A. Except as provided below, general landscaping and parking lot landscaping must contain no less than sixty percent (60%) live vegetative cover and include shrubs, bushes, or trees. If this live vegetative cover consists entirely of plants that do not require supplemental water or irrigation once established, or consists entirely of plants that are native to Lewis and Clark County, then those areas may contain as little as fifty percent (50%) live vegetative cover. The projected drip line of an average shrub, bush, or tree of that species at five (5) years of age may be used in calculating minimum vegetative coverage. The remainder of the area may be covered in inorganic materials that are permeable to water.
B. When space permits, additional trees must be planted no more than thirty feet (30') apart in landscape islands within the boundaries of the parking lot that have planted trees to meet the requirement in subsection 11-24-4B of this chapter. All trees must be expected to grow to at least twenty feet (20') in height when mature. Deciduous trees must be no less than 1.5 inch caliper at time of planting. Evergreen trees must be no less than five feet (5') tall at time of planting.
C. Trees expected to grow to thirty feet (30') in height or less must be planted in a tree plot of no less than twenty (20) square feet. Trees expected to grow to more than thirty feet (30') in height must be planted in a tree plot of no less than forty eight (48) square feet.
D. Trees within two feet (2') of any edge of a parking space must be protected from damage by vehicles by barriers such as curb stops, tree guards, rebar poles, or other types of vehicle obstructions. (Ord. 3150, 2-13-2012)