The following requirements are considered to be minimum and shall be approved on the basis of a landscape plan submitted by the applicant to the Building Official, accompanied, when required, by a guarantee approved by the City Attorney, and installed as per the approved plan.
(A) The amount and type of material shall be based on a point system determined by the square footage of a lot not covered by a building. In phased development, the Planning Commission shall determine lot area for the purpose of this subchapter. Trees, shrubs, grass and ground cover, both existing and proposed, shall receive points towards landscape requirements according to the following table:
LANDSCAPE MATERIAL POINTS TABLE
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New Landscape Material (Points) | Existing Mature Landscape Material (Points) | ||
LANDSCAPE MATERIAL POINTS TABLE
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New Landscape Material (Points) | Existing Mature Landscape Material (Points) | ||
Grass | 1 square yard | 10 | 10 |
Large trees | A minimum mature spread of 45 feet. Conifers which reach a mature height over 20 feet | 2,000 | 5,000 |
Live ground cover | 1 square yard | 100 | 300 |
Medium trees | A minimum mature spread of 25 feet. Conifers reaching a mature height of at least 20 feet | 1,000 | 2,500 |
Opaque hedge | Minimum 15 lineal feet, minimum 5 feet in height | 500 | 1,000 |
Shrubs | A minimum mature height of 2 feet | 250 | 500 |
Small trees | A minimum mature spread of 15 feet. Conifers reaching a mature height of less than 3 feet | 500 | 1,500 |
EXAMPLE: Lot = 20,000 square feet Structure = 7,000 square feet 20,000 square feet -7,000 square feet = 13,000 square feet not covered by a building 13,000 points of material needed Possible solution to required points: 4 new large trees @ 2,000 points each = 8,000 points 20 new small shrubs @ 250 points each = 5,000 points TOTAL = 13,000 points | |||
(B) In large parking lots of 50 spaces and more, interior planter areas shall be provided, at a ratio of 200 square feet for every 50 spaces, shall contain trees and shrubs. Exception: Upon application, new and/or used vehicle dealer lots may be exempted in whole or in part, by the Planning Commission.
(C) To prevent traffic hazards, landscaping in sight triangles required by the zoning ordinance (ten feet at accessways, 30 feet at the intersection of two or more rights-of-way) shall provide unobstructed cross-visibility level between three and six feet.
(D) The owner of the building or his or her manager or agent shall be responsible for the maintenance of all landscape areas which shall be maintained so as to present a healthy, neat and orderly appearance at all times and shall be kept free from refuse and debris. Maintenance shall include the replacement of all dead plant material.
(E) If at the time of final inspection all the requirements of this subchapter have not been satisfactorily completed, a certificate of occupancy shall not be issued unless a guarantee has been provided.
(Prior Code, § 19-102) (Ord. 698, passed 3-18-1991)