(A) Screening of off-street parking and loading areas.
(1) Whenever a parking area for ten or more vehicles or an off-street loading area is located in, or adjacent to a residential district, or is adjacent to a religious place of worship, educational institution, or other institution located on an adjoining lot, it shall be effectively screened on all sides which adjoin or face any property used for these purposes. Screening shall be as follows.
(a) Screening shall be by an acceptably designed wall, fence or evergreen planting screen that is approved by the Building Commissioner.
(b) Such fence, wall or opaque planting shall not be less than three feet, nor more than four feet in height for off-street parking areas and six feet in height for off-street loading areas. Such fence, wall or opaque planting shall be maintained in good condition.
(c) The space between such fence, wall or planting screen 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.
(d) The finished face of the fence or wall shall face the adjoining property.
(2) In the event that terrain or other natural features are such that the erection of such fence, wall or planting screen will not serve the intended purpose, then the Building Commissioner may allow an exception, so that no such fence, wall or planting screen and landscaping shall be required.
(B) Interior landscaping of off-street parking areas. Off-street parking areas containing more than 6,000 square feet of area or 20 or more vehicular parking spaces, whichever is less, shall provide interior landscaping. For each 100 square feet or fraction thereof of vehicular use area, at least five square feet of interior landscape area shall be provided.
(1) Interior landscape requirements. Interior landscaping shall be dispersed throughout the parking area. Landscaping shall be situated such that large, unbroken areas of pavement are avoided.
(a) Minimum area. The minimum landscape area permitted shall be 180 square feet, excluding curbs, with a four-foot minimum dimension to all trees from edge of pavement where vehicles overhang.
(b) Interior landscape dispersion. Fifty percent of the required interior landscaped areas shall be installed at the end of parking bays. The balance of the required interior landscaped area may be installed anywhere within the parking lot.
(c) Landscape area barriers. A permanent barrier, such as curbing or wheel stops, shall enclose each interior landscaped island or peninsula in order to minimize damage from vehicles and pedestrians. Landscape areas shall be filled with uncompacted, well-drained soil.
(2) Minimum tree specifications.
(a) In addition to greenbelt and screening requirements, a minimum of one tree shall be planted for each 3,000 square feet of impervious surface.
(b) Trees located at the end of a parking bay shall be deciduous shade or deciduous ornamental. Trees located in any other portion of the interior landscaped area may be deciduous shade, deciduous ornamental or evergreen.
(c) To retain visibility within the parking area, trees shall have a clear trunk of at least six feet above the ground. The remaining area shall be landscaped with shrubs, herbaceous plants, ornamental grasses and/or ground cover, not to exceed three feet in height.
(d) All plant material shall at minimum meet the standards established in § 156.468 of this chapter.
(C) Vehicle overhang. Parked vehicles may hang over the interior landscaped area no more than two and one-half feet. Concrete or other wheel stops shall be provided to ensure no greater overhang or penetration in the landscaped area.
(D) Grass and ground cover. Grass or ground cover shall be planted on all portions of the landscaped areas not occupied by other landscaped material.
(Ord. passed 9-26-2006)