Subject to the following conditions, fences and walls may be erected and hedges and other plantings may be grown along the boundaries of a lot:
(a) Height Restrictions. Fences, walls, hedges, and other plantings used for the purpose of screening shall not exceed four (4) feet in height from the front building line extending to the front lot line, and shall not exceed six (6) feet in height extending behind the front building line of the main structure, excluding porches and stairs.
(b) Fences and Walls.
(1) Fences and walls shall be durably constructed and well maintained.
(2) Fences and walls that have deteriorated shall be replaced or removed immediately.
(3) Fence and walls shall not be constructed out of fabric, junk, junk vehicles, appliances, tanks, barrels, razor wire, barbed wire, or electric fencing, not including invisible fencing with the use of a remote and collar on a domesticated animal. Razor wire or barbed wire are permitted in commercial or industrial uses.
(4) The finished side of the fence shall be oriented towards the front of the lot or the direction of the adjacent property owner, unless the fence is not visible from adjoining property.
(c) Screening.
(1) Screening may include any of the following means:
A. A solid board fence at least six (6) feet in height.
B. An opaque evergreen trimmed hedge the thickness of which shall not be less than thirty (30%) percent of its required height of six (6) feet.
C. An earthen berm may be used in combination with any of the above types of screening, but not more than two thirds (2/3) of the required height of such screening may be provided by the berm.
(2) Screening areas shall be continually maintained by the landowner. Any plant material that does not survive shall be replaced within six (6) months. All landscaping shall be kept free of refuse and debris.
(3) Screening may be required by the Board of Zoning Appeals as a condition of a conditional use permit.
(4) Screening shall not be required where the lot abuts an area of existing natural vegetation that effectively screens the lot from casual observation to a height of at least six (6) feet.
(5) All species within the screen planting shall be indigenous or otherwise well-suited to the City, except that trees with large leaves that could clog storm drains; are brittle or disease-prone; have low, spreading branches or shallow root systems; drop large fruit or much sap; or are otherwise messy shall also be avoided.
(6) Hedges shall be kept trimmed so that their branches shall not extend into the public road or upon the lands of an adjoining owner more than eighteen inches over the dividing line.
(7) All screening shall follow the lot line of the lot to be screened or be so arranged within the boundaries of the lot as to substantially hide from adjoining properties the building, parking, or loading areas or other activity required to be screened.
(8) Screening shall be installed to a height determined during review of the zoning permit application.
(d) Commercial or Industrial Property Adjacent to Dwellings and Zoned or Existing Single-family Residential Property. Screening shall be provided between any new commercial or industrial development adjacent to single-family residential property, existing or zoned, or adjacent to any dwelling.
(e) Parking Lot Screening.
(1) No parking lot of twenty (20) or more spaces shall be constructed, enlarged, or reconstructed until a landscaping plan for that parking lot has been approved. Landscape plans shall be drawn to scale, including dimensions and distances, and clearly show the existing and proposed parking spaces and other vehicle use areas, access aisles, driveways and the location, size and description of all landscape materials.
A. Not less than seven percent (7%) of the interior of a parking lot shall be landscaped. Planting which may be required for screening along the perimeter of any parking lot shall not be considered as part of the interior landscaping requirement. Landscaping islands may be used in calculating minimum interior landscaping requirements.
B. Within vehicle use areas, all rows of parking spaces shall be terminated with landscaped islands of not less than five (5) feet in width and running the entire length of the abutting space. At least one tree shall be planted within each terminal island. Where practical, these terminal islands shall be connected by a landscape strip.
C. One interior island shall be provided for every ten (10) spaces. Each interior island shall also be not less than five (5) feet in width and extend along the entire length of the space. The location of the interior islands shall be staggered to avoid a regimented appearance. At least one (1) tree shall be provided within each interior island.
D. Peripheral landscaping shall be required along the side of a parking lot that abuts adjoining property that is not a right-of-way.
1. A landscaping strip at least four (4) feet in width shall be located between the parking area and the abutting property lines, except where driveways or other openings may be required.
2. At least one (1) tree for each fifty (50) linear feet shall be planted in the landscaping strip in addition to other planting materials.
3. The requirements of this section shall not apply where planting is provided for screening along the side of a parking lot abutting adjoining property as provided elsewhere in this Ordinance.
E. Landscaping shall be provided along any side of a parking lot that abuts the right-of-way of any street.
1. A landscaping strip ten (10) feet in width shall be located along the side of any parking lot abutting the right of way except where driveway or other openings may be required.
2. One tree shall be planted for each forty (40) linear feet of the landscaping strip in addition to other planting materials.
3. A landscaping strip of fifteen (15) feet in width shall be located along the entire frontage of the property except where driveways or other openings are required.
(2) Approved landscaping materials used in parking lots shall include trees, shrubbery, hedges and other live planting materials.
(3) Trees used shall be of a type that provides shade at maturity. All landscaping trees to be used shall be a minimum of six (6) feet in overall height upon planting and consist of a species that normally grow to an overall height of a minimum of fifteen (15) feet.
(4) Effective use of earthen berms and existing topography is also encouraged as a component of the landscape plan.
(5) The landscaping and planting areas shall be dispersed throughout the parking lot.
(6) The interior dimensions of any planting area or planting medium shall be sufficient to protect the landscaping materials planted herein and to allow proper growth.
(7) In those instances where plant material exists on a parking lot site prior to its development, such landscape materials may be used in meeting the requirements of this article.
(f) Permanent Signs Affixed to the Ground. A permanent ground sign shall require a single continuous landscaped area to be maintained beneath the sign in accordance with the following standards:
(1) The minimum landscaped area shall be equal to the area of the sign face.
(2) The landscaped area shall include all points where sign structural supports attach to the ground.
(3) Where the required landscaping area is adjacent to a paved surface accessible to vehicular traffic, a raised non mountable curb to prevent the encroachment of vehicles shall be required.
(4) The landscape area shall contain living plantings aesthetically located and maintained.
(g) Dumpster Screening. All outdoor storage of refuse material, recycling, and similar disposal in dumpsters shall be screened.
(Ord. 319. Passed 6-18-24.)