Landscaping of off-street parking and other vehicular use areas shall conform to the minimum requirements provided in this section.
(A) Installation. The owner, tenant and/or agent, if any, shall be jointly and severally responsible for installing landscaping according to accepted commercial planting procedures with the quality of plant materials. All elements of landscaping shall be installed as to meet all other applicable ordinances and code requirements of the town. Retention ponds as required by state law shall not exceed 50% of the area to be landscaped under this chapter. Landscaped areas shall require protection from vehicular encroachment. No more than 10% of the landscaping material installed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter will be palm material; the rest will be hardwood, deciduous plant material from the list of preferred plant material on file with the Town Clerk. The enforcement official of the town shall inspect all landscaping and no certificates of occupancy or similar authorizations shall be issued prior to landscaping conforming to the requirements herein provided.
(B) Maintenance. The owner, tenant and/or agent, if any, shall be jointly and severally responsible for maintaining the landscaping in a healthy, neat and orderly condition. The owner shall provide each landscaped area with a readily available water supply with a minimum of one outlet within 150 feet of all plant material to be maintained. All plant material shall be installed in a healthy condition and kept alive. If requisite plant material pursuant to the provisions of this chapter die, they shall be replaced at the applicant’s expense.
(C) Plant material.
(1) Quality. Plant materials used in conformance with provisions of this section shall equal or exceed the standard for Florida No. 1 as given in Grades and Standards of Nursery Plants, part I, 1963 and part II, State Department of Agriculture, and any amendments thereto. Grass sod shall be clean and reasonably free of weeds and noxious pest or diseases. Grass seed shall be delivered to the job site in containers with State Department of Agriculture tags attached indicating the seed grower’s compliance with the Department’s quality control program.
(2) Size of trees.
(a) Trees shall be species of any average mature spread or crown greater than 15 feet and trunks that can be maintained in a clean condition with over ten feet of clear wood. Trees having an average mature spread or crown less than 15 feet may be substituted by grouping the same as to create the minimum 15-foot crown spread. Trees shall be a minimum of seven feet in overall height immediately upon planting. Immediately upon planting, trees shall have a dbh of three inches. Trees of species providing roots known to cause damage to public roadways or other public works shall not be planted closer than 12 feet to public works unless the tree root system is completely encased with a container for which the minimum interior dimensions shall be five feet square and five feet deep.
(b) Palm trees are not an acceptable plant material substitute for hardwood, deciduous trees that are removed or destroyed.
(3) Shrubs and hedges. Shrubs shall be a minimum of two feet six inches in height immediately upon planting. Hedges shall be of nondeciduous species and planted and maintained so as to form a continuous, unbroken, solid, visual screen within a maximum of one year after planting.
(4) Vines. Vines shall be a minimum of 12 inches in height immediately upon planting and may be used in conjunction with fences, screens or walls to meet physical barrier requirements as specified.
(5) Ground covers. Ground covers in lieu of grass shall be planted in a manner as to present a finished appearance and reasonable complete coverage within three months after planting.
(6) Lawn grass. Grass shall be species normally grown as permanent lawns in the town.
(2000 Code, § 62-107) (Ord. 75-01, passed 7-14-1975; Ord. 86-04, passed 4-22-1986; Ord. 2000-03, passed 5-23-2000) Penalty, see § 154.999