(1) Purpose. It is the purpose of this section to promote and protect the public health, safety and general welfare by providing for the planting, maintenance, and preservation of trees, shrubs and other plants within the city. The intent of this section is to promote this purpose by:
(A) Protecting property values and the quality of life;
(B) Protecting of residents and visitors through proper buffering and screening;
(C) Mitigating against erosion and sedimentation;
(D) Enhancing the appearance of public and private areas; and
(E) Ensuring planting, maintenance and restoration of vegetation.
(2) Applicability.
(A) This section shall apply to new development and any expansion or change of use that requires landscaping or screening as required by this section.
(B) Single-family dwellings and two-family dwellings shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.
(C) Whenever an existing nonconforming site or use is subject to site design review, those parts of the site where buffers and screens are required shall be brought into conformance to protect the abutting uses.
(3) Landscaping materials and design standards.
(A) Landscaping and screening design guidelines.
1.) Landscape plans shall be an integral part of the site design, accenting and taking advantage of natural grades, drainage patterns, views, microclimates and other elements of the site and improvements. Landscape plans shall provide screening and buffering of conflicting uses, identification of site and building entries, and direction of movement through the site, in addition to aesthetic enhancement.
2.) Landscape plans shall specify a mixture of plant types at various scales and heights, including trees, shrubs, low shrubs and groundcover. The design and installation of beds for perennials and annual flowers and foliage shall be encouraged.
3.) Landscaping areas in parking lots shall be designed with a mixture of trees and shrubs. Planting areas in parking lots and near drives shall be designed to protect plants from damage by vehicles and plowed snow.
4.) Site and building entrances shall be accented by landscaping.
5.) Use of native plants and hardy, low maintenance plants appropriate to the local climate shall be encouraged.
(B) Responsibility for installation of landscaping materials. Landscaping and screening shall be provided by the person in charge of or in control of developing the property whether as owner, lessee, tenant, occupant or otherwise (hereinafter referred to as “owner”).
(C) Existing landscape material.
1.) Unless otherwise noted, existing landscape material in a healthy condition can be used to satisfy the requirements of this section in whole or in part.
2.) Where existing vegetation is proposed to be retained as a “natural buffer or screen,” or as part of the landscaping, the nature and condition of the existing vegetation shall be shown to be acceptable to the satisfaction of the PZC in terms of hardiness and ability to buffer through all seasons of the year. Supplementing natural buffers with additional landscaping plants, fences and walls may be required.
(D) Topography, grading and drainage.
1.) Site design which is sensitive to and works with natural grades of the land, in the interest of maintaining the natural appearance of the landforms and minimizing erosion and maintenance costs, shall be encouraged.
2.) Sites shall be designed to protect natural watercourses and to minimize siltation and erosion.
3.) Storm water detention and retention facilities shall, wherever feasible, be creatively integrated into the design of a site to reduce the extent of storm water facilities and to provide aesthetic value and interest.
(E) Landscaping materials. Existing vegetation shall be preserved as much as possible in accordance with acceptable nursery industry standards. The following items are suitable for landscaping materials used individually or in combination with each other, subject to review and approval PZC through the site plan review process.
1.) Walls and fences.
a.) When walls or fences are used to fulfill screening requirements, they shall be detailed on the site plan. They are to be constructed of weather-proof materials. This includes pressure treating or painting of lumber if it is not redwood or cedar and using aluminum or galvanized hardware. Chain link fences with or without wooden or synthetic slat material shall not be allowed when used to satisfy the screening requirements of this section.
b.) Walls and fences shall be designed to orient the best, or most aesthetic side, away from the subject lot so the best side faces the adjacent lots.
2.) Plants. Plant materials used in conformance with these provisions shall conform to the American Association of Nurserymen and shall have passed any inspection required under state regulations. Trees shall be balled and burlapped or in containers. Shrubs, vines and ground covers can be plants as bare root, as well as balled and burlapped or from containers.
a.) Deciduous trees. Deciduous trees shall have a minimum caliper of at least two and one- half inches DBH conforming to acceptable nursery industry procedures at the time of planting. If deciduous trees are to be used for screening purposes, additional materials listed in this section shall be used to create a dense screen.
b.) Evergreen trees. Evergreen trees shall be a minimum of six feet in height at the time of planting. When used for screening, evergreen plantings shall be planted at a maximum distance of 15 feet on center to provide an effective screen.
c.) Ornamental trees. Ornamental trees shall have a minimum height of five feet or a minimum caliper of at least two and one-half inches DBH conforming to acceptable nursery industry procedures at the time of planting.
d.) Shrubs and hedges. Shrubs and hedges shall be at least 36 inches in height at the time of planting. All shrubs and hedges shall be designed to provide an effective screen of at least five feet within a period of four years after planting.
e.) Grass and ground cover.
i.) Grass shall be planted in species normally grown in permanent lawns in the county. In swales or other areas subject to erosion, solid sod shall be sown for immediate protection until complete coverage otherwise is achieved. Grass areas shall be clean and free of weeds and noxious pests or diseases. Ground cover shall be planted at a maximum spacing of one foot on center to provide 75% complete coverage after two growing seasons.
ii.) Once the minimum landscape requirements have been met, any size plant may be installed on a lot to supplement the minimum requirements.
f.) Earth mounds. Earth mounds may be used as a screening requirement, however, differences in natural elevation between areas requiring a screen does not constitute an earth mound. Earth mounds shall be constructed of earthen materials and shall conform to the following:
i.) Earth mound shall conform with the grading requirements of the City Engineer;
ii.) The maximum side slope shall be three horizontal to one vertical (3:1) and the design shall be reviewed by the Zoning Division to ensure that proper erosion control and prevention practices are utilized;
iii.) Berms and earth forms shall be designed with physical variations in height and alignment throughout its length;
iv.) Landscaping plant materials may be installed on berms and earth mounds and shall be arranged in an irregular pattern to accentuate the physical variation and achieve a natural appearance;
v.) Berms and earth mounds shall be located and designed to minimize the disturbance of existing trees located on the site or adjacent thereto;
vi.) Adequate ground cover shall be used and maintained to prevent erosion of the earth mound; and
vii.) No mound wastewater treatment system or other similar on-site wastewater treatment system shall count toward the screening requirement.
(F) Easements. Nothing shall be planted or installed within any underground or overhead utility, drainage or gas easement without the consent of the owner of the easement.
(4) Screening between districts.
(A) Screening types. The following screening types are hereby established.
1.) Type A screen. Type A screens are intended to provide visual screening. A Type A screen is a solid fence or wall with a minimum height of six feet. A fence or wall may be used to create the opaque screen; provided that at least 50% of the length of the fence or wall along each property line is landscaped on the outside of the fence or wall, or evergreens are used in lieu of 50% of the fence or wall. The spacing of the landscaping must comply with division (4)(C) of this section. All fencing and walls shall be set back 15 feet from the lot line separating the less restrictive zoning district to allow for maintenance of the applicable yard.
2.) Type B screen. Type B screens are intended to provide partial visual screening and to provide aesthetically pleasing delineation of boundaries between zoning districts. A Type B screen is a densely planted screen which need not be opaque for its entire length. At least 50% of the length of the screen along each property line must be opaque. The remaining 50% of the length of the screen along each property line may contain any combination of small shrubs or larger plants that comply with division (4)(C) of this section. A mound built in accordance with division (3)(E) of this section may be used instead of shrubs.
3.) Type C screen. A Type C screen is intended to separate functions, such as streets, sidewalks and parking; to provide pleasing visual effects; and to provide areas to serve environmental functions. A Type C screen is a less dense planting than Type A or Type B and may include deciduous plants. At least 50% of the length of the screen must be planted with large or medium trees and the remaining 50% of the screen length may be any combination of shrubs, excluding dwarf shrubs, that will comply with division (4)(C) of this section. A mound built in accordance with division (3)(E) of this section may be used instead of shrubs.
(B) Screening requirements. Screening between zoning districts is required in accordance with Table 157.136-1. When more than one zoning abuts the property to be landscaped, the more restrictive of the screen types shall apply.
District | Subject Property Zoning | ||||||||||
R-R | R-1 | R-2 | B-1 | B-2 | B-3 | B-4 | B-5 | I-1 | PD | ||
(C) Screening standards.
1.) When fences or walls are used to fulfill requirements for Type A, B or C screens, the maximum length of each continuous fence or wall segment without landscaping shall be 50 feet. Longer segments must be provided with landscaping in accordance with this section along the outside of a wall or fence, or planting meeting the screen type requirements in lieu of a fence or wall segment.
2.) Dwarf shrubs and ground cover may be planted on the outside of a fence or wall, but these will not count toward the screening requirement.
3.) If evergreens are used to fulfill the requirements for an opaque screen, total opacity and a minimum height of six feet shall be required within three years after issuance of a use and occupancy permit. If the planting does not meet these requirements within three years, additional plantings or a fence or wall meeting these requirements shall be constructed and landscaped as required under this section.
4.) Each 50 linear-foot segment of screening, including plantings on the outside of a wall or fence as described in this section, shall contain landscaping equivalent to two large trees. For purposes of this section, the following are considered equivalent and may be used in any combination which achieves at least the minimum amount required:
a.) Two large trees with a maturity height of 40 feet or taller;
b.) Three medium or small trees with a maturity height of less than 40 feet;
c.) Ten large shrubs with a maturity height of one foot or larger; or
d.) Fifteen medium or small shrubs with a maturity height of less than one foot.
5.) Berms or mounds may be used to fulfill screening requirements; provided they meet the requirements of division (3)(E) of this section.
6.) No proposed building addition, structure, merchandise display, parking area or any similar feature shall be located in front of or within a required screen. Notwithstanding the above, a driveway entrance may cross a required screen.
7.) Required screens must be installed on the subject property, within the required setback. The minimum width of the screened area is ten feet. The soil in each screen area must be covered by trees, shrubs, grass, ground cover, landscape gravel or mulch.
8.) All screening shall be free of advertising or other signs, except for directional signs and other signs for the efficient flow of vehicles.
9.) Whenever, because of unusual size, topography, shape of the property, location of the property or other unusual conditions, the strict application of the requirements of this division would result in significant degradation of the site or adjacent properties, the requirement may be varied or waived by the PZC; provided that such variance or waiver shall not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare, or to the orderly development of the area.
(5) Landscaping of vehicular use areas. All development subject to site plan review shall include the following required landscaping for parking lots.
(A) Minimum interior landscaping requirements. For parking areas designed to accommodate 20 or more vehicles, a minimum of 5% of the land area within the parking area shall be appropriately designed with landscaped areas and planted islands in accordance with this section.
(B) Landscape island locations.
1.) Landscape islands shall be located at the end of each parking row with a minimum size of 140 square feet for single loaded parking rows and a minimum size of 280 square feet for double loaded rows.
2.) The landscaped islands should be designed, to the maximum extent feasible, to accommodate storm water runoff. The use of porous pavement and/or specially designed brick or block is encouraged to increase on-site water detention for plant material and ground water supplies and to reduce problems associated with runoff.
(C) Planting requirements.
1.) Plantings for interior landscaping shall be provided at a rate of two trees and six shrubs per 15 parking spaces or fraction thereof.
2.) Each individual landscaped island shall include a minimum of one tree and two shrubs.
3.) The trees and shrubs shall be distributed throughout the parking lot islands to decrease the appearance of a single expanse of pavement and to create a canopy effect.
4.) The trees should be of a variety to provide the shade canopy and have a clear trunk height of at least six feet.
5.) The area not covered by the canopy of the tree, but within an interior landscape area, shall be covered by shrubs, grass, ground cover, landscape gravel or mulch. Plants in this category may not interfere with visibility. All plants must be living, thriving and assuming their intended form.
(D) Additional plantings along public streets. Whenever parking areas consisting of five spaces or more are located such that the parked cars will be visible from a public street, landscaping, in addition to the required interior landscaping, shall be required between the street and the parking lot. Such landscaping shall be a minimum height of three and one-half feet, located adjacent to the parking lot and shall be placed to effectively obscure a minimum of 50% of the parking area.
(6) Front yard landscaping.
(A) In all districts, every part of a front yard shall be open to the sky, unobstructed, except for parking areas and signs as permitted and regulated in the district regulations and sign regulations, and shall be landscaped according to the following minimum requirements.
(B) The entire depth and length of the front yard (except as provided above) shall be permanently protected from soil erosion with grass, trees and shrubs.
(7) Screening of service structures. All development subject to site plan review shall include the following required screening for loading areas and service structures.
(A) Screening shall consist of an opaque wall or fence, six feet in height, or dense vegetative planting which effectively obscures 100% of a loading area when adjacent to residential districts or visible from a public street.
(B) Loading facilities shall be designed to minimize impacts upon existing or planned uses on abutting properties. Greater amounts of screening shall be required where the frequency or nature of loading is greater than typical. Extension of building walls is encouraged to effectively surround, screen and screen loading areas. Where the height of solid screening cannot screen loading areas from view of adjacent tall buildings, additional screening shall be provided with trees.
(C) Rubbish areas and dumpsters shall be housed in a wholly enclosed structure, or completely screened from any parking area or street right-of-way by a vision-obscuring fence or plant material.
(8) Maintenance.
(A) All landscaping materials shall be installed and maintained according to accepted nursery industry procedures. The owner of the property shall be responsible for the continued property maintenance of all landscaping materials and shall keep them in a proper, neat and orderly appearance free from refuse and debris at all times.
(B) Unhealthy and dead plants that are required as part of these requirements shall be replaced within one-year, or by the next planting season, whichever comes first.
(C) Violation of these maintenance practices shall be a violation of this Code.
(Prior Code, § 1229.07) (Ord. 2009-21, passed 10-27-2009)