Screening and buffering along the common boundary or portion thereof shall be provided in accordance with the following regulations and shall be approved as part of the development plan required by Chapter 150.14.
(A) When Required. Screening and buffering shall be required for parking lots, access drives or loading and service areas when adjacent to a residential use or district.
(1) When a property in the LB, GB or OMG District is adjacent to a residential use or district, the screening requirements shall be extended along the entirety of the shared property line.
(B) Width of Buffer Yard. Each required buffer yard shall have the minimum width equal to the parking setback required for the district.
(C) Type of Screening. A brick, stone, or decorative masonry wall of acceptable design along the common boundary or portion thereof, shall be required. The spaces between the wall and the lot line of the adjoining premises in any residential district shall be landscaped with grass, hardy shrubs, or evergreen ground cover and maintained in good condition. In lieu of a wall, a solid, continuous, visual screen along the common boundary or portion thereof with one or more of the items listed below can be substituted, only when it is determined by the Planning Commission that such screening can be equally as effective as the solid wall.
(1) Existing natural vegetation; or
(2) New screening materials consisting of one or a combination of the following:
(a) A landscaped mound or berm at least 3 feet in height, and planted with an evergreen hedge or dense planting of evergreen shrubs not less than 6 feet in height measured from the natural grade.
(b) A dense vegetative planting incorporating trees and/or shrubs of a variety which shall be equally effective in winter and summer; or
(c) A solid fence.
(D) Location. The location of the wall, fence, or vegetation shall be placed within the buffer yard to maximize the screening effect as determined by the Planning Commission and/or Council.
(E) Height of Screening. The height of the screening, measured from the natural grade, shall not be less than 6 feet in height and shall be maintained in good condition without any advertising thereon. When the screening or a portion thereof is intended to be achieved with vegetation, the required height shall be a minimum of 42 inches at planting with a 6-foot height achieved no later than 24 months after the initial installation. Whenever the required screening is located along the common side lot line in the area extending from the front building line of the residential use to the street, the required screening shall not exceed a height of 4 feet.
(Ord. 5-2005, passed 3-23-05; Am. Ord. 12-2008, passed 9-3-08; Am. Ord. 16-2013, passed 11-6-13)