(a) Intent. The intent of this section is:
(1) To screen undesirable views of permitted industrial uses from fronting streets and surrounding residential areas.
(2) To increase soil water retention through landscape requirements.
(3) To protect and preserve the appearance, privacy and property values of single family residential uses from any adverse influences of adjoining industrial park uses.
(4) To shield adjoining single family residential uses from noise, dust and objectionable views during site construction.
(b) Definitions. As set forth in this section, the following words shall be defined as follows:
(1) "Buffer" means a dense five to six feet high site improvement consisting of landscape materials and groundforms located and designed to alleviate otherwise objectionable views of necessary permitted accessory uses such as parking and loading facilities (see drawing at the end of the chapter), trash containment areas and utilities installations.
(2) "Groundforms" means natural or man-made earth berms and other changes in topography commonly employed in the development of buffers and visibility screens.
(3) "Landscape materials" means winter hardy ornamental plantings and non- living durable wall and fencing materials properly employed in the development of buffers and visibility screens, subject to Planning Commission approval.
(4) "Visibility screens" means a medium-dense eight to fifteen feet high site improvement consisting of landscape materials and groundforms located and designed to reduce the visual effect of large building masses otherwise disproportionate to the scale of adjacent development, existing or proposed.
(c) Location. Buffers and visibility screens shall be mandatory within the required side and rear yards of Class U-11 Industrial Park Districts abutting residential districts so as to achieve the intent of this section without visually obstructing necessary lines of sight required for safe pedestrian and vehicular movement.
(d) Compliance Period and Maintenance.
(1) Effective buffer or screening may be required prior to other site development in order to reduce objectionable views, noise and dust associated with the construction process.
(2) If not determined necessary prior to other site development, all buffer and screen requirements shall be in place before a certificate of occupancy is issued.
(3) Once achieved, the required buffer or screening effect shall be satisfactorily maintained in perpetuity by the owner.
(e) Applicability. All provisions of this section shall be applicable to both new development and the expansion, alteration or modification of existing development, including such expansion, alteration or modification limited solely to parking and/or access.
(f) Procedures.
(1) A landscape plan showing buffer and visibility screen provisions shall be included as part of all preliminary and final development plans. Such plan shall accurately convey the nature and effect of proposed buffer and screening solutions.
(2) The Planning Commission may request photographs, elevations, sight lines or other descriptive data considered necessary to determine the effectiveness of the landscape plan.