A. Maintenance. All landscaping (including buffers and screening) shall be designed and maintained according to sound landscape and horticultural practices, and all fences/walls shall be maintained in good condition. All plant material shall be maintained in an attractive and healthy condition; dead or diseased plant material shall be removed and replaced. The responsibility for maintenance of a required buffer shall remain with the owner of the property or their grantee.
B. Uses Not Permitted. No buildings or parking areas may be placed within any required buffer, except that driveway entrances from a public street, public sidewalks, and walking/bicycle trails (up to eight (8) feet wide) are permitted.
C. Uses Permitted.
1. A landscape buffer may be used for passive recreation or open use area.
2. Required buffers may contain areas of native habitat and water resources, including stormwater management.
3. Appurtenances which may require easy access such as fire hydrants are permitted in a buffer.
4. Fences, walls and berms may be installed within a required buffer except where otherwise regulated in this Section and or Section 8.7 Design Standards.
D. Standards.
1. Plant Species: All species of trees and shrubs used in required buffers shall be chosen from the approved plant list provided in Section 8.3.11: Approved Plant List.
2. Canopy Trees: Canopy trees must be a minimum of eight (8) feet in height and two and one-half (2.5) inches in caliper. In lieu of any requirement for a canopy tree, two (2) understory trees may be planted.
3. Understory Trees: Understory trees must be a minimum of four (4) feet in height and one and one-half (1.5) inches in caliper.
4. Shrubs: Shrubs must be expected to reach a minimum of three (3) feet in height.
5. Fences/Walls: Fences/walls must be constructed using brick, stone, other masonry materials, or wood post and planks. The finished side of the fence shall face the adjoining property. Fences/walls shall be placed at the rear of a buffer so the adjoining property benefits from the view. No fence/wall shall exceed eight (8) feet in height. Chain-link fences used for storage areas in commercial and or industrial zoned properties may be used; however, such fence shall not replace or be used in lieu of the opaque fence and or wall required as part of a perimeter buffer.
6. Berms: Berms shall be stabilized and have a slope not exceeded 3: 1(horizontal to vertical.
7. Minimum/Maximum Percentages. When twenty (20) or more canopy or understory trees are required to be planted on a site to meet the standards of this UDO, a mix of genera shall be provided as follows:
Total Trees Planted On Site | Minimum Number of Genera Required | Maximum Percentage of any Genera |
20 or less | 1 | Not applicable |
21-50 | 2 | 60 percent |
51-100 | 3 | 50 percent |
101 or more | 4 | 40 percent |