(A) Vehicular use areas adjacent to residential uses and public right-of-way.
(1) Off-street parking lots for three or more cars or other vehicular use areas shall provide an effectively solid landscape screen of the parking area from adjacent residential uses and public ROW. The landscaping shall consist of one of the following options:
(a) A minimum ten foot wide vegetative screen along the perimeter of the parkway area. This may be located in the 25-foot green space required in commercial and industrial districts. This screen shall consist of 150 plant units per 100 linear feet and at least 75% of plant material must be evergreen.
(b) A berm that is at least two and one-half feet higher than the finished elevation of the parking lot (at the nearest point) and landscaping that includes 125 plant units per 100 linear feet. A minimum of 50% of the plant material must be evergreen. Plantings should be designed in a natural grouping; a linear design is discouraged. The berm shall be graded in an undulating manner to appear more natural.
(c) A minimum six foot wide vegetative screen along a minimum three foot grade drop from the adjacent green area to the parking lot, with landscaping that includes 100 plant units per 100 linear feet. A minimum of 50% of the plant material must be evergreen. Slope should not exceed a 4:1 ratio.
(d) A three foot high fence of brick or stone with a minimum six-foot wide planting strip planted with 50 plant units per 100 linear feet. A minimum of 75% of the plant material must be overstory or evergreen trees.
(B) Drive-thru lanes adjacent to other vehicular use areas. Drive-thru lanes shall be separated from adjacent driveways, parking lot aisles and other vehicular uses areas by a curbed planting bed along the entire length of the lane. The planting bed shall be a minimum of five feet wide (excluding the curb) and shall contain a minimum of 100 plant units per 100 linear feet.
(C) Interior parking lot landscaping.
(1) The interior of a parking lot with more than 20 cars shall include landscape islands planted with overstory trees at a ratio of one landscape island for every ten parking spaces or fraction thereof. They shall be evenly dispersed throughout the parking area. The planting beds shall meet the following requirements:
(a) The minimum area of a planting bed for each tree shall be 162 square feet with a minimum dimension of nine feet in any direction. These planting beds shall be curbed with a barrier curb. Planting beds may be combined to create larger planting islands within the parking lot.
(b) Planting beds shall not be used for snow storage. Rather, separate snow storage areas shall be designated on the landscape plan.
(c) Small shrubs, flowers and groundcovers other than turf grass may be planted in the tree planting beds, in addition to the required overstory trees.
(d) Plant materials other than groundcover shall be set back a minimum of three feet from the curb to avoid damage from overhanging car bumpers and doors.
(e) Plant materials other than overstory trees shall be limited to a mature height of no more than two feet within ten feet of any curb at a driveway intersection.
(2) Curbed planting islands shall be placed at the ends of each row of parking. These islands shall be a minimum of nine feet wide and shall extend the length of the parking stalls. They shall be landscaped with trees, shrubs, flowers or groundcover. (See graphic above.)
(Ord. 1565, passed 4-1-96; Am. Ord. 2341, passed 12-18-06) Penalty, see § 158.99