(A) All areas not covered by main and accessory structures, walks and vehicular use areas shall be fully landscaped with living plant material. Non-living landscape materials shall not be considered as substitution for living plant material unless specifically approved on the landscape plan.
(B) Landscaped areas shall be constructed with no more than 25% of the total area of gravel, stone or other similar materials. Landscape areas shall not be used for parking.
(C) It shall be the duty of a property owner that all plant material and non-living durable landscaping material shall be installed and perpetually maintained in a manner as determined by qualified city staff to be generally consistent with proper horticultural practices found in the most recent editions of the following:
(1) Grades and Standards for Nursery Plants from the Florida Department of Agriculture Division of Plant Industry;
(2) Florida Friendly Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection;
(3) Selecting and Planting Trees for the South Florida Urban Forest from the Florida Urban Council;
(4) The Right Tree in the Right Place brochure from Florida Power and Light;
(5) American National Standards Institute A-300 and Z-133; and
(6) Principles and Practices of Planting Trees and Shrubs by Gary W. Watson and E.B. Himelick.
(D) All installed plant material shall be a minimum grade of Florida #1 or better as identified in Grades and Standards by the Florida Department of Agriculture, where applicable.
(E) All landscape areas excavated shall be filled with 50% muck soil mix.
(F) All plant installations shall conform to all applicable regulations in regards to planting distances away from above ground utility structures and lines and shall not be installed underneath roofs, overhangs, and balconies unless their mature height does not encroach upon the structure.
(G) All plant material shall not impede line of sight as stated in § 155.660.
(H) For proper plant material health, all landscaped areas shall have a readily available water supply or an appropriate and functional irrigation system. Refer to irrigation requirements in § 155.666.
(I) Sod.
(1) All irrigated landscape areas shall use solid St. Augustine, Bermuda or Palmetto Sod laid on a smooth planting base with tight joints at 100% coverage at time of planting and cut to fit all landscape planters and curb areas unless otherwise approved by the Director of Planning and Economic Development Department.
(2) Bahia sod may only be used on vacant land parcels for future development and may be sodded utilizing Bahia sod until such time that approved development of parcel commences.
(3) Sod areas shall be identified and labeled on the landscape plans.
(J) Groundcover installation standards:
(1) Groundcover shall be installed using a minimum of six inches in depth of new topsoil.
(2) All property other than the required landscaped strip lying between the right-of-way and off-street parking area or other vehicular use area shall be landscaped with at least grass or ground cover.
(3) Turfgrass installation shall be completed by sodding and shall supply 100% coverage immediately upon installation. No more than 25% of total landscaped area shall be installed as turfgrass or mulch.
(4) Wherein sod installation is impractical, qualified city landscape personnel may allow seeding or sprigging with prior written approval. Grass seed shall be clean and at least 90% weed free and free of noxious pests or diseases. The grass seed bags shall have Florida Department of Agriculture tags indicating compliance with the state's quality control program.
(5) Other ornamental groundcovers used in lieu of turfgrass shall be installed to allow 75% coverage at installation and must have 100% within three months after planting.
(K) Vine installation specifications: Vines shall be a minimum of 30 inches in height at installation and may be used in conjunction with fences, screens, or walls to meet physical barrier requirements as specified.
(L) Shrubs and hedges:
(1) Shrub, flower, and hedges shall be installed using a minimum of six inches in depth of new topsoil.
(2) Shrubs shall be installed with a minimum 24 inches in height and 12 inches in spread, unless otherwise directed, immediately upon planting.
(3) Shrubs shall be installed in a manner that prevents both intrusion and touching building surfaces from branches by the end of one year's growth.
(4) Layering of shrub rows shall be done in accordance with the tallest mature shrubs placed in the back and progressively shorter mature shrubs placed progressively in the front section.
(5) Hedges, where required on an approved landscape plan or by Code, shall be planted to form a future continuous, unbroken, solid visual screen within a maximum of one year after installation date.
(M) Trees: The minimum new tree installation requirements shall be delineated into four categories based on mature tree height and diameter at breast height.
(1) Category I or known as large sized canopy tree: minimum of 14-16' in overall height and 3" diameter at breast height;
(2) Category II or known as medium sized canopy tree: minimum of 12-14' in overall height and 2" diameter at breast height;
(3) Category III or known as small sized canopy tree: minimum of 10-12' in overall height and 1.5" diameter at breast height; and
(4) Category IV or known as palm category: minimum of 10' in overall height as determined by measurement from the ground to the top frond. In no circumstance shall Category IV trees be construed as a hedge.
(5) At the time of installation, a hole twice the size of the trees root ball must be excavated and backfilled with new 50% soil muck mix.
(6) All guys and staking material shall be removed when the tree is stable and established, but in no case more than one year after initial planting of the tree. Stabilization shall be in accordance with ANSI A-300 and Z-133. Trees shall be re-staked in the event of blow over or other failures of the staking and guying.
(a) Nursery support must be removed at the time of installation; this will not be acceptable as the approved form of staking.
(b) Trees shall be staked every 120 degrees with a biodegradable twine keeping the tree upright or shall have three straps of biodegradable twine keeping the tree upright.
(N) Trees shall be species having an average mature spread of crown of 30 feet or greater and having trunk(s) which can be maintained in a clean condition over six feet of clear wood. Trees having an average mature spread of crown less than 30 feet may be substituted by grouping to create the equivalent of a 30-foot crown spread, this shall not include any non-trees. The average mature canopy spread shall be determined by current University of Florida IFAS extension office publications. City staff reserves the ability to determine the mature canopy spread if a publication cannot be found on any particular species.
(O) In the event canopy requirement cannot be met due to site limitations as determined by city landscape personnel, the equivalent value of the canopy tree shall be deposited into the City's Landscape Fund.
(P) A preferred tree planting list identified by category and type is on file with city landscape personnel. The types of trees on this list may be amended from time to time.
(1) With regards to the approved species lists provided by the city landscape personnel, the scientific name shall take authority over the common name as amended by the scientific community from time to time.
(2) Tree species not on the above approved lists can only be installed with prior written permission from the city.
(3) Palms at a 3:1 ratio minimum ten feet in height, ten feet in spread, planted in close proximity to each other shall be considered as one canopy.
(4) All trees shall be planned to ensure that there is adequate root and canopy space at maturity. Trees planted within ten feet of a paved surface or a form of infrastructure (determined to have an invasive root system) shall require an approved root barrier system.
(5) All shade trees must be located a minimum of 15 feet from streetlight, and palms and small trees must be located a minimum of seven feet six inches away from street light.
(6) Trees shall have a six foot clear trunk to allow unobstructed pedestrian movement under or around tree canopy.
(Q) All species as defined as Category I invasive materials in the most recent document compiled by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) for the south region are prohibited from new installation. An exception may be made if, in the opinion of the city licensed landscape arborist or professional landscape inspector a Category I species will not be harmful in that particular area or to the immediate surrounding environment, it shall be allowed. (Ord. 2021-02, adopted 3-17-21; sought to be reconsidered, Commission passed 4-21-2021; Am. Ord. 2022-02, passed 6-15-22; Am. Ord. 2022, passed 6-18-24)