17-11-8 Landscaping standards for off street parking areas
All off-street parking areas are required to comply with the following regulations:
A.   Minimum requirements. A minimum of 15% of the gross parking area (includes all paved access and parking areas) shall be devoted to amenity landscaping as follows:
   1.   All landscape areas within ten feet of the perimeter of the gross paved parking area may be included in the 15% gross parking area calculation.
   2.   Any off-street parking area for five or more vehicles shall include a ten foot minimum width landscape buffer between the parking area and the public right-of-way. This area shall include screening as required by section 17-9-2.
   3.   At a minimum, every group of ten parking spaces shall be separated with a landscape planter island measuring a minimum five feet in width (from inside of curb to inside of curb) by the length of the parking stall, containing a minimum of one canopy tree and two groundcover plants per planter island.
   4.   Landscape islands shall be a minimum of 6 feet in order to protect plant materials from car overhangs and pedestrian traffic.
   5.   Plant materials shall be chosen so that within five years of installation, planting materials shall achieve a 40% shading of the asphalt areas.
   6.   Landscaping materials shall not obstruct sight distances or vehicle turning movements.
   7.   The use of decorative paving materials to indicate pedestrian crossings and paths within the parking area is encouraged.
   8.   For every 150 square feet of landscaped area, a minimum of one tree, five shrubs and groundcover plants as required.
   9.   Landscaped areas in parking lots are encouraged to utilize any combination of decorative paving, inert groundcover, berms and additional plant materials.
   10.   Planters, walls and fences adjacent to the parking areas shall have a protective six inch curb to shield against damage to plants and irrigation heads.
      a.   Curb cuts may be strategically incorporated to encourage stormwater to drain to depressed planting areas.
      b.   Appropriate paving should be used where pedestrians are likely to cross landscaped areas.
   11.   Protective concrete curbs and standard concrete wheel stops are required where walls and fences abut driveways and parking stalls.
   12.   Plant materials selected for use at the perimeter of landscape islands shall be limited to ground covers or other low-growing species that are capable of withstanding regular foot traffic.
Ordinance 2022.006 amended Section 17-11-8 A.2