§ 157.088 LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO ALL DISTRICTS.
   (A)   Unless otherwise directed by the City Council, all plantings shall be placed on the private property on which the development is taking place.
   (B)   All areas not otherwise improved in accordance with approved site plans or subdivisions shall be sodded or seeded and maintained.
   (C)   All off-street parking areas shall include unpaved, landscaped islands at a rate of one island for each 12 parking stalls (the islands do not need to be installed at exact 12-stall intervals, but the total number of required islands must be met by spreading the islands at intervals designed to achieve the desired aesthetic effect of breaking up large expanses of pavement). Each landscaped island shall be 180 square feet in size (eight feet by 18 feet measured from back of curb; eight feet by 37 feet if combined in head-to-head parking row) and shall be contained by a raised concrete curb that meets city standards. Plantings shall include one shade tree and two shrubs per 18-foot island, or two shade or ornamental trees and four shrubs between the two trees per 37-foot islands. Sod or minimum-maintenance groundcover shall be placed on the remainder of the island.
   (D)   The owner shall provide the city with cash, approved letter of credit, or other surety satisfactory to the city to guarantee the proper installation and growth of the approved landscape plan. The performance bond shall be furnished by the developer prior to obtaining a building permit that is equal to the amount of the required landscaping to be installed. The bond may be held by the city for up to one year subsequent to the installation of required landscaping.
   (E)   Root barriers may be required for trees in parking islands or near pavement or utilities, at the discretion of the City Council as recommended by the City Planner or City Engineer.
   (F)   Transition areas between landscaped and sodded areas are required to have landscape edging installed.
   (G)   GROUNDCOVER is defined as minimum-maintenance, low-growing vegetation designed to be planted in lieu of grass, or ornamental rock, wood chips, mulch and the like.
(Ord. passed 12-17-2014)