§ 152.528 PERIMETER AND STREETSCAPE BUFFER YARDS.
   (A)   Applicability. All land uses as defined in § 152.525 Purpose and Applicability shall provide perimeter   and streetscape   , as defined herein, to separate that use from adjacent land uses.
   (B)   Purpose of buffers. Preserving existing or planting new landscaping shall be provided in order to:
      (1)   Shield properties from any adverse external effects of adjacent , so as to mitigate incompatibilities between adjacent uses;
      (2)   Mitigate from the noise and impacts of major collector and thoroughfare roadways;
      (3)   Preserve ;
      (4)   Preserve or create tree canopy and :
      (5)   Minimize future increases in ; and
      (6)   Improve appearance of .
   (C)   Landscaped or re-vegetated buffers. If the Town Planner determines that there is not an existing or it has been disturbed to the extent it does not meet the specifications herein described, then a re-vegetated shall be installed pursuant to this section.
   (D)   Type and width of required.
      (1)   Table 152.528-1 determines the type and minimum width of existing or landscaped perimeter and streetscape   that must be preserved or installed on-site for each proposed principal land use. types are defined in division (E) of this section.
      (2)   Any side or of any proposed that abuts a residential use or residential district shall provide, in addition to the requirements of Table 152.528-1, a six-foot with 80% opacity. The required by Table 152.528-1 shall be in addition to the required   .
   (E)   Types and required criteria for buffers. The four types of natural and landscaped buffers that appear in Table 152.528-1 are described below along with criteria for each. Each of these types may be achieved by meeting the requirements listed below or by an approved alternative method that meets the performance requirements. The preservation and use of natural is the preferred method of meeting the and landscape requirements, as specified in divisions (F)(4) and (F)(7) of this section.
      (1)   Type A.   For every 50 linear feet, or fraction thereof, the five foot-wide   shall contain: one canopy tree, two under story trees or four under story trees, and six shrubs.
      (2)   Type B. For every 50 linear feet, or fraction thereof, the ten foot-wide   shall contain: two canopy trees or four under story trees, and 12 shrubs.
      (3)   Type C. For every 50 linear feet, or fraction thereof, the 15-foot wide   shall contain: two canopy trees or four under story trees, and twelve shrubs and a six-foot with 80% opacity.
      (4)   Type D. For every 50 linear feet of , or fraction thereof, the ten-foot wide shall contain: one under story tree with sidewalks or planters built within or upon the sidewalk. Sidewalk requirements are detailed in §§ 152.353 and 152.356. Type D   are intended to be used as streetscapes in new subdivisions in addition to required   as listed in Table 152.528-1 .
Table 152.528-1
Minimum Perimeter and Streetscape   Widths
Type
Proposed Type
Perimeter/Streetscape Width
Table 152.528-1
Minimum Perimeter and Streetscape   Widths
Type
Proposed Type
Perimeter/Streetscape Width
Type A
Commercial 10,000 square feet or less; Includes and Multi-   , and parking facilities
5 feet
Type A
and Institutional (Includes Town Facilities) 10,000 square feet or less
5 feet
Type B
Commercial 10,000 square feet or more; Includes and Multi-   , and parking facilities
10 feet
Type B
and Institutional (Includes Town Facilities) 10,000 square feet or more
10 feet
Type C
M-I (Light Industrial)
10 feet
Type D
Streetscape for Residential   or Manufactured Housing
10 feet
 
   (F)   General standards.
      (1)   Coverage. All portions of required perimeter and streetscape   not planted with trees or shrubs or covered by a wall, , or other barrier shall be planted with grass, ground cover, or natural mulch of a minimum depth of three inches.
      (2)   Placement. New plantings comprising the shall be spread across the entire span of the , not planted in a row or rows, and not concentrated in a limited number of clustered locations such that the purpose of the is violated (as defined in division (B) of this section).
      (3)   Location.
         (a)   The perimeter buffers shall be located along the outer perimeter of the parcel and shall extend to the parcel boundary line or line; however, the buffers may be located along shared between parcels in non-residential . Within non-residential centers/ , the perimeter area between outparcels may be shifted totally or in part, elsewhere on the site. For example a 10-foot between like uses may be shifted elsewhere on the site preferably interior to the site as long as the total area is provided for. The intent of this section is to provide for more flexibility in designing sites and potentially save larger natural areas elsewhere on the site.
         (b)   Stormwater management structures may be allowed in a provided that it can be landscaped to meet the intent of the requirements.
         (c)   All perimeter   and streetscape   shall not obstruct the view of motorists using any , private , , or the approach to any intersection so as to constitute a traffic hazard or a condition dangerous to the public safety upon any such , , , or intersection. Existing healthy may be removed and no new plantings shall be installed, within required as noted in §§ 152.265 through 152.277.
      (4)   Existing , , walls, and berms.
         (a)   An existing natural consists of existing , soils, surface waters and topography. Where possible, required buffers should remain in an undisturbed condition; but if the is not a stream or located in a floodplain, some maintenance may be necessary to prevent overgrowth or removal of noxious or poisonous species.
         (b)   Existing healthy and significant within the required shall be preserved where possible and credited toward standards for the type of required, unless otherwise approved by the Town Planner at the time of approval, pursuant to division (F)(7) of this section.
         (c)   Existing soils within the buffers shall remain intact and undisturbed, unless otherwise approved by the Town Planner at the time of approval, pursuant to division (F)(7) of this section.
         (d)   Existing berms, walls, or within the , but not including chain link fencing, may be used in part to fulfill the requirements for the six-foot tall screen where required, provided that these elements are healthy and/or in a condition of good repair.
         (e)   Other existing site features within the required area which do not otherwise function to meet the standards for the required shall be screened from the view of other properties or removed, as determined during review and approval of the .
      (5)   New and other features. If existing significant and other site features do not fully meet the standards for the type of required, then additional and site features shall be planted or installed within the required area in order to meet the criteria outlined in division (E) of this section.
      (6)   No within required buffers. With the exceptions noted in this division (F) and below, the required shall not contain any , , or site features that do not function to meet the standards of this section or that require removal of existing . Grading, , or land-disturbing activities shall not occur within the or within the tree protection area unless approved by the Town Planner.
         (a)   Sidewalks and trails may be placed in buffers provided that damage to existing is minimized.
         (b)   Utilities are not permitted in buffers unless no reasonable alternative exists. If utilities are placed in a , they shall be located and installed in a way that minimizes disturbance of the area (for example, installed not parallel but perpendicular or not less than at a 75 degree angle).
         (c)    may not be placed within a except to cross the where necessary to connect to adjoining properties.
      (7)   Natural area credits. The Town Planner may grant credit for the preservation of existing natural (pursuant to § 152.536) and apply this credit toward meeting perimeter requirements, provided the caliper and quantity of the is equal to or exceeds the specifications herein described. If an existing natural area is to be preserved and used as a required perimeter, but it does not meet the required type as specified in Table 152.528-1 , it must be enhanced to meet the specifications. The final shall have the width, amount of , and other features to properly mitigate negative effects of contiguous land uses.
(Ord. 2005-O3, passed 3-15-2005) (Am. Ord. 2005-O8, passed 7-19-2005; Am. Ord. 2013-O15, passed 7-16-2013; Am. Ord. 2015-O3, passed 9-15-2015)