(A) All landscaped areas shall be installed according to the approved site plan and shall be maintained by the property owner, including but not limited to replacing dead and poorly performing material. The city has the right to inspect all properties to ensure landscaping has been properly installed, maintained, and irrigated in accordance to the approved landscape plan.
(B) A property owner can receive credits toward the minimal landscape requirements for the preservation, replacement, or relocation of existing plant material on site prior to development if determined by city landscape personnel, an adjustment will preserve the intent of this section.
(C) All common areas, excluding totally enclosed privacy areas, for attached and detached single-family units shall be fully landscaped and irrigated. Common areas require one tree for every 1,000 square feet and shall require no more than 50% sod.
(D) Recreational facilities both commercial and private, shall be substantially landscaped. The landscape at recreational facilities such as but not limited to clubhouse, pool area, and gym cannot be utilized in fulfilling or contributing to minimal landscape requirements for general planting requirements outlined in §§ 155.662 and 155.663.
(E) Utility structures, garbage, and refuse areas shall be screened with landscaping material to the extent that these areas are not visible at a maximum height of six feet from abutting properties or adjacent right-of-ways.
(F) The property owner is responsible for the landscape development and maintenance of the non-paved portion fronting on the property where a waterway directly abuts public right-of-way and where the ingress and egress from a property is over the waterway in accordance with an approved site plan and according to South Broward Drainage District standards.
(G) Trees in excess of five shall have no more than 20% of a single species:
(1) All properties three stories and below minimum:
(a) Twenty percent of required trees meet 14-16' H with 3" diameter at breast height.
(b) Twenty percent of required trees meet 12-14' H with 2" diameter at breast height.
(c) Sixty percent of required trees required meet § 155.664(M).
(2) All properties four stories and above minimum:
(a) Thirty percent of required trees meet 14-16' H with 3" diameter at breast height.
(b) Thirty percent of required trees meet 12-14' H with 2" diameter at breast height.
(c) Forty percent of required trees required meet § 155.664(M).
(H) Landscaping for boulevard strips, medians, and swales - all properties.
(1) All medians within or adjacent to a development shall be landscaped and irrigated by the developer as per an approved site development plan where such modifications are determined necessary by city staff.
(2) The boulevard strip shall be sodded. Where the area is bordered by a sidewalk and curbing, it shall be contoured to insure satisfactory surface run-off. Planting will be considered in this area provided that the stock is of type as specified in the approved list for boulevard planting and that the planting does not encroach beyond the center line closest to the public right-of-way. Landscaping to incorporate xeriscaping principles is encouraged.
(3) Where the area is not curbed, the block drainage pattern must remain unobstructed. Planting shall not take place in the center line of the swale. Planting, however, will be considered on the residential side of the slope provided that the material is as specified in the approved list for boulevard planting and that the planting does not take place closer than two feet from the center line of the swale.
(4) For trees located in a boulevard strip or swale, special attention should be made to ensure that there is adequate root and canopy space at maturity.
(5) All planting on city property must be as per an approved site plan.
(I) Landscape adjacent to public right-of-ways - all properties.
(1) A ten foot strip of land adjacent to the right-of-way shall be provided for and landscaped for property areas adjacent to public right-of-ways where the property will not be entirely visually screened by an intervening building or structure from the abutting right-of-way. All required landscaped strips shall be landscaped 100% coverage of turfgrass or other approved groundcover along with one tree for each 50 lineal feet or fraction thereof, or one tree for every 250 square feet. Necessary drive aisles may be subtracted from the above lineal dimensions where determining the required number of trees.
(2) The above required trees shall be located between the abutting right-of-way and development of the property. A hedge, wall, berm, or other durable landscape barrier of at least two feet in height shall be placed along only the perimeter of the landscape strip. If the durable barrier is of nonliving material, a hedge, vine or other living material shall screen the street side of the barrier. Barrier placement shall not impede sightlines.
(3) Utility easements shall be excluded from this section's provisions regarding trees only and dedicated alleyways shall be excluded from this section's provisions regarding trees, hedge material and berm requirements, unless they are commercial alleyways abutting residential property as in this division (I) of this section.
(J) Landscaping adjacent to abutting properties - all properties.
(1) On the site of a building, structure, or open-lot use providing an off-street parking area or other vehicular use area, where the area will not be entirely screened visually by an intervening building or structure from abutting property, screening shall be required as provided within this section.
(2) The buffer screening shall comply with the setback and yard requirements as provided in § 155.632.
(3) Walls, hedges, or other durable landscape barriers at least three feet in height, with appropriate spacing as provided in the SFWMD Guide, shall be accepted as screening material if that material can provide the required full screening from the abutting property.
(4) In addition, trees and landscape beds shall be located between the common lot line and the off-street parking area or other vehicular use area. The required number of trees shall be calculated as one tree provided for every 50 lineal feet or fractional part thereof. Each tree shall be planted in at least a 100 square feet planting area consisting of grass, groundcover, or other landscape material with a minimal dimension of at least ten feet. Non-living durable landscape material shall not be acceptable material for these landscape beds.
(Ord. 2021-02, adopted 3-17-21; sought to be reconsidered, Commission passed 4-21-2021)