(a) Intent. The intent of this section is to establish minimum standards for the design, installation, and maintenance of landscaping along public streets, as buffer areas between uses, on the interior of a site, within parking lots, and adjacent to buildings. Landscaping is viewed as a critical element contributing to the aesthetic quality, development quality, stability of property values, privacy, and the overall character in the City. The standards of this section are also intended to provide incentives to preserve quality mature trees, screen headlights to reduce glare, integrate various elements of a site, help ensure compatibility between land uses, assist in directing safe and efficient traffic flow at driveways and within parking lots, and minimize negative impacts of stormwater runoff and salt spray.
The landscaping standards of this section are considered the minimum necessary to achieve the intent. In several instances, the standards are intentionally flexible to encourage flexibility and creative design. Applicants are encouraged to provide additional landscaping to improve the function, appearance and value of their property.
(b) Requirements and Timing of Landscaping.
(1) Plan required. Landscaping shall be included with any site plan or plot plan application reviewed by the Planning Commission. A separate landscape plan shall be submitted at a minimum scale of one (1) inch equals forty (40) feet. The landscape plan shall clearly describe the location, type, size, and spacing of all plant materials. It shall also include planting details and specifications clearly describing planting technique, material installation, planting mixtures, mulch, material depth, seed blends, and other necessary information.
(2) Installation and inspection. Wherever this Zoning Code requires landscaping or plant materials, the same shall be planted within six (6) months from the date of issuance of a certificate of occupancy and shall thereafter be reasonably maintained with permanent plant materials which may be supplemented with other plantings. The Building Superintendent may require a performance guarantee to cover the cost of landscaping prior to issuing a certificate of occupancy.
Landscaping shall be installed in a sound manner according to generally accepted planting procedures with the quality of plant materials as hereinafter described. Landscaped areas shall be protected from vehicular encroachment by use of concrete curbing. Landscaped areas shall be elevated above the pavement to a minimum height of six (6) inches to protect plant materials from snow removal operations, salt, and other hazards. If building or paving construction is completed in an off-planting season, a temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued only after the owner provides a performance bond to ensure installation of required landscaping in the next planting season.
An inspection of plant materials will be conducted by the Building Superintendent within three (3) months of written notification of installation to release the performance guarantee.
(3) Plant material standards. It is the intent of this section that an interesting and thoughtful mixture of plantings shall be provided. Therefore, all required landscaping shall comply with the following minimum plant material standards, unless otherwise specified within this Zoning Code. These standards may be varied by the Planning Commission when these established minimums will not serve the purpose and intent of this section.
A. Plant quality. Plant materials permitted in required landscaped areas shall be nursery grown, hardy to the climate of southeast Michigan, long lived, resistant to disease and insect attack, and shall have orderly growth characteristics.
B. Plant size specifications.
1. Trees. Required trees shall be of the following sizes at the time of planting, unless otherwise stated in this section.
a. Deciduous trees. Two and a half (2 ½) inch caliper minimum trunk measurement at four (4) feet off the ground, with a minimum eight (8) feet in height above grade when planted.
b. Evergreen trees. Eight (8) feet in height, with a minimum spread of three (3) feet. The size of the burlapped root ball shall be at least ten (10) times the caliper of the tree measured six (6) inches above grade.
c. Deciduous ornamental trees. One (1) inch caliper minimum at three (3) feet off the ground, with a minimum height of six (6) feet above grade when planted.
2. Shrubs. Minimum twenty-four (24) inches in height above planting grade.
3. Hedges. Planted in such a manner as to form a continuous unbroken visual screen within two (2) years after planting.
4. Vines. Minimum of thirty (30) inches in length after one (1) growing season.
5. Ground cover. Planted in such a manner as to present a finished appearance and reasonably complete coverage after one (1) complete growing season.
6. Grass. Planted in species normally grown as permanent lawns in southeast Michigan. Grass may be plugged, sprigged, seeded, or sodded, except that rolled sod, erosion reducing net, or suitable mulch shall be used in swales or other areas subject to erosion. Grass, sod, and seed shall be clean and free of weeds, noxious pests, and disease.
7. Mulch material. Minimum of six (6) inches deep for planted trees, shrubs, and vines, and shall be installed in a manner as to present a finished appearance.
C. Approved plant species. Unless otherwise provided herein or elsewhere within this Zoning Code, or specifically permitted by the Planning Commission, all required plant materials shall be of the following species:
1. Deciduous trees. Hard Maple, Oak, Beech, Ash, Ginko (maple only), Bradford Pear, Linden, Honey Locust (thornless).
2. Evergreen trees. Fir, Spruce, Pine, Hemlock.
3. Deciduous ornamental trees. Amur Maple, Dogwood, Redbud, Magnolia, Hicks Yew, Pfitzer Juniper, Ornamental Cherry, Viburnum, Flowering Crabapple.
4. Shrubs. Honeysuckle, Lilac, Cotoneaster, Forsythia, Euonymus, Hydrangea, Privet, Alpine Currant, Barberry, Flowering Quince, Spreading Yew, Juniper, Burning Bush, Spiraea, Mugo Pine, Bayberry.
5. Ground Cover. Pachysandra, Spreading Juniper, Wintercreeper, Periwinkle, English Ivy.
D. Prohibited plant materials. The following plant materials shall not be used for landscaping purposes under any circumstances because of susceptibility to storm damage, disease, or other undesirable characteristics: Box Elder, Silver Maple, American Elm, Horse Chestnut, Poplar, Aspen, Ailanthus, Catalpa, European Barberry.
(c) Special Provisions for Existing Sites. Special provision is made for applying these standards to developed sites which existed prior to the City adopting landscaping requirements. Therefore, when an existing site is undergoing redevelopment, improvement, a change in use, or expansion, the objective of these standards is to gradually bring the existing site into compliance with the minimum standards of this section in relation to the extent of expansion or change on a site.
When reviewing plans for a change in use or expansion which requires site plan review, the Planning Commission shall require an upgrade in landscaping, using the following as guidelines:
(1) Each building expansion of one percent (1%) of gross floor area should include at least two percent (2%) of the landscaping required for new developments, or a minimum of thirty percent (30%) of the landscaping required for new developments, whichever is greater.
(2) Landscaping along the street and as a buffer between adjacent land uses should take priority over parking lot and site landscaping. Where parking lot landscaping cannot be provided, additional landscaping along the street or in the buffer areas should be considered.
(d) Required Landscaping Along Public Streets. One of the following street landscaping options is required on land abutting public rights-of-way or where otherwise referenced.
(1) Greenbelt. A required greenbelt shall meet the following standards:
A. Greenbelts shall have a minimum width of ten (10) feet. The Planning Commission may permit the width of the greenbelt to be reduced in cases where existing conditions do not permit a ten (10)-foot width and in Business Districts where it is desirable to maintain a shallow front setback. In such cases, the greenbelt requirement may be met through the provision of street trees within the curbline, or the provision of landscaping as required below.
B. At least one (1) deciduous tree (minimum two and half (2 ½) inch caliper) and four (4) minimum twenty-four (24) inch high shrubs shall be planted per each forty (40) linear feet of street frontage. Location of the trees and shrubbery is discretionary. In business districts, additional canopy trees may be provided in lieu of the requirement for shrubs at the rate of one (1) additional canopy tree for every four (4) required shrubs.
C. The greenbelt area shall contain grass, vegetation ground cover, six (6)-inch shredded bark mulch, or six (6)-inch deep crushed stone on a weed barrier, excluding marble chips or lava rock, and curbed or edged as necessary. Steel, aluminum, or black plastic edging shall be used for any planting beds.
D. Where headlights from parked vehicles will shine into the right-of-way, the Planning Commission may require use of a totally obscuring hedge with a minimum height of twenty-four (24) inches and a maximum height of thirty-six (36) inches.
(2) Berms. A combination of a raised earth berm and plantings where and when required shall meet the following standards:
A. Berms shall have a minimum height of two (2) feet with a crest at least three (3) feet in width. The height of the berm may meander if the intent of this section is met and an appropriate screen is provided.
B. The exterior face of the berm shall be constructed as an earthen slope, with a slope not to exceed one (1) foot of vertical rise to three (3) feet of horizontal distance (1:3). The interior face of the berm may be constructed as an earthen slope or retained by means of a wall, terrace, or other means acceptable to the Planning Commission.
C. At least one (1) deciduous tree (minimum two and a half (2 ½) inch caliper) shall be provided for each thirty (30) feet of lineal street berm length.
D. At least one (1) minimum twenty-four (24) inch high shrub shall be provided for each one-hundred (100) square feet of berm surface area (calculated from a plan view).
E. Berm slopes shall be protected from erosion by sodding or seeding. If slopes are seeded, they shall be protected until the seed germinates and a permanent lawn is established by a straw mulch, hydro-mulching of netting specifically designed to control erosion.
F. The base of any sign placed within the berm shall be at, or below, the average grade along the berm.
(3) Buffer strip. A buffer strip may be required, particularly where the adjacent uses and those across the street are residential in character or less intense than the use of the subject site. The intent of the buffer strip is to have a minimum five (5)-foot high obscuring area along side or rear lot lines, and an appropriate landscaped strip along front lot lines. A buffer strip shall meet the following requirements:
A. Buffer strips shall have a minimum width of ten (10) feet.
B. All trees shall be evergreens a minimum eight (8)-feet high at planting.
C. The buffer planting area shall contain grass, vegetation ground cover, six (6)- inch shredded bark mulch, or six (6)-inch deep crushed stone on a weed barrier, excluding marble chips or lava rock, and curbed or edged as necessary. Steel, aluminum, or black plastic edging shall be used for any planting beds.
D. The following species and planting spacings are recommended:
Common Name | Scientific Name | (Feet on Center) |
Common Name | Scientific Name | (Feet on Center) |
“Burki” Red Cedar | Juniperus Virginiana “Burki” | 4 |
Mugo Pine | Pinus Mugo | 5 |
Dark Green Arborvitae | Thuja Nigra | 3 |
Canadian Hemlock | Tsuga Canadensis | 12 |
Serbian Spruce | Picea Omorica | 10 |
Irish Juniper | Juniperus Communis | 3 |
White Fir | Abies Concolor | 10 |
White Pine | Pinus Strobus | 10 |
Ketleeri Juniper | Juniperus Chinensis “Ketleeri” | 5 |
(e) Interior Landscaping. For every new development, except for single-family detached dwelling units in the Single Family Residential Districts (SFRD), there shall be interior landscaping areas exclusive of any other required landscaping consisting of at least ten percent (10%) of the total lot area. This landscaped area should be grouped near building entrances, along building foundations, along pedestrian walkways, and along service areas. All interior landscaping shall conform to the following standards:
(1) One (1) deciduous (minimum two and a half (2 ½)-inch caliper) or ornamental tree (minimum two (2)-inch caliper) or evergreen tree (minimum five (5) foot height) shall be provided for every four-hundred (400) square feet of required interior landscaping area.
(2) One (1) twenty-four (24) inch high shrub shall be provided for every two-hundred- fifty (250) square feet of required interior landscaping area.
(3) The interior landscaping area shall contain grass, vegetation ground cover, six (6)- inch shredded bark mulch, or six (6)-inch deep crushed stone on a weed barrier, excluding marble chips or lava rock, and curbed or edged as necessary. Steel, aluminum, or black plastic edging shall be used for any planting beds.
(f) Parking Lot Landscaping. Within every parking area containing ten (10) or more proposed spaces, at least one (1) deciduous tree (two and a half (2 ½)-inch minimum caliper) or ornamental tree (minimum two (2) inch caliper if tree form, six (6)-foot minimum height if clump form), with at least one-hundred (100) square feet of planting area, shall be used for every ten (10) parking spaces, in addition to any other landscaping requirements. This landscaping shall meet the following standards:
(1) Landscaping shall be dispersed throughout the parking lot in order to break up large expanses of pavement and help direct smooth traffic flow within the lot.
(2) Landscaping shall be planned and installed such that, when mature, it does not obscure traffic signs or lighting, obstruct access to fire hydrants, nor interfere with adequate motorist sight distance.
(3) All landscaped areas, when adjacent to streets, driveway aisles, or parking areas, shall be curbed with a concrete curb of a minimum height of six (6) inches. Dimensions of separate landscaped areas within the interior of or adjacent to parking areas shall be shown on the site plan. The minimum width of such areas shall be ten (10) feet; the minimum radii shall be ten (10) feet at ends facing main aisles and a minimum one (1) foot for radii not adjacent to main circulation aisles. The length of these areas shall be two (2) feet shorter than adjacent parking space to improve maneuvering. A parking space overhang of two (2) feet may be used to widen a landscaped area and reduce the length of a parking space by two (2) feet less than required by this Zoning Code.
(g) Waste Receptacle and Mechanical Equipment Screening. Waste receptacles shall be located and screened with a decorative masonry wall of at least six (6) feet in height with a solid or impervious gate. Where receptacles are taller than six (6) feet, the required screening wall shall be the minimum height required to completely screen the receptacle. The required screening wall shall be of the same material at those required for other screening walls on the site and/or the facade of the principal building. Ground-mounted mechanical equipment shall be screened with plant materials or a wall, when deemed necessary by the Planning Commission.
(h) Plant Materials and Minimum Spacing. All plant material shall be hardy to the area, free of disease and insects, and conform to the American Standard for Nursery Stock of the American Association of Nurserymen. The overall landscape plan shall not contain more than thirty-three percent (33%) of any one plant species. The use of trees native to the area and southeast Michigan, and a mixture of trees from the same species association, are encouraged.
(1) Trees and shrubs for parking areas (or comparable species).
London Plane Tree Snowdrift Crabapple
Sweetgum Marshal Seedless Green Ash
Linden Tree Spiraea
Juniper (spreading) Dwarf Callery Pear
Hawthorn Honey Locust (thornless)
(2) Trees and shrubs for greenbelt and interior landscape areas (or comparable species).
Amur Maple Sweetgum Goldenrain Tree
Hawthorn London Plane Tree Scarlet Oak
White Ash (seedless) Pin Oak European Linden
Honey Locust (thornless) Little Leaf Linden Zelkova
Juniper Border Privet Gingko
Mugo Pine Serbian Spruce Mockorange
Euonymus Cotoneaster Snowdrift Crabapple
Hedge Maple Bayberry European Hornbean
Viburnum Dense Yew Hicks Yew
Dwarf Callery Pear Red Maple Sugar Maple
(Bradford)
(3) Salt-resistant trees and shrubs (or comparable species).
Pinus Nigra Sweetgum Black Locust
Juniper (sp.) Honey Locust (thornless) Bayberry
(4) Trees and shrubs for shady areas (or comparable species).
Euonymus Honey Locust (thornless) Arborvitae (sp.)
Mahonia Aquifolium Alpine Currant Dogwood
Amelanchier Mountain Laurel Viburnum
Cotoneasters
(5) Trees not permitted (except where they are considered appropriate for the ecosystem, such as in a wetland environment not in proximity to any existing or proposed buildings or structures).
Box Elder Soft Maple (Silver) Elm
Poplar Willow Tree of Heaven
Catalpa Buckthorn European Alder
Horse Chestnut (nut bearing)
(6) Plant material spacing. Plant materials shall not be placed closer than four (4) feet from the fence line or property line. Plant materials used together in informal groupings shall meet the following on-center spacing requirements:
PLANT MATERIAL TYPES | Evergreen | Narrow Evergreen Trees | Large Deciduous Trees | Small Deciduous Trees | Large Shrubs | Small Shrubs |
PLANT MATERIAL TYPES | Evergreen | Narrow Evergreen Trees | Large Deciduous Trees | Small Deciduous Trees | Large Shrubs | Small Shrubs |
Evergreen Trees | Min. 10' | Min. 12' | Min. 20' | Min. 12' | Min. 6' | Min. 5' |
Max. 20' | ||||||
Narrow Evergreen Trees | Min. 12' | Min. 5' | Min. 15' | Min. 10' | Min. 5' | Min. 4' |
Max. 10' | ||||||
Large Deciduous Trees | Min. 20' | Min. 15' | Min. 20' | Min. 15' | Min. 5' | Min. 3' |
Max. 30' | ||||||
Small Deciduous Trees | Min. 12' | Min. 10' | Min. 15' | Min. 8' | Min. 6' | Min. 3' |
Max. 15' | ||||||
Large Shrubs | Min. 6' | Min. 5' | Min. 5' | Min. 6' | Min. 4' | Min. 5' |
Max. 6' | ||||||
Small Shrubs | Min. 5' | Min. 4' | Min. 3' | Min. 3' | Min. 5' | Min. 3' |
Max. 4' | ||||||
(i) General Layout And Design Standards.
(1) Landscaped areas and plant materials required by this Zoning Code shall be kept free from refuse and debris. Plant materials, including lawns, shall be maintained in a healthy growing condition, neat and orderly in appearance. If any plant material required by this Zoning Code dies or becomes diseased, it shall be replaced within thirty (30) days of written notice from the City or within an extended time period as specified in said notice.
(2) Tree stakes, guy wires and tree wrap are to be removed after one (1) year.
(3) All landscaped areas shall be provided with a readily available and acceptable water supply, or with at least one (1) outlet located within one-hundred (100) feet of all planted material to be maintained. Frontage landscaping, boulevard medians, interior parking lot landscaped areas, and other curbed landscaped areas shall be irrigated via an underground sprinkler system.
(4) Landscaping materials and arrangement shall ensure adequate sight visibility for motorists, adequate clearance for pedestrians and vehicles, and accessibility to fire hydrants.
(5) Cul-de-sacs, site entrances and boulevard medians shall be landscaped with species tolerant of roadside conditions in southeast Michigan.
(6) Landscaping within the site shall be approved in consideration of sight distance, size of planting area, location of sidewalks, maintenance of adequate overhead clearance, accessibility to fire hydrants, visibility to approved signs of adjacent uses, compatibility with the visual character of the surrounding area, maintenance-performance guarantee, and curbing around landscape areas.
(7) Plantings within fifteen (15) feet of a fire hydrant shall be no taller than six (6) inches at maturity.
(j) Incentives to Preserve Existing Trees. The City encourages the preservation of quality and mature trees by providing credits toward the required trees for greenbelts, buffer strips, interior landscaping, and within parking lots. Trees intended to be preserved shall be indicated with a special symbol on the site plan and be protected during construction through use of a fence around the drip line. Tree species, location, and caliper must be shown on the landscape plan. Tree protection measures must be shown and noted on the landscape plan. To obtain credit, the preserved trees shall be of a high quality and at least two and one-half (2 ½) inches caliper. Trees to be preserved shall be counted for credit only if they are located on the developed portion of the site as determined by the Planning Commission. Trees over twelve (12) inches in caliper to be removed shall be noted on the landscape plan.
The credit for preserved trees shall be as follows. Any preserved trees receiving credit which are lost within two (2) years after construction shall be replaced by the land owner with trees otherwise required.
Caliper of Preserved Tree (in inches) | Numbers of Trees Credited |
over 12 | 3 |
8 to 12 | 2 |
2 ½ to 8 | 1 |
Note: Caliper measurement for existing trees is the diameter at a height of four and one-half (4.5) feet above the natural grade. (Diameter at Breast Height - D.B.H.)
The following trees are not eligible for preservation credits:
Box Elder Apple Poplar
Willow Hawthorn Malus (sp.)
Hackberry Silver Maple European Alder
Locust (sp.) Autumn Olive Norway Maple
Scotch Pine Buckthorn Siberian Elm
Red Pine
(k) Waiver or Modification of Standards for Special Situations. The Planning Commission may determine whether or not existing landscaping or screening intended to be preserved, or a different landscape design, would provide all or part of the required landscaping and screening. In making such a determination to waive or reduce the landscaping and screening requirements of this section, the following may be considered:
(1) The extent that existing natural vegetation provides desired screening.
(2) Whether there is a steep change in topography which would limit the benefits of required landscaping.
(3) The presence of existing wetlands and watercourses.
(4) Existing and proposed building placement.
(5) Whether the abutting or adjacent land is developed or planned by the City for a use other than residential uses.
(6) Building heights and views.
(7) Whether the adjacent Residential District is over two-hundred (200) feet away from the subject site.
(8) Whether similar conditions to the above exist such that no good purpose would be served by providing the landscaping or screening required.
(l) Entranceway Structures. Entranceway structures, such as walls, columns, or gates shall be permitted at the entrance to a residential or nonresidential subdivision or condominium development, industrial park, or business park, subject to the following conditions:
(1) Entranceway structures shall be located on private property outside of the road right-of-way, except that such structures may be located in the median of a boulevard entrance to a subdivision or other residential development (in the road right-of-way), subject to approval by the entity having jurisdiction over the right-of-way (i.e. Wayne County, Lincoln Park, MDOT, etc.) and subject to compliance with the Unobstructed Sight Distance standards in Section 1290.08. Entranceway structures located on private property may be within the required front setback area.
(2) Entranceway structures shall not exceed eight (8) feet in height and eighty (80) square feet in size.
(3) Approval of the Building Official and issuance of a building permit shall be required prior to construction.
(Res. 10-67A. Passed 4-19-10. Eff. 5-5-10.)