(A) General requirements.
(1) The following minimum percentages of a site shall be devoted to landscaping:
Residential 20%
Commercial 20%
Industrial 15%
(2) Adjacent public right-of-way, between the property line and the nearest point of the existing or proposed street improvements including sidewalks, may be landscaped and may be used to satisfy, to the extent provided, the minimum required site landscaping. The resulting landscaped area, on both public and private property, shall be a minimum of five feet wide. Landscaping within the public rights-of-way shall be completed in accordance with any adopted streetscape or special area plan if applicable and shall receive approval from the Community Development and Public Works Departments.
(3) To protect landscape materials and prevent vehicular encroachment, all landscaped areas located within or adjacent to a parking area, walkway, driveway or roadway shall be contained within continuous concrete curbing, anchored railroad ties, or other approved means at least six inches in height. Curb cuts or similar drainage pathways shall be integrated into the overall design of the site and based upon sound engineering principles as shown in the photo below.
Photo of parking lot with landscape islands protected by curbing that help to encourage re-absorption of water on the site.
(Courtesy of Prince George's County, MD)
(4) Parking, buildings and display of equipment or vehicles is not permitted within required landscape areas.
(5) Parking areas of more than 20 spaces shall provide landscaped traffic islands within the parking lot interior that total a minimum of 5% of the paved area. Each separate landscaped island within the parking area shall contain a minimum of 50 square feet if hardscape and 100 square feet if non-hardscape landscaping is used and shall have a minimum dimension of five feet, not including curbs.
Planter within parking area, 5' minimum width, inside of continuous concrete curb
To ensure that landscape materials do not constitute a driving hazard, trees used to landscape parking islands shall have a clear trunk height of six feet; shrubs, groundcover or other landscaping materials shall not exceed three feet in height. The landscaped area within |
6' minimum
(6) Artificial trees, shrubs, turf or plants shall not be used to satisfy the minimum square footage requirements for landscaping.
(7) A minimum of 30% living groundcover shall be provided within the total required landscaped area. The remaining required landscaped area may be finished with a non-living groundcover material which does not use water and may include bark, river rock, decomposed granite or mulch to help prevent evaporation. Art and other non-plant materials such as rock formations and boulders may also be used.
(8) A permanent, on-site, drip irrigation system that provides complete coverage to all new and existing landscaping and landscaped areas is required and the system shall be approved by the Town of Payson Water Department.
(9) New vegetation shall be selected, planted and maintained so that at maturity it will not interfere with utility lines, vehicular parking, pedestrian circulation, traffic sight visibility at driveways, and street intersections as set forth here and will not influence potential damage to, or upheaval of public sidewalks and pavement.
(10) Any part of a site not used for buildings, parking, driveways, sidewalks, utility and approved storage areas shall be preserved in its natural state or landscaped.
(11) All plant material used for landscaping shall be selected from the Town of Payson Water Department Native and Low Water Use Plant List in Development Bulletin 15-1.
(12) Plants not listed on the Town of Payson Water Department Native and Low Water Plant List may be used as follows:
(a) Existing plants. Existing trees and shrubs should be preserved and incorporated into the landscaped areas.
(b) Playing areas of a golf course (with the use of reclaimed water).
(c) Species not listed on the Town of Payson Water Department Native and Low Water Plant List may be substituted, subject to approval of the Town of Payson Water Department.
(B) Installation of landscaping.
(1) Landscaping and watering devices shall be installed in accordance with the approved landscape plan prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy or commencement of operations. The town shall have the right to refuse to issue permits for any project not meeting the provisions of this chapter.
(2) If approved landscaping and watering devices, except those lines that cross beneath hardscape, cannot be installed prior to occupancy or commencement of operations due to unforeseen circumstances, a conditional (temporary) certificate of occupancy may be requested by the applicant. The applicant shall complete the following:
(a) An acceptable form of surety accompanied by a complete estimate of the total cost of the approved landscaping and watering system improvements.
(b) Sign a conditional certificate of occupancy agreement.
When it is determined that the landscaping and watering system have been installed in accordance with the approved plans, the town will return the surety of the applicant.
(C) Landscape plan submittal and review.
(1) Landscape plans shall be submitted at the time of subdivision improvement plans, building or other plan review/permit application. Failure to provide landscape plans shall constitute an incomplete application.
(2) Landscape plans submitted to the town for review and possible approval for sites with over 5,000 square feet of total new landscaping, not including rights-of-way area, shall be prepared and sealed in accordance with the regulatory provisions of the State of Arizona Board of Technical Registration.
(3) The Planning Division shall review the landscape plan for compliance with this section prior to issuance of a grading and/or building permit or if a grading or building permit is not required, prior to commencement of business operations. Any revision to the site plan, plat, or existing site layout may require a revised landscape plan, as determined by the Community Development Director or designated representative.
(4) If a project is developed in phases, required landscaping and screening shall be completed in sequence with the approved development phases and shown as such on the landscape plan. (See division (A)(10) of this section)
(5) Where landscaping of the public right-of-way adjacent to private property is proposed, approved and installed, the landscaping plan shall be accompanied by a recorded agreement warranting maintenance, releasing the town from maintenance and replacement of all landscaping and irrigation in the public right-of-way and declaring the adjacent owner, heirs and assignees of the property responsible.
(6) The following items shall be included on all landscape plans:
(a) Project name, address and tax parcel number;
(b) Contact person and/or designer's name, address, phone number and seal (when applicable);
(c) Scale, north arrow. Minimum scale of plans shall be 1 inch = 30 feet;
(d) Property lines, adjacent rights-of-way, building setbacks, building footprints, rooflines, parking lots, driveways, topography, easements, utilities and drainage structures;
(e) Existing and proposed contours based on a topographic survey and proposed new grading plan;
(f) A plant legend which includes plant names (common and botanical), sizes (height, caliper, gallon) and quantities;
(g) Plant locations, on-site and in the public right-of-way (if applicable), corresponding to plant key;
(h) Planting details (staking, soil mix, and the like) construction details, protection details;
(i) Existing vegetation on the site with vegetation to be retained indicated;
(j) Significant topographical features on the site (drainage, rock outcroppings, and the like);
(k) Irrigation method and schedule;
(l) If applicable, indicate proposed designated common and open space areas on the plan. Describe function and treatment of these areas;
(m) Designate any design elements such as boulders, berms, signs, sculpture, etc.
(n) Schedule of landscape area calculations and percent of living groundcover within landscape areas.
(D) Landscaping maintenance.
(1) Maintenance of all landscaping shall be the responsibility of the owner, lessee, heirs, assigns, agent, homeowners association or other liable entity of the property. Maintenance shall consist of regular watering, pruning, mowing, fertilizing, and the removal and replacement of any dead plants, the repair and replacement of irrigation systems as required, and maintenance of any architectural features. This shall include maintenance of any approved existing or new landscaping in the public rights-of-way. The responsible entity in control of any private premises shall at all times maintain the premises free of litter and weeds in accordance with the Town Code.
(2) Dead materials shall be replaced within 30 days or as soon as feasible if delayed by inclement weather.
(3) Future building pads within a phased development shall be landscaped with a dust-free, erosion resistant material.
(E) Screening and buffering.
(1) Screening and buffering shall be installed in accordance with the Screening and Buffering Chart.
(2) All walls installed within a front yard setback shall not exceed three feet in height.
(3) Vegetation selected for screening shall be:
(a) A maximum of one foot less than the required screening height when planted; and
(b) A specimen that will reach the minimum height of required screen at maturity.
(4) Earth berms or a combination of berm, landscaping, retaining walls, and fencing may be used to satisfy the screening requirement. Berms shall be designed to transition to existing grades, not to exceed a slope ratio of three to one (3:1) and shall be covered with plant material, boulders, ground cover or partially rip-rapped to prevent erosion. Berms with vegetation cover shall be designed to retain water rather than increase run-off.
(5) On-site vegetation areas provided for screening may be used to satisfy, to the extent provided, the landscape coverage requirements.
SCREENING AND BUFFERING CHART
Adjacent Use | Residential | Retail | Retail With Outdoor Activity | Office | Manufacturing and Industrial | All Other | Parking Areas |
Adjoining Zoning District
| |||||||
R1, R2, R3 | C | B | A | C | A | TBD | C (Except R1) |
C-1, C-2 | A | C | B | C | A | TBD | C |
C-3, M-1, M-2 | A | A | B | A | C | TBD | B |
Rights-of-way | N/A | D | D | D | D | TBD | D |
All Others | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
A | Screen - | Continuous planting of native coniferous trees and shrubs or a continuous masonry type wall that is architecturally compatible with the project aesthetic or an approved combination thereof for an opaque "screen" at a minimum initial height of 6'. |
B | Buffer/Screen - | Intermittent planting of native coniferous trees and evergreen shrubs or an intermittent masonry type wall that is architecturally compatible with the project aesthetic for a 50% linear coverage at a minimum initial height of 6' to mitigate differing occupancy adjacencies and uses. |
C | Buffer - | Natural planting of native coniferous trees and evergreen shrubs to mitigate adjacency impacts and different uses. |
D | Special Buffer - | Trees, 12' minimum height at planting, no less than one every 30 lineal feet, evergreen shrubs not exceeding 36" at maturity, at least 24" in height at planting. |
TB D | To be determined - | All other uses or zoning districts include separate levels of review (i.e. zoning permit application). When uses do not conform to the matrix, the type of screening or buffering required will be based upon the proposed layout and subject to review and approval by staff or other appointed body as applicable. |
Note: All screening and buffering vegetation material shall be native coniferous/evergreen type.
See following pages for acceptable examples of screening and buffering requirements "A" through "D".
Note: Click SCREENING AND BUFFERING CHART to view in printer friendly, PDF.
‘A’ Screen
‘B’ Buffer/Screen
‘C’ Buffer
‘D’ Special Buffer
SCREENING & BUFFERING
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES
(F) Site clearance and maintenance.
(1) No walls in excess of three feet in height shall be placed on any corner lot or at any driveway intersecting a street, within a "sight clearance triangle" formed by two curb, roadway or driveway lines. Where uncertainty exists, final determination will be made by the Town Engineer.
(2) Screening walls shall be maintained both structurally and aesthetically; damage shall be repaired in 30 days unless delayed by exigent circumstances approved by the Community Development Director or his/her designee.
(G) Screening of outdoor areas, equipment and lighting.
(1) All outdoor storage, refuse, loading and unloading areas and service bays shall be screened by a wall at least six feet in height that is compatible with the architectural style and materials of the building, to adequately screen such areas and service bays from streets and adjoining property.
(2) Outside mechanical equipment shall be completely screened by a wall, screen wall and/or roof that is compatible with the architectural aesthetic and materials of the building and is at a height even with the top of the equipment being screened.
(3) Types and limitation of screening walls.
(a) Heights of walls, fences, berms and other screening devices shall be measured from the finished adjacent grade.
(b) Walls used to screen different land uses, outdoor storage, refuse, loading/unloading areas, service bays and ground-mounted mechanical equipment may be of brick, slump block, concrete block with mortar wash finish, stone or similar materials that match the building materials, as approved by the Planning Division.
(H) Lighting.
(1) Conformance with applicable codes. All outdoor lighting fixtures shall be installed in conformance with the provisions of this code and the applicable Building Codes currently in effect in the town under appropriate permit and inspection.
(2) General requirements.
(a) All zoning districts:
1. All outdoor lighting shall be of a minimum necessary to serve the purpose intended;
2. All outdoor lighting shall be fully shielded, screened, and installed so as to reflect away from streets, adjoining properties, and the sky;
3. Illumination shall have a hard cut off at the property line of the subject site;
4. The correlated color temperature of all lighting fixtures shall not exceed 3000 Kelvin; and
5. Maximum pole height on private property shall not exceed 25 feet, no poles or exterior fixtures shall exceed 15 feet in height within 30 feet of a residential area.
(b) Multi-family, commercial, and industrial uses:
1. Photometric calculations are required and shall be submitted with building permit application; and
2. National corporate designs that do not comply with the criteria above may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for consideration and acceptance.
(c) Total outdoor light output. Total outdoor light output shall not exceed the following limits over the entire development, including any landscaping lighting (values listed are total initial lamp lumens per net acre and per residential parcel).
Maximum Total Outdoor Light Output Standards
| |
Land Use | Maximum Lumens |
Commercial, industrial, and multi-family residential (lumens per net acre) | 100,000 |
Single-family residential (lumens per parcel) | 10,000 |
(d) Sign illumination standards for external and internal sign illumination are provided in § 154-05, Signs.
(3) Special uses.
(a) Service station canopy lighting. All lighting mounted under the canopy, including but not limited to light fixtures mounted on or recessed into the lower surface of the canopy and any lighting within signage (but not including any lamps mounted within the pumps and used to illuminate information indicating such items as the total cost of fuel pumped and price per gallon), shall be included in the total outdoor light output for the site and is subject to the standards of §154-03-002(H)(2)(c).
(b) Public outdoor lighting (including sports lighting).
1. Sports lighting shall be exempt from the maximum correlated color temperature of 3000 Kelvin.
2. All public outdoor lighting must be turned off by 10:00 p.m. or one hour after the end of play, whichever is later. Decorative holiday lights are exempt.
3. New public outdoor lighting shall be of a minimum necessary to serve the purpose intended, and only be installed when the Town Manager determines that a public safety hazard exists that can only be mitigated through the use of lighting.
(c) Street lighting.
1. All street lighting installed on private rights-of-way shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of this code; and
2. All street lighting maintained by the town shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of this code.
(d) Temporary lighting. Temporary lighting which does not conform to the provisions of this code may be approved by the Zoning Administrator subject to permit issuance. Temporary lighting is intended for uses which by their nature are of limited duration, including for example, civic events or construction projects.
(4) Prohibited outdoor lighting. The following types of outdoor lighting are prohibited:
(a) Outdoor floodlighting by flood light projection above the horizontal plane;
(b) Search lights, flood lights, laser source lights, or any similar high intensity light, except in emergencies by police, fire or medical personnel or at their direction; or for meteorological data gathering purposes; and
(c) Any lighting device located on the exterior of a building or on the inside of a window which is visible beyond the boundaries of the lot or parcel with intermittent fading, flashing, blinking, rotating or strobe light illumination.
(5) Exceptions.
(a) Airport lighting. Required navigational lighting systems at airports for the safe and efficient movement of aircraft during flight, take off, landing and taxiing is exempt from the provisions of this code. Lighting used for illumination of aircraft loading, unloading, and servicing areas is exempt from the lumens per acre limits provided in § 154-03-002(H)(2)(c), although it must conform to all other requirements of this code. All other outdoor lighting at airport facilities shall comply with the provisions of this division.
(b) Infrared security lighting. Lights emitting infrared radiation used for remote security surveillance systems is permitted in all zones and with the following restrictions:
1. Fixed lights must be fully shielded; and
2. Movable lights, such as spot lights attached to infrared sensitive cameras, must be mounted such that the lights cannot be directed higher than 20 degrees below the horizontal, measured from the center of the light beam.
(c) Emergency and security lighting.
1. Searchlights, floodlights, laser source lights, strobe or flashing lights, or any similar high intensity lights are permitted when used in emergencies by police, fire, medical, or utility personnel or at their direction.
2. Emergency lighting that is only turned on in the event of a power failure or when an alarm is activated is permitted in all lighting zones and is exempt from the provisions of this code.
3. Any lighting fixture automatically controlled by a motion detector, where the luminaire is switched on for brief periods of time, is exempt from the provisions of this code.
(d) Holiday decorations. In all zoning districts low voltage holiday decorations may be unshielded and remain on all night from November 15 to January 15.
(e) Solar-powered lighting. Solar-powered lights of 300 lumens or less per fixture used in residential landscaping applications and to illuminate walkways are exempt from applicable lamp type and shielding standards and are excluded from the total lumen calculations for the site.
Better Lights for Better Nights - Help eliminate light pollution. Select the best fixture for your application using this guide. Use the lowest wattage bulb appropriate for the task and turn off the light when it is not in use.
Flag up-lighting directed away from adjoining properties or roadways and shielded by on-site structures
Post top mounted flag pole lighting
Presented by the Dark Sky Society www.darkskysociety.org Illustrations by Bob Crelin, used with permission.
(Ord. 466, passed 2-22-96; Am. Ord. 896, passed 11-16-17; Am. Res. 3069, passed 11-16-17)