(A) Seeding. All open space areas that are not landscaped shall be seeded with lawn or other ground cover.
(B) Easement. No vegetation materials required by this article shall be located or planted on property subject to utility or drainage easements without the written consent of the city and the easement holder. Site plan approval from the respective easement holder shall be construed as approval of all noted and/or illustrated encroachments.
(C) Solar access. If the development on an adjoining lot is existing, and is designed for solar access, small trees shall be substituted for large trees on a one-for-one basis where large trees would destroy solar access. This subsection shall apply only to bufferyard screening trees and site vegetation trees when no other planting areas are available.
(D) Drainage ditch. When a drainage ditch separates property lines, or is otherwise contained within a lot or tract, all vegetation required by this article shall be provided. However, in no case shall the required vegetation be located within five feet of the outer edge of the drainage ditch. Stormwater detention structures having a slope of two feet horizontal for each one foot vertical or steeper shall be considered a drainage ditch for purposes of this section. Placement of vegetation within easements shall be in accordance with subsection (B) above.
(E) Overhead utility lines. No new or qualified existing large tree shall be located within 15 feet of an overhead electric distribution, telephone or cable TV line or within 25 feet of an overhead electric transmission line. Service (drop) lines shall not be included for purposes of this requirement.
(F) Horizontal measurements. All such measurements shall be made from the center of the base of the subject vegetation.
(G) Visibility; sight distances maintained. Visibility shall be reserved in accordance with the sight distance standards and requirements of Title 6, Chapter 2, Streets and Sidewalks, of the Greenville City Code and as provided by notation or description upon any map recorded pursuant to the subdivision regulations.
(H) Garage/trash container, recycling center and compactor, additional standards. Except as further provided, in addition to any required visual barrier(s) and/or vegetation improvements, all garbage/trash containers and recycling centers shall be enclosed on three sides by a complete visual screen consisting of a fence, vegetation or combination thereof and compactors shall be completely enclosed by a screen and safety barrier composed of an opaque masonry wall and opaque metal or wooden gate, said wall and gate shall be not less than two feet higher than the highest point of the compactor. The Director of Planning and Development Services or designee may approve substitute wall and gate material provided the wall and gate results in an opaque visual screen and safety barrier as required by this subsection; vegetation shall not be acceptable for this purpose.
(I) Screening vegetation location.
(1) Required screening vegetation shall be installed within the minimum bufferyard setback except as further provided:
(a) Where a drainage, utility improvement or other natural feature, including existing vegetation, prevents the installation of required vegetation within the minimum bufferyard area, as determined by the city, the materials shall be installed within an area of equal width to the required bufferyard area. This “area of equal width” shall be located adjacent to and extend from the drainage, utility improvement or other natural feature. Buildings, structures, parking areas, drives and other site improvements may encroach into the area of equal width.
(b) Each ten-inch-plus caliper large tree, which trunk is located completely or partially within 20 feet of the interior limit of any screening bufferyard set forth under section 9-4-119, shall qualify as part of the vegetation requirement of the bufferyard, with respect to the minimum screening vegetation type and amount, provided the required visual vegetative screen is achieved and maintained, and the qualified tree is not separated from the associated screening bufferyard by any intervening building or roofed structure. The subject tree shall not qualify for both the site and the screening vegetation requirements, with respect to total material and/or substitution requirements, applicable to the site.
(2) Screening vegetation shall not be located within a stormwater detention structure which has a slope of two feet horizontal for each one foot vertical or steeper. All plantings within a stormwater detention structure shall otherwise be allowed subject to approval of the City Engineer and provided the vegetation materials are of a variety that can customarily withstand periodic flooding and wet soil conditions.
(3) Where the materials are planted on slopes, of two feet horizontal for each one foot vertical or steeper, a terraced planting area, designed in accordance with acceptable and recognized practice, shall be provided.
(4) Where the materials are planted in areas lying below the finished grade of the surrounding portions of the lot the materials shall be of a size and type which can be expected to fulfill the requirements of this article.
(Ord. No. 05-123, § 3, passed 10-13-2005; Ord. No. 10-34, § 5, 4-8-2010)
(J) Site vegetation location. Required site vegetation may be located at any point within the boundary of the subject lot, except as farther provided:
(1) With the exception of street yard trees, site vegetation shall not be located within ten feet of a principal and/or accessory structure.
(2) Site vegetation shall not be located within a stormwater detention structure which has a slope of two feet horizontal for each one foot vertical or steeper. Existing vegetation material located within a stormwater detention structure may otherwise be allowed to qualify for purposes of this section, subject to the approval of the City Engineer and provided the vegetation materials are of a variety that can customarily withstand periodic flooding and wet soil conditions as approved by the Director of Planning and Development Services on a case-by-case basis.
(Ord. No. 06-75, § 1, passed 8-10-2006)
(K) Street yard vegetation installation requirements.
(1) Street yard vegetation may count toward and be considered part of the site vegetation material requirement as set forth under section 9-4-263 of this chapter.
(2) (a) Street yard vegetation shall be installed, at the rate of two large trees per each 100 linear feet or fraction thereof of street frontage (public or private), on any lot containing a use with a land use classification number of two or more; provided, however, where vegetation material installation is required pursuant to section 9-4-271. “Nonconforming vegetation; compliance required” and large trees can not be located in compliance with this article due to the proximity of an overhead utility transmission line, or substandard available open space including bufferyard width, island/peninsula area or dimension and the like, small trees shall be substituted for large trees at the ratio of two small trees for each one large tree. Substitutions shall only be considered and allowed on an individual tree-by-tree basis. The intent of this section shall be to require the installation of large trees to the greatest extent possible.
(b) Where the small tree substitution is allowed each small tree shall have not less than six square feet of exclusive open space which measures not less than two feet at its narrowest dimension. Where the available open space does not meet this requirement, as determined by the Director of Planning and Development Services, shrubs may be substituted for small trees on a one-for-one basis; provided, however, where the open space is less than four square feet in area and/or less than two feet in width ground cover may be substituted for shrubs.
(3) Except as otherwise provided under this section the vegetation material (category) substitution standards contained under section 9-4-265 may apply at the option of the owner.
(4) Such street yard vegetation shall be located within 15 feet of the street right-of-way or easement line unless otherwise provided; however, no large tree shall be installed closer than two feet to the back of curb, travel surface or sidewalk located on the right-of-way or easement.
(Ord. No. 06-75, § 1, passed 8-10-2006)
(L) Parking area vegetation location.
(1) Any on-site large tree, small tree or shrub which has been qualified pursuant to this article may count toward the parking area vegetation requirement, provided the materials comply with all other requirements of this section.
(2) No portion of any parking area, including any driveway, parking space, drive isle or turning area, shall be located more than 30 feet from an on-site small tree or more than 75 feet from an on-site large tree. For purposes of this section, the measurement shall be from the farthest edge of the subject area to the center of the base of the closest qualifying tree.
(3) Such tree(s) may be located, at the option of the owner, within an area adjacent to and extending from the parking/drive surface or on islands contained within and/or peninsulas extending into the impervious areas.
(4) Where the trees are located on island(s) and/or peninsulas, the island(s) and/or peninsula(s) shall individually contain not less than 100 square feet of open space and shall measure not less than eight feet at its narrowest dimension wherein the open space is proposed to contain a large tree, or not less than five feet at its narrowest dimension wherein the open space is proposed to contain only small trees. Any open space area between the point of curvature and the point of tangency shall be included in the minimum area calculation; however, such area shall be exempt from the minimum dimension requirement. Areas not meeting these requirements shall not be considered for purposes of this section. (See also subsection (L)(8) below.)
(5) Where vegetation is proposed within any island and/or peninsula the materials shall be located and designed to minimize potential conflicts with vehicular drives, parking, loading docks and turning areas and product and/or equipment storage and display areas. Specifically, large and small trees shall be set back and/or off-set from bumper overhang encroachment areas or other hazards in a manner approved by the Director of Planning and Development Services or authorized representative.
(6) When a parking and/or drive area is not constructed of a permanent hard surface material, such as asphalt or concrete which clearly defines the travel and parking area, the island(s) and/or peninsula(s) shall be set apart from all vehicular areas by a raised vertical curb, wheel stop or other physical barrier which otherwise delineates the open space contained therein.
(7) The minimum open space shall be grassed or contain ground cover or other erosion-control material such as mulch over the balance of the area, provided the area(s) shall be clear of impervious surface and/or subsurface materials which would otherwise prohibit the percolation of surface water.
(8) When located on such island(s) and/or peninsula(s), no large tree shall have less than 100 square feet of exclusive open space, and no small tree shall have less than 50 square feet of exclusive open space. Shrubs and ground cover may encroach into the open space area(s) described herein.
(9) Parking area screening shall be required in accordance with the following:
(a) Except as further provided, parking area screening shall be installed within a ten-foot area adjacent to and extending the full street side width of all parking areas which front a public or private street. For purposes of this section, any parking area drive or drive isle, which separates a parking space from the street right-of-way or easement line, shall be considered part of the parking area and the drive or drive isle shall be screened in accordance with this section. Parking areas which deflect from the street line shall be considered a part of the parking area subject to the screening requirement of this section where the parking area is less than 50 feet from the street right-of-way or easement line and in accordance with subsection (L)(9)(b) below.
(b) The intent of parking area vegetation screening shall be to provide a year-round visual screen between parking areas and public or private streets. Qualified vegetation should therefore be spaced to accomplish this end. No horizontal plane, as viewed perpendicular from the street line, may be void of vegetation, or other approved visual screen, within three years of planting for a height of at least 30 inches, (under normal growing conditions), above the finished grade of the immediately adjacent parking area surface.
(c) A wall, fence, berm or other structure which provides a qualified visual screen, alone or in combination with qualified vegetation, to a height of 30 inches may substitute for a portion or all of the parking area screening requirement, provided all other provisions of this article are met. Non-vegetative visual screens shall be installed or improved to the minimum required height prior to the issuance of any final occupancy permit.
(d) When vegetation material installation is required pursuant to section 9-4-271 and where the available open space is less than two feet in width, ground cover may be substituted for parking area screening.
(e) Parking areas, or portions thereof, which are set back 50 feet or more from the street right-of-way or street easement line, shall be exempt from the parking area screening requirement of this section.
(f) Vegetation and above-grade structures and/or improvements shall comply with the sight distance standards and requirements of Title 6, Chapter 2, Streets and Sidewalks, of the Greenville City Code and as provided by notation or description upon any map recorded pursuant to the subdivision regulations and as provided by notation or description upon any approved site plan.
(10) When a parking lot existing on the effective date of this section (November 12, 1998) is required to comply with the standards set forth under this article, the minimum number of required parking spaces may be reduced up to 10% where the loss of existing spaces occurs as a result of the application of this subsection.
(11) Bufferyards which separate parking areas and drive isles from perimeter property lines shall be considered an “island and/or peninsula” and the open space and vegetation material located therein shall be subject to subsections (L)(5), (6), (7) and (8) of this section.
(12) New parking areas and/or expansion areas to existing parking areas shall comply with all parking area requirements in effect at the time of development regardless of the percent of expansion.
(M) Fences.
(1) All fences must be constructed in a workman-like manner of customary or normal fencing material.
(2) In residential zoning districts fences shall be no greater than six feet in height in the front yard and no greater than eight feet in height in the side or rear yard.
(3) In residential zoning districts all fences and walls must be of brick, stone, stucco, wrought iron, wood, or materials similar in appearance and durability, except that chain link or woven wire may be used in the side and rear yard behind the front building line. Barbed wire and concertina wire may be permitted within bona-fide agricultural operations.
(4) In non-residential zoning districts fences shall not be greater than eight feet in the front yard and no greater than ten feet in height in the side or rear yard. Fence height does not include barbed wire or concertina wire added to the top of fences.
(5) Silt fences and other similar construction type barriers may be allowed in conjunction with an active building permit, but shall be removed after site stabilization is completed.
(6) No fence shall be erected upon any lot or attached to any building or structure, nor shall any existing fence be enlarged, removed, relocated or materially repaired unless a zoning compliance letter, and if applicable building permit, for the same has been issued by the city. The letter shall be on forms supplied by the city and shall contain such information as necessary to ensure that the requirements and conditions of this article can be met.
(7) No fence or portion thereof shall be located or extend into a public right-of-way.
(Ord. No. 95-112, § 1, passed 10-9-1995; Ord. No. 98-144, § 11, 12, 13, passed 11-12-1998; Ord. No. 06-75, § 1, passed 8-10-2006; Ord. 19-045, § 1, passed 9-12-2019; Ord. No. 21-010, § 2, passed 2-15-2021)