible harmful or detrimental influence one zoning district's use may have to an abutting and contrasting or conflicting zoning district's use. The following are conditions for requiring a buffer:
1. Any lot in any R or M district platted after the effective date hereof, having both its front and rear lines abutting a public thoroughfare (a double frontage lot) shall require a thirty foot (30') buffer from the thoroughfare abutting its rear lot line.
2. Buffers shall be provided in accordance with the following table. Values are in feet:
BUFFER REQUIREMENTS
(Values In Feet)
R-1, R-2, R-5 Districts | R-3 | R-4 | C Districts | M Districts | |
R-1, R-2, R-5 districts | -- | 30 | 30 | 50 | 65 |
R-3 | 30 | -- | 30 | 50 | 65 |
R-4 | 30 | 30 | -- | 50 | 65 |
C districts | 50 | 50 | 50 | -- | 30 |
M districts | 65 | 65 | 65 | 30 | -- |
3. The more intense use shall provide the buffer required above. In an instance where adjacent property is down zoned, thereby requiring additional buffer, the newly zoned property shall provide the additional required buffer.
G. Buffer Requirements: The following shall be the minimum requirement. All buffers shall provide the plantings as prescribed below.
MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS - BUFFERS
Buffer Material Requirements (Per 30 Linear Feet Of Buffer) | |||
30 feet | 1 overstory | 2 evergreen | 1 ornamental |
50 feet | 1 overstory | 3 evergreen | 2 ornamental |
65 feet | 2 overstory | 4 evergreen | 2 ornamental |
1. Deciduous overstory trees shall be a minimum two and one-half inch (21/2") caliper and evergreen overstory trees shall be a minimum height of six feet (6'). Ornamental trees shall be a minimum one and one-half inch (11/2") caliper in size. Whenever practical, existing trees and shrubs should be preserved and incorporated into the overall design of the buffer and can be included to meet the total number of required trees. A continuous earthen berm, minimum of three feet (3') in height, shall be provided in addition to the required plantings.
2. In addition to the required permanent landscape buffer, the city council may require a fence or a heavily landscaped earth berm to provide additional screening. Such fence shall be constructed of substantial support elements, including, but not limited to, brick, poured concrete, and stone. Steel posts shall not be considered appropriate.
3. Required yards shall be measured from the lot lines as prescribed in this title. Buffer may be included in yards required by this title. No building, parking, or structures shall be permitted within any buffer, unless authorized by the city council.
4. In a residential subdivision, the developer of the subdivision shall be required to install the buffer improvements as required by this section. The owner of the adjacent private property shall maintain the buffer in perpetuity.
5. In a situation that has landscape requirements other than those stated in the buffering requirements, the buffer requirements shall be in addition to any other required landscaping.
6. The need to establish the buffer as an easement shall be reviewed and identified during the development review process. Easements shall generally be required between different zoning districts and for buffering requirements of residential districts. It shall be assumed that the buffer will be established by an easement unless noted otherwise during the development review process and approved by the city council. Buffer easements shall be recorded with the county at the time of establishment, prior to, or concurrent with the recording of a final plat or the final approval of a site plan.
7. For single-family residential subdivisions, the landscape buffer shall be submitted for review and approval as a public improvement, at the same time as the preliminary plat. For any type of development that requires a site plan review, the buffer plans shall be submitted as a part of the site plan submittal.
H. Reduction In Required Buffer: The city council may, at its discretion, reduce the required buffer under the following conditions:
1. In those areas where the boundary line abuts permanent natural features which function as a buffer, including, but not limited to, ponds, severe grades, or mature woodlands, requirements for a buffer area for that portion of the boundary may be reduced by the city council in the proportions that the permanent natural features fulfill the buffer requirements.
2. In those areas where the property abuts an undeveloped property that is shown on the adopted land use plan as the same or a more intensive use.
3. The abutting property has provided a portion or the entire required buffer.
4. On lots that can present evidence that the above buffer provisions would render the property unbuildable, the city council may grant a waiver of the buffer requirements and permit a fence of not less than six feet (6') in height. Provisions for landscaping to soften the visual appearance of the fence and provide additional buffering may be required and will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
5. In those areas that abut a public park, the buffer area for that portion of the boundary may be reduced to fifty percent (50%) of the requirement. (Ord. 876, 1-17-2008)