A. Generally. Perimeter buffers shall be required per this Section and meet the following standards:
1. Perimeter buffers shall be located on the outer perimeter of the lot, parallel to and extending to the property boundary line of the lot.
2. Perimeter buffers may be located wholly or partially within required yards.
3. A required perimeter buffer must be provided along the entire boundary line of the lot.
4. For multiple lot developments, developed as a single entity, a perimeter buffer is only required around the outer perimeter of the development.
5. A parking area buffer, as provided in Section 8.3.6: Parking Area Buffers and Landscaping, may be credited toward a more intense perimeter buffer. If the perimeter buffer is more intense than the parking area buffer, the required components of the parking area buffer are not required.
6. Fences and walls shall comply with the standards of Section 8.3.10: Fences, Walls and Berms. Where a fence or wall is utilized in buffering, the fence must be positioned interior to the landscaping, except for:
a. Yards along an interior side or rear lot line, where fences must be positioned exterior to the landscaping.
b. Trees may be on both sides of a wall as long as a minimum one half of required canopy trees are in front.
7. Stormwater that includes vegetation may be placed within a perimeter buffer, provided that the screening function of a perimeter buffer is maintained. Plant material meeting the minimum requirements of this Section may be counted in requirements.
B. Perimeter Buffer Types. Perimeter buffer types include buffer types 1-5, each with a varying degree of screening and intensity. Each buffer type may allow up to three (3) different options to achieve the required level of buffering, utilizing a mixture of trees, shrubs and fences/walls. The plant material required is per one-hundred (100) linear feet of property frontage. Table 8.3.1 lists the different perimeter buffer types with varying degrees of opacity for each perimeter buffer. Table 8.3.1 also provides options to achieve each perimeter buffer type. Figures 8.3.1 through 8.3.5 provide illustrative examples of each perimeter buffer type. The figures are for illustrative purposes only; the text, dimensions and standards shall apply in all cases where there is a conflict.
1. Perimeter Buffer Type 1. This buffer is intended to function as an intermittent visual screen. It is intended to partially block visibility between different uses, but not totally obstruct visual contact from one use to another.
2. Perimeter Buffer Type 2. This buffer is intended to function as a partially opaque screen. This type of buffer should partially block visual contact between uses and creates a sense of spatial separation.
3. Perimeter Buffer Type 3. This buffer is intended to function as a semi-opaque screen. This type of buffer prevents visual contact between uses and creates a sense of spatial separation.
4. Perimeter Buffer Type 4. This buffer is intended to function as a more intense opaque screen than Buffer Type 3, but not as intense of an opaque screen as created by Buffer Type 5.
5. Perimeter Buffer Type 5. This buffer is intended to function as an opaque screen from the ground to a height of eight (8) feet. This type of buffer prevents visual and auditory contact between uses and creates a strong impression of total separation.
Typ e | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
1 | 10' width 3 trees 20 shrubs per 100 LF | 10' width 3 trees 20 shrubs per 100 LF | 10' width 3 trees 20 shrubs per 100 LF |
2 | 20' width 3 trees 40 shrubs per 100 LF 6' fence (optional) | 20' width 4 trees 30 shrubs per 100 LF 6' fence (optional) | 20' width 5 trees 15 shrubs per 100 LF 6' fence (optional) |
3 | 25' width 3 trees per 100 LF 1 understory trees per 100 LF 50 shrubs per 100 LF 6' fence | 25' width 4 trees per 100 LF 2 understory trees per 100 LF 30 shrubs per 100 LF 6' fence | 25' width 4 trees per 100 LF 3 understory trees per 100 LF 20 shrubs per 100 LF 6' fence |
4 | 50' width 4 trees per 100 LF 2 understory trees per 100 LF 60 shrubs per 100 LF 6' wall | 50' width 5 trees per 100 LF 3 understory trees per 100 LF 40 shrubs per 100 LF 6' wall | 50' width 5 trees per 100 LF 4 understory trees per 100 LF 25 shrubs per 100 LF 6' wall |
5 | 100' Width, 8 Trees Per 100 LF, 4 Understory Trees Per 100 LF, Continuous Hedge, 8' Wall, 5' High Berm | ||
Additional Standards: 1. Required plant material may not be clustered to achieve requirements. A maximum allowable 10' gap may be permitted. 2. Minimum shrubs maybe double staggered. 3. Required trees maybe on both sides of a fence/wall as long as a minimum one half of required trees are in front. 4. If perimeter buffer types are more intense than a required parking area buffer, the perimeter buffer will take precedent. | |||
C. Perimeter Buffer— Required Perimeter Buffer Type by District.
1. Table 8.3.2 shall control the required perimeter buffer type required between zoning districts. While Table 8.3.2 is intended to provide for buffers based on zoning district, the Director may take into consideration existing and proposed uses to achieve the intent of this Section. For example, a residential use may occur in OM, requiring a different buffer type to adequately provide buffer and screening.
2. Perimeter buffer types, ranging in the intensity of screening they provide, range from 0 to 5 (0 being no buffer required, 5 being the most intense buffer required).
3. To determine the perimeter buffer type required, identify the zoning district of the land in which a development is proposed. Using Table 8.3.2, the intersection of the row associated with the district of the proposed development and the column associated with the adjacent zoning district shows the buffer type required.
4. Perimeter buffer types required shall comply with the standards provided in Table 8.3.1. Options for achieving the required buffer intensity are provided in Table 8.3.1.
ZONING DISTRICT OF ADJACENT PROPERTY | |||||||||||||
ZONING DISTRICT OF SUBJECT PROPERTY | RR | RLD | RMD | RHD | OM | NB | GB | GI | HI | PUD | PCD | CC- MX1 CC- MX2 RC- MX | MD-MX |
ZONING DISTRICT OF ADJACENT PROPERTY | |||||||||||||
ZONING DISTRICT OF SUBJECT PROPERTY | RR | RLD | RMD | RHD | OM | NB | GB | GI | HI | PUD | PCD | CC- MX1 CC- MX2 RC- MX | MD-MX |
RR | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
RLD | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
RMD | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
RHD | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
OM | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1* | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
NB | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
GB | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
GI | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
HI | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
PUD | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
PCD | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
CCMX-1 & 2 RC-MX | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | - | - |
MD-MX | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - |
Additional Buffer Type Standards
1. OM to OM *: If the adjacent OM property is single-family residential, the subject property must provide a Type 2 buffer. 2. If the subject property being developed is adjacent to another jurisdiction, the required buffer type will be chosen by the Planning Director. 3. If the subject property being developed is a proposed conditional district or is adjacent to existing conditional district, the required buffer type will be chosen by the Planning Director. | |||||||||||||
(Am. Ord. O-2022-71, passed 11-8-22)