A. Purpose: The purpose of the interior landscaping requirements is to ensure that each new multi-family residential development and nonresidential development achieves at least a minimum amount of total landscaped area, to separate building areas from parking lots, through landscaping that is adapted to the site, reflects the varying microclimates and respective building facade orientations, and visually ties the buildings and motor vehicle parking, storage, and display areas to the site and to the larger regional context.
B. Amount of Landscaping and Green Space: Interior landscaping shall include green space that meets the following standard to enhance residential and non-residential development, in addition to other required landscaping and buffering:
1. General:
a. In addition to the landscaping and buffering required by Sections 7.4.905 (Street Frontage and Street Trees), 7.4.906 (Property Edge Landscape Buffers), and 7.4.907 (Parking Lot Landscaping), residential and nonresidential development shall install the following amounts of landscaping on the interior of the site.
(1) All multi-family projects shall provide a minimum of fifteen (15) percent total green space. Of the fifteen (15) percent, ten (10) percent shall be active green space and five (5) percent shall be non-activated green space. If multiple residential structures are located on one lot, the requirement shall apply to the lot as a whole, and not to any defined space occupied by a single residential building.
(2) All nonresidential development projects shall provide a minimum non-activated green space area equal to five (5) percent of the gross site area.
b. On heavy industrial projects where internal landscaping may be inappropriate due to the necessary configuration and use of the site, the Manager may allow some or all of the required additional interior landscaping to be relocated to the main property entrances or office areas or outside of the wall or fence on the perimeter of the property.
c. Paved plazas may account for up to fifty (50) percent of the required landscaping area if they contain trees that provide visual relief to building elevations that form major public views of the project. Sidewalks that provide basic pedestrian circulation only shall not be credited towards the minimum internal landscaping area requirement.
2. Compact Development Lots: The following additional standards shall apply to Compact Lots:
a. Each development shall provide a minimum green space area equal to ten (10) percent of the gross site area. Of the total area, fifty (50) percent shall be contiguous active green space.
b. The Manager may consider up to a twenty-five (25) percent relief to the minimum green space requirement when the development is within six hundred and sixty (660) feet of a park that is accessible by a trail.
C. Type of Landscaping:
1. One (1) tree shall be planted for every five hundred (500) square feet of required minimum internal green space area.
2. All required trees in nonresidential projects and fifty (50) percent of the required trees in multi-family projects may be substituted by shrubs as follows:
a. Ten (10) shrubs, with a minimum #5 container size may be substituted for one (1) tree.
b. Two (2) ornamental grass clumps, with a minimum #3 container size, may be substituted for one (1) shrub.
3. In the WUI-O district, landscaping on residential properties shall comply with the requirements of the City of Colorado Springs Fire Prevention Code and Standards.
D. Location Of Landscaping: Landscaping installed in accordance with this Subsection 7.4.908D shall be placed in the following locations:
1. Adjacent to building elevations facing adjacent public rights-of-way and private streets;
2. Within a plaza or courtyard between buildings or portions of buildings;
3. In a space provided to separate building areas from parking areas;
4. As a buffer at the edge of a private stormwater water quality and/or detention facility on the same lot;
5. In an "oasis" area of the site with intensive plantings near building entrances, pedestrian gathering places, or parking lots;
6. In a similar location of the site that substantially conforms to the stated purposed of the required internal landscape area and approved by the Manager; or
7. In the WUI-O district, landscaping on residential properties shall be placed in accordance with the requirements of the City of Colorado Springs Fire Prevention Code and Standards. (Ord. 23-03)