(a) Purpose. The goal of the landscaping and buffering requirements is to provide an aesthetically pleasing environment for the City through the provision of green space, trees, plantings, and other screening techniques providing the best possible compatibility, integration, and transition between land uses. Landscaping improvements are required along the perimeter of sites, along the streetscape, and within interior portions of parking lots. Landscape plans shall be prepared by a licensed landscape architect in the State of Ohio.
(b) Buffers.
(1) Applicability. Buffers shall be provided between all nonresidential uses as required by the Code. The buffer types are described below. The annotation in the table of A, B, C, refers to the type of buffer. The buffer types are explained in detail in paragraphs (b)(2) through (4) hereof. Although these standards apply to nonresidential development, new residential development built next to existing nonresidential development that does not employ these buffers should consider similar buffering techniques.
(2) Opaque buffer Type A.
A. A Type A buffer is the most dense buffer required. This buffer is to be completely opaque from the ground to six feet above the ground. Buffering shall be provided by an opaque wood fence, stone or brick wall, an earthen berm and plant material with 100 percent opacity from grade to six feet. Planting material shall be installed on the residential side of the wall or fence, and shall include staggered plantings of evergreen, deciduous, and ornamental trees, shrubs and other ornamental perennial or annual foundation plantings, at intervals designed to achieve the required opacity. A minimum of one large shade tree or two small shade trees, one evergreen tree, and five shrubs shall be provided for every fifty linear feet of buffer fence or wall. Acceptable options are shown in Figure 41.
B. When three story or taller residential buildings are permitted in the adjacent property, evergreen trees of at least five feet in height at the time of planting shall be placed along the wall to increase the buffers height to above ten feet at maturity.
FIGURE 41
(3) Semi-opaque buffer, Type B. A Type B buffer is the intermediate buffer. This buffer is to be completely opaque from the ground to three feet above the ground. Buffering shall be provided by plant material and/or some type of structural barrier and/or earthen berm. Plant material shall reach required opacity within two years from planting and shall provide the same level of opacity all year. A combination of three foot high shrubs, masonry wall, or earthen berm and either small trees at thirty foot intervals or medium or large trees at forty foot intervals shall be used to create a buffer. Examples of acceptable options are presented below in Figure 42.
FIGURE 42
(4) Light buffer, Type C. A Type C buffer is the least intense buffer. This buffer is to be at least thirty percent opaque from the ground to six feet above the ground. Buffering shall be provided by plant material and/or some type of structural barrier and/or earthen berm. Plant material shall reach desired maturity within two years of planting and shall provide the same level of buffering all year. A combination of small trees at thirty-foot intervals or large/medium trees at forty-foot intervals and assorted shrubbery or split rail fences shall be used to achieve the required thirty percent opacity. Acceptable options are presented below in Figure 43.
FIGURE 43
(c) Street Screening.
(1) Purpose. The appearance of private development should be subordinate to the transportation function along rights-of-way and the required landscaping along the roadway edges should be designed to direct and enhance the traveling experience. Required mounding shall serve as visual and acoustical barriers along the roadways.
(2) Requirements. Street screening landscaping shall be required for sites that abut public rights-of-way and private streets to minimize the visual impact of large paved areas, parked vehicles, light overflow from vehicle lights, and to create an aesthetically pleasing environment. A combination of the following methods shall be employed to provide year round screening:
A. Earth mounds or berms. Undulating earth mounds shall be approximately three feet to five feet in height and shall have a maximum slope of 2:1 (run:rise). The height of the mound shall be determined by the width of the required parking setback (see Section 1290.02 Location of Parking item (c)) and the maximum slope. Gentler slopes are encouraged when possible to create a more natural appearance and to provide for easier maintenance.
B. Landscaping. Plant material shall be a mixture of deciduous shade trees, evergreen trees, smaller ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers, and others in groupings to form a continuous buffer. Furthermore, continuous mounds with evenly space trees located on the ridges are prohibited.
1. One large shade tree or two small shade trees, one evergreen tree, and ten shrubs shall be provided for every fifty linear feet of streetscape frontage.
2. Plants shall be in groupings to provide a desirable visual effect. Evergreen and ornamental trees shall be used in combination to create variation and provide year round screening.
3. Where parking is permitted closer to the right-of-way than would allow for appropriately sloped earthen mounds, a hedge-type planting is preferred. Mature height shall be approximately forty inches and plants shall be spaced tightly enough to provide a dense screen at maturity.
(3) Sight triangle. A sight triangle defined as the area from the intersection point of a street right-of-way on the lot to a point twenty feet back from this point on the lot lines, shall be required on corner lots at all street intersections.
A. To ensure that traffic visibility is not obstructed and driving hazards not created, visibility between two and ten feet above the ground shall be clear of landscape materials, vehicles, fences, signs, or any other view obstructing structures.
B. The required sight triangle may be excluded for calculation of the required street screening area.
C. Deciduous trees may be permitted within the sight triangle if at maturity a clear distance of ten feet can be achieved, excluding the trunk.
(d) Interior Landscaping for Vehicular Use Areas.
(1) Purpose. Interior landscaping for vehicular use areas should soften the appearance of paved areas, assist in management of stormwater through reduction of impervious surface, and provide shade for nonresidential sites.
(2) Requirements. All new nonresidential developments regardless of type, and all significant alterations, expansions, or renovations to existing nonresidential developments shall provide interior landscaping for vehicular use areas. Interior landscaping for vehicular use areas shall consist primarily of new tree plantings or the preservation of existing trees within the site.
A. Landscape area. An area equal to ten percent of the impervious surface of the vehicular use area shall be designated for interior landscaping.
B. Minimum area. The minimum landscape area permitted within a vehicular use area shall be sixty-four square feet, with a four foot minimum dimension.
C. Maximum contiguous area. In order to encourage the required landscape areas to be properly disbursed, no individual landscape area used to meet the minimum requirement shall be larger than 350 square feet in size for vehicular use areas under 30,000 square feet, and no individual area shall be larger than 1,500 square feet in vehicular use areas over 30,000 square feet. Individual landscape areas larger than above are permitted as long as the additional area is in excess of the required minimum total.
D. Minimum required plantings. The following minimums are required, based upon total ground coverage of vehicular use areas:
1. Not less than one tree for each 100 square feet of required landscape area, or not less than one tree per landscaped area, which ever is greater.
2. Required trees shall have a minimum caliper of two inches at five feet above the ground.
3. Trees shall have a clear trunk of at least five feet above the ground, and the remaining area shall be landscaped with shrubs, or ground cover, not to exceed two feet in height.
E. Vehicle overhang. Parked vehicles may hang over the interior landscaped area no more than two and one-half feet, as long as concrete or other wheel stops are provided to insure no greater overhang or penetration of the landscaped area.
(e) Foundation Plantings.
(1) Purpose. Foundation plantings shall be required along all primary facades to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the site.
(2) Requirements. There is no specified quantity of plantings required; however, a combination of ornamental trees, assorted shrubs, ground covers, and annual plants should be used along all primary facades to enhance the appearance of the building.
(f) Landscape Buffering for Service Structures.
(1) Purpose. Landscaping can reduce the visual impact of unsightly utility and service structures and reduce noise and other nuisance features of these elements by buffering them.
(2) Requirements. All service structures shall be screened from public view or adjacent residential areas. For the purposes of this section, services structures shall include but not be limited to loading docks, propane tanks, dumpsters, electrical transformers, utility vaults extending above grade, and other equipment or elements providing service to a building or a site. Structures may be grouped together; however, screening height shall be based upon the tallest of the structures.
A. Issuance of occupancy permit. As these items are not always included on initial site or building plans, the issuance of an occupancy permit is contingent upon the inspection of these items by the Development Services Director.
B. Screening.
1. A continuous planting, hedge, fence, wall, or earthen mound shall be built to enclose any service structure on all sides unless such structure must be frequently moved or accessed, in which case screening on all but one side is required.
2. Dumpsters shall be screened by a brick or stone wall and have wood doors.
3. The Planning and Zoning Commission may approve other types of screening materials on a case-by-case basis.
C. Curbs to protect screening material. The City Engineer shall determine if a curb is required to protect and contain a trash dumpster or waste collection unit.
(g) Preservation of Existing Landscaping Materials and Wooded Areas. The City encourages the preservation of trees, landscaping, wooded areas, and other natural features to maintain and enhance the natural environment. Developers are encouraged to retain portions of tree stands by using expanded building setbacks and pruning techniques to open views from the road. All nonresidential developments shall comply with Chapter 1266 Preservation of Trees and Wooded Areas.
(h) Landscaping & Hardscaping Materials.
(1) Purpose. The proposed landscape materials should complement the form of the existing trees on site or on adjacent sites if none exist on-site and plantings, as well as the development's general design and architecture.
(2) Applicability. These regulations apply to all landscaping and hardscaping materials installed as part of the requirements of these standards.
(3) Types. The type of shade or sun should be considered in selecting plant materials. The landscaping materials shall consist of the following:
A. Walls and fences. To comply with the existing wall and fence ordinance, for any proposed new nonresidential building, where stone fencing exists, such stone fencing shall be retained and improved as part of the approved landscaping. Walls and fences shall be constructed out of materials that match or coordinate with the building materials on the primary structure.
B. Earth mounds or berms. Earth mounds or berms shall be physical barriers that block or screen a view similar to a hedge, fence, or wall. Mounds shall be constructed with proper and adequate plant material to prevent erosion. A difference in elevation between areas where screening is required does not constitute an existing earth mound. The height of the required mound shall be measured at the elevation adjacent to the use that requires buffering.
C. Plants. Plant materials used in conformance with provision of this chapter shall conform to the standards of the American Association of Nurserymen and shall have passed any inspections required under State regulations.
Artificial plants are prohibited. All plant materials shall be living plants and shall meet the following requirements:
1. Deciduous trees. Trees which normally shed their leaves in the fall shall have a minimum caliper of two inches measured at five feet and be species of small, medium or large maturity size in areas where there is not a visibility concern.
a. In areas with visibility concerns, the trees shall be species of medium, to large maturity size which can eventually maintain five feet of branch free trunk with a minimum two inch caliper.
b. Trees of species with roots that are known to cause damage to public roadways or other public works shall not be planted closer than fifteen feet to such public works, unless the tree root system is completely contained within a barrier for which the minimum interior containing dimensions shall be five feet square and five feet deep and for which the construction requirements shall be four inch thick, reinforced concrete.
2. Evergreen trees shall be a minimum of five feet high at the time of planting.
3. Shrubs and hedges shall be at least three feet in average height when planted and shall conform to the opacity and other requirements within four years after planting.
4. Vines shall be at least twelve inches high at planting, and generally used in conjunction with walls, fences or trellises.
5. Grass or ground cover. Grass of the fescue (Gramineae) or bluegrass (Poaceae) family shall be planted as species normally grown as permanent lawns in central Ohio. They may be sodded or seeded, except in swales or other areas subject to erosion. Where solid sod, erosion reducing net, or suitable mulch shall be used, nurse-grass seed shall be sown for immediate protection until complete coverage is achieved. Grass sod shall be clean and free of weeds and noxious pests or diseases. Ground cover shall be planted in such a manner as to present a finished appearance and seventy-five of complete coverage after two complete growing seasons, with a maximum of eight inches on center. In certain cases, ground cover may consist of sand, and similar approved materials.
(4) Maintenance and installation.
A. All landscaping materials shall be installed in a sound, workmanship-like manner and according to accepted, good construction and planting procedures. The owner of the property shall be responsible for the continued proper maintenance of all landscaping materials and shall keep them in a proper, neat, and orderly appearance, free from refuse and debris at all times. All unhealthy or dead plant material shall be replaced within one year or by the next planting period, whichever comes first. Other defective landscape material shall be replaced or repaired within three months.
B. No required plantings shall be removed by the property owner or agent of the owner unless the planting materials are found to be hazardous, unhealthy, or dead by the City or its agents. If any healthy mature or established plantings as required by this Zoning Code are removed at the discretion of the owner or his or her agent they shall be replaced by the owner with a similar sized planting to those that were removed to maintain a consistent and mature appearance of plantings in that area.
(5) Preservation of existing landscape materials. Existing landscape material shall be shown on the required landscape plan and any material in satisfactory condition may be used to satisfy these requirements in whole or in part when, in the opinion of the City's approval authority, such materials meet the requirements and achieve the objectives of this chapter.
(i) Fencing and Walls.
(1) Purpose. Fences and walls can be used in conjunction with plant material to provide visual breaks between properties, buffer various uses, and enhance the character of a development.
(2) Applicability. These standards apply to all fences and walls installed to meet the requirements of this chapter.
(3) Types.
A. Privacy fencing or walls (100 percent opacity from grade to six feet) may be used as a screen between abutting commercial/industrial sites
B. Decorative or privacy fencing may be used as a screen between commercial/ industrial sites and abutting residential sites if other transitional methods cannot achieve the desired transitions.
C. Fences running parallel to a right-of-way in commercial areas shall be forty or more transparent such as wrought iron or picket or post and rail type fencing or less than forty inches in height.
D. All fences shall be designed or installed so that the finished side of the fence faces out or towards the neighboring property.
(4) Permitted materials.
A. Walls shall be constructed of brick or stone (veneers are permitted) to match the primary material of the primary building.
B. Permitted fence materials are wood, stone, wrought iron, brick, vinyl and PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Wood fences shall be natural, painted, or have a stain finish. Vinyl fence shall incorporate aluminum or galvanized steel supports at the bottom. Vinyl fence shall have minimum thickness of .135 inches (0.3 cm). The hardware shall be stainless steel or galvanized steel and have concealed fasteners. The finished side of the fence shall face the adjacent property or residential area. Post and rail, or other partially transparent fencing may be used in conjunction with vegetative landscaping to create definition to the site.
(j) Retention and Detention Basins.
(1) Purpose. Stormwater management facilities can be designed to enhance the appearance of the City's nonresidential areas and add character and attractive features to the areas.
(2) Applicability. While site topography and engineering standards supersede aesthetics in the case of stormwater management, the aesthetics of these facilities should be considered in site design for nonresidential developments.
(3) Standards. The following standards should apply to the maximum extent feasible based on individual site conditions:
A. Stormwater management basins located adjacent or near roadways should be designed as retention ponds when possible to create visual interest and identity for the roadway and subject developments.
B. Retention ponds shall be designed with the proper safety constraints.
C. Ponds shall require aeration to prevent stagnant water and fountains should be installed to maximize visual interest.
D. Retention ponds shall meet the minimum requirements of the City Engineer.
E. Detention ponds shall be located away from roadways and public view to the maximum extent feasible.
F. Dentition basins shall be seeded and maintained per the City requirements.
G. Detention ponds shall meet the minimum requirements of the City Engineer.
(k) Street Trees.
(1) Purpose. Street trees in the public right-of-way create a unified appearance to major travel routes and contribute to an identity for the City.
(2) Applicability. Street trees shall be planted at regular intervals, as specified along all public streets within the City right-of-way in conjunction with all nonresidential development.
(3) Requirements. All street trees shall be planted or installed by applicants in conformance with the following requirements:
A. No tree species as listed on the Undesirable Tree List shall be planted as a street tree.
B. The minimum spacing required between trees is forty feet for large and medium trees and thirty feet for small trees.
C. The maximum spacing for large trees shall be sixty feet on center.
D. The minimum street tree setbacks shall be determined by the City based on the growth characteristics of the proposed tree, the width of the right-of-way in question, and the required visibility factors for the roadway as determined by the City's engineer.
E. No tree shall be located closer than thirty feet from street intersections or ten feet from fire hydrants and utility poles.
F. Small trees shall be used when planting under or within ten lateral feet of overhead utility wires.
G. Owners/developers shall be required to maintain the trees for one year after the trees are planted and to replace any tree which dies within that one year guarantee period.
H. The minimum trunk caliper measured at five feet above the ground for all street trees shall be two inches.
(4) Landscaping within right-of-way. The occasions when landscaping within the City right-of-way is required for the owner/developer to achieve minimum streetscape requirements, an encroachment agreement between the City and landowner/developer shall be executed and recorded requiring the landowner/developer to maintain the landscaping and waiving any City liability.
(Ord. 2014-27. Passed 8-5-14; Ord. 2015-15. Passed 8-18-15.)