(A) Applicability. The following requirements apply to all landscaping and buffers installed under this subchapter.
(1) Plant materials.
(a) All tree and plant material selections shall be native or adaptable to the Swansboro region and its climate.
(b) The town recognizes Crape Myrtle as a widely planted species. The practice of topping such species is discouraged. Topping of this species can contribute to a decline in tree cover canopy and is in direct conflict with the goals of this section. Minimum pruning to develop the crape myrtle’s natural tree form is encouraged.
(c) A recommended plant materials list is provided in Appendix I.
(2) Plant size. The following are the minimum required sizes at planting:
(a) Shrubs: minimum of three gallons and 12 inches in height.
(b) Understory trees: six feet in height.
(c) Canopy trees: three inch in caliper, 12 feet in height.
(3) Berms. All berms used in a perimeter
, streetscape
or other landscape area shall meet all of the following design standards:
(a) The slope of all berms shall not exceed a 2:1 ratio (horizontal to vertical), shall have a top width at least one-half the berm height, and a maximum height of four feet above the toe (top) of the berm. The Town Planner shall approve all berms. Berms proposed to be greater than four feet in height may be permitted if deemed appropriate by the Town Planner.
(b) Proposed berms to be placed over an existing or proposed utility
(s) shall be approved by the Town Planner;
(c) Berms shall be vegetated as required by this section. Berms must be stabilized with ground cover to prevent erosion and sedimentation. It is strongly discouraged to use berms as a substitute for existing healthy
. However, if berms are allowed to replace existing
which already meets the standards in this section then they must also meet the standards and must be approved by the Town Planner; and
(d) Berms shall in no case damage the roots of existing healthy
designated to be preserved.
(4) Installation standards.
(a) All required landscaping shall be installed in a manner that insures the availability of sufficient soil and water for healthy growth and that is not intrusive to aboveground and underground utilities.
(b) In order to reduce the damage to root systems of existing
within streetscapes, buffers or any other tree save areas, designation of planned utility connection corridors is required to be shown on all plans to coordinate the location of electrical, telephone, cable and other similar utilities.
(c) Understory trees are required to be substituted for canopy trees whenever located within 25 feet of an overhead utility line.
(d) Nothing shall be planted or installed within an underground or overhead utility
or a
without the consent of the Town and the
holder at the time of
approval.
(e) Tree planting in or about sidewalks and pavement areas with inappropriate tree species and inadequate soil volume may create damage to sidewalks and pavement and block light penetration to the pavement, preventing rapid evaporation of precipitation. To avoid potential damage to sidewalks and pavement and pooling of precipitation from such situations, a minimum soil volume of two cubic feet shall be reserved per one square foot of crown spread for every tree proposed for planting near sidewalks and pavement areas. The circumference of the tree planting area shall be protected with either mulch mounds or tree grates that will prevent root damage. Detail of this ratio must be included on the landscape plan.
(f) A minimum of 300 square feet of pervious ground area per canopy tree shall be provided (understory trees may be allowed in less area but no less than 240 square feet). Any planting area bounded by an
should be at least ten feet wide. No canopy tree should be planted closer than five feet to a sidewalk, paved areas or other
(other types of trees may be closer).
(g) Culverts, rip rap structures, holding ponds, and other stormwater- related devices must be landscaped to reduce their visual impacts. This landscape screening must consist of evergreen plantings and be part of the approved landscape plan.
(Ord. 2005-O3, passed 3-15-2005) (Am. Ord. 2005-O8, passed 7-19-2005; Am. Ord. 2013-O15, passed 7-16-2013)