The intent of these screening requirements shall be to separate certain zoning districts from other zoning districts or to screen certain uses in order to minimize potential nuisances such as the transmission of noise, dust, odor, litter, and glare of lights; to reduce the visual impact of unsightly aspects of adjacent development; to provide for the separation of spaces; and to establish a sense of privacy. Any screening required under this section shall materially screen the subject use between the ground level and the height of the required screening from the view of the adjoining property.
(A) Required screening.
(1) When a Business (B) or Manufacturing (M) District abuts a Residential (R) District, screening shall be provided on the lot(s) which are located in the Business (B) District or Manufacturing (M) District at the time such lots are developed or if an existing use which does not meet all screening requirements is expanded or when any existing principal or accessory structure on such lot is expanded.
(2) All multi-family developments shall be screened from all other lots which lie in a Residential (R) District. In no case shall screening be required between two lots, both of which contain multi-family developments.
(3) Within any Business (B) or Manufacturing (M) District, screening shall be required for the open storage of any non-retail goods or any unenclosed structure consisting of a roof (but no walls) used for storage of materials, products, wastes or equipment, whenever such storage or structure is located within 100 feet of the street right-of-way line. Screening shall be placed on the property so as to effectively screen such open storage or structure from the public view from any street right-of-way. All such required screening shall be placed on the lot within five and one-half years from the effective date of this chapter.
(4) Other situations as specifically listed in the zoning district regulations or in the special use regulations.
(5) All manufactured home parks shall be screened along the rear and side property lines. They shall also be screened from all other lots which lie in a Residential (R) District.
(B) Location of screening. Any screening required by divisions (A)(1), (2) and (4) above shall be located along side and/or rear property lines of the lot(s) in question except that screening shall not be required along any street or railroad-right-of-way unless otherwise stipulated in this chapter or required as a condition for a special permit.
(C) Specifications for screening.
(1) (a) The area used for screening shall be free of all encroachment by structures, parking areas or other impervious surfaces except driveways connecting the lot to ingress and egress points, mailboxes, boundary fences and any walls or fences to be included as part of the screen area. Except as required for division(A)(3) above, the amount and type of screen materials to be planted per 100 linear feet shall be as indicated in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Screening
Alternative | Width of Screen |
Alternative | Width of Screen |
1. 4.8 canopy trees 2.4 understory trees 19 shrubs OR | 35 feet |
2. 5.4 canopy trees 2.7 understory trees 22 shrubs OR | 30 feet |
3. 6 canopy trees 3 understory trees 24 shrubs OR | 25 feet |
4. 6.6 canopy trees 3.3 understory trees 28 shrubs OR | 20 feet |
5. 7 canopy trees 3.6 understory trees 30 shrubs OR | 15 feet |
6. 8 canopy trees 4 understory trees Wall, berm or fence | 10 feet |
1. Wall or Fences. Any wall shall be constructed in a durable fashion with a finish surface of wood, brick, stone, or other decorative material approved by the Zoning Enforcement Officer. Fences shall be constructed of wood in a durable fashion and of durable, weather resistant wood fencing materials and of consistent pattern or of other decorative opaque material which is approved by the Zoning Enforcement Officer. No wall or fence used for screening purposes shall be less than six feet nor greater than eight in height above grade. All wall or fences used for screen purposes shall be opaque. Walls and fences shall be constructed in accordance with division (F) below. 2. Berms. All berms shall be grassed and/or planted with other plant materials. If grass alone, the berms shall not be less than six feet nor greater than nine feet in height. If landscaped, the berm shall be at least three feet in height and contain at least 20 shrubs per 100 linear feet. Said shrubs shall be of a species that can be expected to grow to such height so as to materially screen the development from abutting lots within five years of planting. No slope of a berm shall exceed one foot of rise for every three feet in plane. | |
(b) An opaque wall or fence per this division shall be all which is required to satisfy the screening requirement of division (A)(3) above.
(2) All screen materials planted shall be free from disease, installed in a fashion that ensures the availability of sufficient soil and water to sustain healthy growth, property guyed or staked, and planted in a manner which is not intrusive to utilities and/or pavement and planted in accordance with division (F) below.
(D) Relief to screening requirements. In the event that unusual topography or elevation of a development site or the location or size of the parcel to be developed would make strict adherence to the requirements of this section serve no meaningful purpose or would make it physically impossible to install and/or maintain the required screen, the Zoning Enforcement Officer shall have the authority to alter the requirements of this chapter provided the spirit and intent of the screening requirement as outlined in this section are maintained. Such an alteration may occur only at the request of the developer, who shall submit a plan to the Zoning Enforcement Officer showing existing site features that would screen the proposed use and any additional screen materials the developer will plant or construct to screen the proposed use. The Zoning Enforcement Officer shall have no authority to provide said relief unless the developer demonstrates that existing site features and any additional screening materials will screen the proposed use as effectively as the required screen.
(E) Existing screened areas. In cases where screening is required to be installed under this chapter and an existing screening area exists, further planting and/or improvements shall not be required, provided said screened area is of sufficient width and depth and contains adequate and sufficient materials to meet the requirements of this chapter. If the screened area is deficient, the developer shall make needed improvements and/or additions to satisfy the screening requirements and intent of this chapter.
(F) Screen construction and installation maintenance.
(1) The plantings, fences, walls, or berms that constitute a required screen shall be properly installed and maintained in order for the screen to fulfill the purpose for which it is established.
(2) Walls, fences, and berms shall be constructed in a durable and attractive fashion in accordance with any applicable codes and generally accepted construction and workmanship practices and meet all specifications herein. Plant species shall be of a variety which can grow in a healthy manner under local climate conditions, not highly prone to disease and be expected to grow in a manner to meet the spirit and intent of this section. Plant materials shall be planted in accordance with generally accepted and recommended planting and growing practices.
(3) The owner of the property and any tenant on the property where a screen is required shall be jointly and severally responsible for the maintenance of all screen materials. Such maintenance shall include all actions necessary to keep the screened area free of lifter and debris, to keep plantings healthy and orderly in appearance, and to keep walls, fences, and berms in good repair and neat appearance. Any vegetation that constitutes part of a screen shall be replaced by the property owner in the event that it dies. All screen materials shall be protected from damage by erosion, motor vehicles or pedestrians,
(G) Screening required prior to issuance of certificates of occupancy. After the effective date of this chapter, a certificate of occupancy shall not be issued for any use located on a lot(s) upon which screening is required, unless such screening is provided on said lot(s) as hereby specified. Due to the nature of the local growing season, the developer may request that natural plantings be installed no later than six months after the date of issuance of the certificate of occupancy. Should this be requested and granted, all necessary plantings must be installed by the specified date. Otherwise, the certificate of occupancy shall be considered null and void.
(Ord. passed 11-3-1970; Am. Ord. passed 7-3-1972; Am. Ord. passed 12-8-1992; Am. Ord. passed 5-11-1999)