(A) Landscaping and buffer strip requirements are established to improve the appearance of vehicular use areas, outdoor storage yards and utility areas; to require buffering between incompatible land uses; to protect the character and value of surrounding areas; and reduce noise pollution, air pollution, heat and artificial light glare.
(B) Where any property being developed for commercial, business or industrial purposes shall abut a residential district, the owner or developer of the business or industrial property or his or her agent shall cause to be planted on the common boundary an evergreen buffer strip consisting of one row of evergreen trees no more than 15 feet apart and one row of dense shrubs at least five feet apart. The trees shall be at least five feet in height and the shrubs two feet in height at the time of installation.
(C) The owner or developer of any new or expanded mobile home park or Planned Development, or his or her agent, shall cause to be planted a buffer strip described in division (B) above along the boundaries of the park or Planned Development that abut other uses.
(D) Outdoor storage areas shall be screened from abutting properties by a landscape screen consisting of one row of large evergreen shrubs spaced at least five feet apart or one row of evergreen trees spaced at least ten feet apart located between the required fence and the property line.
(E) Outdoor activity areas for kindergartens, service station yards and outdoor utility areas and similar uses shall be screened from abutting properties by a landscape screen consisting of one row of large evergreen shrubs spaced at least five feet apart located between the required fence and the property line.
(F) Off-street parking areas shall be screened on the sides and rear by a landscape screen consisting of one row of large evergreen shrubs spaced at least five feet apart located between the parking lot and property line.
(G) Landscaping shall be required along any front or side property line that abuts the right-of-way of a street, road or highway. The landscaping shall be provided as follows.
(1) A landscaping strip of at least six feet in depth shall be located between the abutting right- of-way and any off-street parking, loading or other vehicular use areas, except where driveway openings are to be provided.
(2) The landscaping strip shall be planted in accordance with the following standards: one hardwood tree shall be planted for each 40 linear feet of the landscaping strip. Trees in this strip must have all branches removed to a height of six feet and be at least two inches in diameter.
(H) The Zoning Enforcement Officer shall maintain a list of recommended plant materials for use in buffer strips and landscape screens.
(I) The developer should make every reasonable effort to preserve existing vegetation. By preserving existing vegetation, potential erosion and sedimentation are minimized and vegetated buffer zones for the use of the residents are provided. The Planning Board may allow the developer to substitute suitable existing vegetation for specific requirements (or any part thereof) of divisions (A) through (F) above.
(Ord. passed 9-10-1984; Ord. passed 8-27-2019)