(A) New development shall provide landscaping and bufferyards as provided in § 153.404: Landscape Requirements.
(B) Existing vegetation shall be preserved in accordance with acceptable nursery industry procedures. Existing vegetation to remain shall be included and identified in the landscape plan and shall be fenced off and protected during site construction.
(C) Landscape designs shall include seasonal color and plant material variety. Seasonal colors shall be incorporated into the landscape requirements through the use of perennials, ornamental grasses, and shrubs.
(D) The following items are suitable for landscape and bufferyard use individually or in combination with each other provided they create an effective planting, subject to review and approval by the Planning Commission.
(1) Walls and fences.
a) When walls or fences are used to fulfill screening requirements, they shall be detailed on the plan.
b) Walls and fences are to be of aesthetic, durable, weather-proof materials.
c) Concrete and masonry walls shall be clad in brick or other materials acceptable to the city.
d) Fencing constructed from wood includes the painting/staining of pressure treated lumber, if it is not redwood or cedar, and shall use aluminum, galvanized, or stainless steel hardware.
e) Chain link fences with or without wooden or synthetic slat material shall not be permitted when used to satisfy landscaping or bufferyard requirements.
(2) Plants.
a) All plants are to be living and part of the acceptable plant list found in § 153.407: Plant Lists or as identified as acceptable plant material with the applicable hardiness in the USDA Agricultural Zone for the city and as approved by the city.
b) Plant material used in conformance with the provision of this section shall conform to the standards of the American Association of Nurserymen and shall have passed any inspection required under state regulations.
c) Trees and shrubs shall be installed as balled and burlapped or in containers. Vines and ground covers can be planted as bare root or in containers.
d) Nursery stock identification tags shall not be removed from any planting prior to final inspection and approval by the city.
e) As plant material is calculated to determine required quantities to meet the city's standards, quantities shall be determined by the fraction of the number and increased to the next whole number.
f) The following are specific standards for plant material:
i) Group A: Canopy trees.
A. Group A trees referred to in Table 404-1: Landscape and Bufferyard Requirements shall be deciduous trees that must be a minimum caliper of at least two inches at the time of planting with a single central leader conforming to nursery industry standards. These include trees that have an average mature crown spread and height of greater than 25 feet and have trunks which can be maintained with over five feet of clear wood in areas which have visibility requirements, except at driveways and intersections where an eight foot clear wood height is required.
B. In the case of special conditions which would not allow sufficient room for the mature crown spread required (i.e., building wall adjoining a bufferyard, overhead utilities, etc.), an accepted cultivar of upright species may be substituted.
C. If Group A trees are required as part of the city's tree preservation ordinance, the minimum caliper for any tree shall be in accordance with such ordinance.
D. Section 153.407: Plant Lists identifies a sample of acceptable plant material species to be used. Other species may be used if identified as appropriate for this region by a licensed landscape architect or certified horticulturist and approved by the city.
ii) Group B: Small/ornamental trees.
A. Group B trees referred to in Table 404-1: Landscape and Bufferyard Requirements shall be deciduous trees that must be a minimum caliper of at least two inches at the time of planting with a single central leader conforming to nursery industry standards, unless identified as a multi-stem tree.
Multi-stem trees shall have a minimum of three stems that are at least 1-1/2" caliper and a minimum height of eight feet. These include trees that have an average mature crown spread and height of less than 25 feet and have trunks which can be maintained with over five feet of clear wood in areas which have visibility requirements, except at driveways and intersections where such trees shall not be allowed.
B. If Group B trees are required as part of the city's tree preservation ordinance, the minimum caliper for any tree shall be in accordance with such ordinance.
C. Section 153.407: Plant Lists identifies a sample of acceptable plant material species to be used. Other species may be used if identified as appropriate for this region by a licensed landscape architect or certified horticulturist and approved by the city.
iii) Group C: Evergreen trees.
A. Group C trees referred to in Table 404-1: Landscape and Bufferyard Requirements shall be a minimum of six feet in height with a minimum spread of four feet at the time of planting and shall be unsheared, full, and branched to the ground. These include evergreen trees that have an average height of 20 feet or greater.
B. Evergreen plantings shall be designed to provide an effective, dense screen by planting evergreen trees at a maximum distance apart from each other equal to one-half the width of the proposed evergreen tree width.
C. If such evergreen trees are required as part of the tree replacement program of the city, the minimum height of said evergreen trees shall be ten feet at installation.
D. Section 153.407: Plant Lists identifies a sample of acceptable plant material species to be used. Other species may be used if identified as appropriate for this region by a licensed landscape architect or certified horticulturist and approved by the city.
iv) Group D: Shrubs (large).
A. Group D shrubs (deciduous and evergreen) installed for screening shall be a minimum 36 inches in height and 24 inches in spread at the time of planting and shall have a minimum height of six feet which is achieved within four years after the date of the final approval of each planting. They shall be installed no smaller than a three gallon container.
B. Ornamental grasses are also acceptable, however they shall be incorporated with deciduous and evergreen shrubs.
C. All shrubs designed as hedges for screening shall be designed to provide an effective, dense screen.
D. There shall be a balanced use of deciduous and evergreen shrubs, and a mix of cultivars.
E. Section 153.407: Plant Lists identifies a sample of acceptable plant material species to be used. Other species may be used if identified as appropriate for this region by a licensed landscape architect or certified horticulturist and approved by the city.
v) Group E: Shrubs (small).
A. Group E shrubs (deciduous and evergreen) required to be installed for reasons other than a dense hedge for screening, such as interior landscape for vehicle use areas, shall be installed no smaller than a three-gallon container. There shall be a balanced use of deciduous and evergreen shrubs, and a mix of cultivars.
B. Ornamental grasses are also acceptable; however, they shall be incorporated with deciduous and evergreen shrubs.
C. Section 153.407: Plant Lists identifies a sample of acceptable plant material species to be used. Other species may be used if identified as appropriate for this region by a licensed landscape architect or certified horticulturist and approved by the city.
vi) Turf grass or ground covers.
A. Turf grass of the Fescue (Gramineak), Bluegrass (Poaceae), or Ryegrass (Lolium) shall be planted in species normally grown as permanent lawns in Hamilton County.
B. In swales or other areas subject to erosion, solid sod, erosion reducing net, or suitable mulch and temporary seeding shall be used for immediate protection until complete coverage otherwise is achieved.
C. Turf grass shall be sown or placed in any area not landscaped or paved.
D. Ground cover plant materials are plants that are ground hugging plant material (i.e. English Ivy, Myrtle, etc.).
E. Ground cover plants shall be planted in such a manner as to provide 75 percent complete coverage after two growing seasons, but in no circumstance shall planting be more than 12 inches on center to create a finished appearance.
F. Plants that provide storm water filtration are allowable within detention facilities.
(3) Earth mounds.
a) Earth mounds, constructed of earthen materials, may be used as physical barriers which block or screen a view in conjunction with plant material. A difference in elevation between areas requiring screening does not constitute an earth mound.
b) The maximum side slope shall be three horizontal feet to one vertical foot (3:1) and the design shall be reviewed by the Building Official to ensure that proper erosion prevention and control practices have been utilized.
c) Earth mounds shall be designed with physical variations in height and alignment throughout their length.
d) Landscape plant materials installed on earth mounds shall be arranged in an irregular pattern to accentuate the physical variations in height and alignment throughout the length of the mound.
e) Earth mounds shall be located and designed to minimize the disturbance of existing trees located on the site or adjacent thereto.
f) No part of any earth mound, which is elevated more than 30 inches above natural grade, shall be located within ten feet of any right-of-way.
g) Adequate trees, shrubs, grass, and/or ground cover shall be used and maintained to prevent erosion of the earth mound.
h) Topsoil shall be placed over all earth mounds at a depth of four inches to facilitate grass and/or ground cover growth on the mound.
(4) Landscape bedding surface.
a) Landscape bed areas shall not contain bare soil.
b) All landscape bed areas shall be covered with hardwood mulch, grass, ground cover, or plant material.
c) All plant materials will be mulched with shredded hardwood mulch (minimum 3 inch depth), or approved equal.
d) Decorative stone mulch may be approved as an accent mulch at no more than 10 percent of the landscape bed areas on the site.
e) Plant material massings will be incorporated into mulch beds and mulch beds shall be indicated on the landscape plan.
(E) Diversity of plant material.
(1) When fewer than 20 trees are required on a site, at least two different species shall be utilized in roughly equal proportions.
(2) When 20 to 40 trees are required on a site, at least three different species shall be utilized in roughly equal proportions.
(3) When more than 40 trees are required on a site, at least four different species shall be utilized in roughly equal proportions.
(4) Required shrubs shall utilize the same diversity requirements as stated above.
(5) Large mass plantings of a single plant species will not be acceptable.
(F) Plant size measurement for installation.
(1) All plant materials installed at a specified height shall be measured from the top of the root ball to the top of the mass of the plant (not the highest branch, limb, etc.).
(2) The required caliper measurement for a tree trunk shall be taken six inches above the ground up to and including four-inch caliper size. If the caliper at six inches above the ground exceeds four inches, the caliper should be measured at 12 inches above the ground.
(Ord. 4-2016, passed 3-2-16; Am. Ord. 04-2020, passed 1-15-20)