A. Additions and Expansion Less than 15 Percent
Additions or expansions to a structure or use area in any continuous five-year period that increase the gross square footage of the structure or use area (measured at the beginning of the five-year period) by 15 percent or less shall not require any upgrading of the nonconforming site features identified in Section 155.7502.A.
B. Additions and Expansions Between 15 and 50 Percent
Additions or expansions to a structure or use area in any continuous five-year period that increase the gross square footage of the structure or use area (measured at the beginning of the five-year period) by more than 15 percent but less than 50 percent shall require nonconforming site features identified in Section 155.7502.A to be installed or upgraded towards compliance with the standards of this Code by a corresponding percentage of full compliance, up to achievement of 100 percent compliance.
Example: Under this Code's minimum landscaping standards, an existing development, if built today, would be required to provide 10 canopy trees, but the site only contains 5 canopy trees. If a building in the development is expanded by 30 percent of the gross floor area within the development, the expansion project must add 3 canopy trees (30% x 10 required caliper inches), increasing compliance from 50 percent (5 of 10 required canopy trees) to 80 percent (8 of 10 required canopy trees). A subsequent addition whose size also equals 30 percent of existing building size might seem to call for addition of another 3 canopy trees (30% x 10 required spaces), but actually only 2 new canopy trees would be required to achieve 100% compliance (8 + 2 = 10 canopy trees).
C. Additions and Expansions Greater than 50 Percent
Additions or expansions to a structure or use area in any continuous five-year period that increase the gross square footage of the structure or use area (measured at the beginning of the five-year period) by more than 50 percent shall require all nonconforming site features identified in Section 155.7502.A to be installed or upgraded to achieve 100 percent compliance with the standards of this Code.
D. Additions and Expansions of Outdoor Use Areas Only
When only outdoor operations, storage, and display areas are being added or expanded on a site, the percentage increase in the gross square footage of the outdoor operations, storage, and display areas shall require
perimeter buffers
and screening to be installed or upgraded towards compliance with the standards of this Code by a corresponding percentage of full compliance. The increased
perimeter buffer
and screening shall be located so as to achieve the performance objectives in Section 155.5203, Landscaping, and Section 155.5301, Screening with priority given to screening the impacts of outdoor operations.
(Ord. 2012-64, passed 9-11-12)