Landscaping for a new residence shall not be installed until the property owner submits a landscaping plan, and the plan is approved by the Building Commissioner, who may engage the services of a landscape architect to assist in the review of the proposed plan. Installation of the landscaping, pursuant to the approved plan, shall be completed within one (1) year after the date the certificate of occupancy is issued. Landscape features, such as hedges, trees and shrubs and yard structures, such as fences, trellises and walls, may be permitted in a required yard as follows:
(a) Front Yards, Interior Lot. Open fences and hedges shall be permitted along a side and front lot line in the front yard to a height not to exceed three and one- half feet (3-1/2'). Fences and hedges of a greater height shall be permitted in the front yard along a side lot line when adjoining a nonresidential district, if approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and Architectural Board of Review.
(b) Front Yard, Corner Lot. Landscape features on a corner lot, located within a triangle formed between points on front and side lot lines within thirty-five feet (35') from their intersection shall be maintained to a height not exceeding two and one-half feet (2-1/2').
(c) Side and Rear Yards. Fences, walls and hedges shall be permitted along a side and rear yard lot line to a height of not more than six feet (6'). All fences shall be designed and constructed in such fashion that the finished side of such fence faces to the exterior of the lot.
(1) All fences shall be treated with appropriate weather preservatives or painted and maintained in good condition.
(2) On a corner lot, fences, walls and hedges shall be set back from the side street line not less than the required front yard setback for an adjoining main building which abuts such side street.
(d) Driveways.
(1) For the purposes of this Section, "Driveway" shall mean a paved portion of a yard from the street to the house or other building which permits access to a garage or other location where cars may be parked.
(2) Driveways shall be set back not less than ten feet (10') from a side lot line, however this provision shall not apply to driveways already in place on the effective date of this section.
(3) Driveways shall not be wider than twenty feet (20'), except that drive aprons, turnarounds, parking pads, or any other paved portions of a residential property constructed to facilitate access to side or rear facing garages may be an appropriate width to permit the maneuvering of passenger vehicles entirely upon the Driveway.
(e) Front Property Line Walls and Entry Features. Property line walls and entry features shall be conditionally permitted by the Architectural Board of Review, based upon the criteria in this section.
(1) Property line walls and entry features shall relate to, and be consistent with, architectural features of structures located on the same property which are visible from the proposed wall or entry feature.
(2) Property line walls and entry feature fences shall be natural or natural appearing materials as approved by the Architectural Board of Review. These walls shall not exceed four feet (4') in height, except that their end piers may be five feet six inches (5'-6") high. A property line wall must be constructed with a foundation as approved by the Building Inspector.
(3) Decorative gates to be of appropriate material as approved by the Architectural Board of Review. Gates shall not exceed five feet six inches (5' 6") in height.
(4) Decorative elements such as lights, architectural features and sculptural pieces placed atop the pier may exceed the height limit limitation as approved by the Architecture Board of Review.
(5) Where such decorative walls and piers are set back from the front property lines by more than twenty feet (20'), the height of these elements may be increased by four inches (4") for each ten feet (10') they are set back from the property line up to a maximum of an additional sixteen (16") inches at the one hundred foot (100') building setback line, up to a maximum of six feet ten inches (6'-10").
(6) The overall combined length of property line walls and entry features to be allowed to a maximum of twenty percent (20%) of the property line frontage. The length of the combined wall and entry features shall be determined by measuring the straight line dimension from end to end of a flat elevation drawing of the wall and entry feature for each individual segment and adding segments together flanking a driveway opening. The opening is not included in the 20% allowance.
(Ord. 2020-16. Passed 11-4-20.)