(A) Landscaping in the Interior of Parking Lots. Interior landscaping of parking lots shall be provided in accordance with the following requirements.
(1) For any parking facility designed to accommodate 30 or more vehicles or containing 6,000 square feet of area (including loading areas), a minimum of five percent (5%) of the parking facility shall be planted as landscaped island areas, developed, and reasonably distributed throughout the parking lot to define major circulation aisles and driving lanes and provide visual and climatic relief from broad expanses of pavement, except perimeter plantings may be used to satisfy the requirements in this Section when parking facilities are less than sixty-two (62) feet in width.
(2) Each interior landscaped area shall be no less than 200 square feet. The minimum width for each area shall be ten (10) feet. In all cases, the minimum distance from a tree to the back of curb shall be four (4) feet;
(3) Within the landscaped islands, there shall be provided one medium or large deciduous tree for every 10 parking spaces. Each interior landscape island shall have at least one medium or large deciduous tree. A minimum of 50 percent of the required trees shall be large deciduous trees. Where sight distance or maneuvering conflicts exist, trees shall have a clear trunk of at least five feet above the ground and the remaining required landscape area shall be planted with shrubs or ground cover not to exceed two feet in height.
(4) Shrubs or low, spreading plant materials may be planted within the required landscaped islands provided there is no impairment to the visibility of motorists or pedestrians.
(5) For parking facilities or areas over 30,000 square feet in size, the required landscaping shall be designed to break up the visual expanse of pavement with landscape features such as boulevards, larger landscape islands or areas of preserved on-site native vegetation. This landscaping requirement may also include storm water retention areas or drainage courses if designed to provide an attractive natural asset to the site;
(6) If the specific application of the interior landscape requirements will seriously limit functions of the building site, the Planning Commission shall have authority to permit consolidation and relocation of these landscaped areas on the building site.
(7) Landscaped areas along the perimeter of the parking area, or in any part of a yard, shall not be counted as interior parking lot landscaped areas, except as provided for in subsection (1) above.
(8) For the purpose of this Section, the area of a parking lot shall be the total vehicular use area within the perimeter of the parking facility, including the landscaped islands, parking spaces and all circulation aisles except those with no parking spaces or landscaped islands located on either side. See Figure 1, Parking Lot Interior Calculation.
(B) Perimeter Landscaping Requirements. Perimeter landscaping shall be required along any side of a parking lot that abuts adjoining property that is not a right-of-way.
(1) The landscaped strip shall be the depth of the minimum parking setback set forth in this Zoning Code for the district in which the lot is located, except as otherwise regulated in Article 150.33 Use-Specific Standards and shall be located between the parking area and the abutting property lines.
(2) The landscaped strip shall be planted with one medium or large deciduous or two small deciduous trees for every forty (40) lineal feet of parking lot abutting the property line. The trees shall be arranged within the landscaped strip to create varied and attractive views and do not have to be equally spaced.
(3) This landscaping strip shall be free of any wall, fence, embankment and/or walkway. Such wall, fence, etc. may exist or be constructed on the edge of such landscape strip.
(4) The requirements of this subsection shall not apply where cross-access and/or shared parking is provided between parking facilities on adjoining lots and where planting is required for screening pursuant to § 150.398, Buffering and Screening between Districts and Uses.
(Ord. 2023-03, passed 2-27-2023)