All rules, regulations, conditions, and requirements set forth in this section are applicable as follows:
(A) Any development or construction with required yards in all zoning are subject to these regulations;
(B) A final landscape plan shall not be required for single-family or duplex development;
(C) Any alteration to existing building(s), development(s), or construction that alters the amount of gross floor area of the structure or building shall be required to come into compliance with landscaping requirements as follows:
(1) Any alteration to existing building(s), development(s), or construction that alters the amount of gross floor area of the structure or building shall require a minimum of ten points of landscaping be installed, plus two points of landscaping for every additional parking space provided for the building addition;
(2) The entire property shall come into compliance with the landscape code when the size of the building addition exceeds 100% of the size of the existing structure or building;
(3) If the site (including proposed building addition and parking areas) meets or exceeds current landscape standards, additional landscaping shall not be required; and
(4) If the site has insufficient green space to provide required landscaping, up to 10% of the number of parking spaces required for a building addition may be used for landscaping, however point values increase from two to ten points for each substituted parking space.
(D) The property owner, manager, or property owners’ association is responsible, in perpetuity, for maintaining all landscaping by keeping lawns mowed, all plants properly groomed and maintained as disease-free, and planting beds groomed, except in naturally occurring dense growths of underbrush or shrubs;
(E) An inspection of all plantings to ensure compliance with the submitted landscape plan is required prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy;
(F) (1) Nothing herein shall affect in any way the rights of, or exercise by, any public utility or city department of its present and future acquired rights to clear trees and other growth from lands used by the public utility or city department.
(2) The utility or city department shall cooperate and coordinate with the city when clearing or pruning in the rights-of-way.
(G) Landscaping within rights-of-way;
(1) Up to 25% of the required landscaping may be placed in the street right-of-way. The type and location of vegetation shall not interfere with utilities and the safe and efficient flow of street traffic. Approval by the appropriate city departments responsible for street and utilities shall be required; and
(2) No trees or shrubs shall be placed in the sight triangle for street intersection or street and driveway intersections as required in the § 155.182.
(H) Nothing herein shall reduce the lines of sight and traffic visibility standards adopted in this chapter. Plantings within 25 feet of an intersection shall not exceed a height of 18 inches;
(I) All pervious surface areas of public and private parks, playgrounds, playing fields, and other outdoor recreation facilities shall be excluded from the calculation of site points as required by these regulations;
(J) Property owners in all zoning districts shall be responsible for landscaping the area between the street rights-of-way line and the curb-line. In addition, this area shall not be hard-surfaced, other than a permitted driveway or sidewalk, and it shall not be used for parking;
(K) Any plant material shall meet the size requirements in § 155.300(A)(3);
(L) Turf grass shall be planted in such a manner as to completely cover all exposed areas of soil after one full growing season;
(M) No disturbed ground shall be left exposed. Grass and other approved and appropriate ground covers or mulch shall cover all non-paved and non-built developed area; and
(N) The homeowner, property owner, manager, property owners’ association, or homeowners’ association shall:
(1) Maintain the landscaping by keeping lawns mowed, all plants properly groomed and maintained as disease-free, and planting beds groomed, except in naturally occurring dense growths of shrubs or undergrowth; and
(2) Replace any required planting(s), which have been removed, are diseased, or no longer living within one year or the first planting season, whichever occurs first, except those in naturally occurring dense growths of shrubs or undergrowth.
(Ord. passed 2-3-2011, § 2.32.040; Ord. passed 2-16-2017)