Landscaping within parking areas, whether ground cover or upright plant material, is necessary not only to reduce the generation of heat and water runoff, but to break up, visually, the expanse of paved areas. The use of parking islands or peninsulas strategically placed throughout the parking lot is required to landscape parking lot interiors. The use of shade trees in these landscape areas is required. All off-street parking areas containing more than 6,000 square feet of area, or 20 or more vehicular parking spaces, whichever is less, shall provide areas of landscaping plantings of grass, shrubs or trees according to the following minimum requirements:
(a) An area equal to five percent (5%) of the total area devoted to parking space and parking lanes shall be landscaped and permeable. Parking lots shall also have a perimeter buffer of a minimum of five feet with a vertical six inch concrete curb on the parking lot side. The perimeter buffer shall contain elements such as mounding, trees, ground cover and shrubs that will achieve an effective, continuous screen of a height of at least three feet at maturity. Mounding shall not exceed a 3 to 1 slope.
(b) Two trees shall be installed for every 6,000 square feet of total ground covered by pavement. To retain visibility, deciduous trees have a clear trunk of at least five feet above the ground. The remaining area shall be landscaped with hardwood mulch, shrubs, and/or ground cover, not to exceed two feet in height. Trees shall be planted at least four feet from the edge of pavement where vehicles overhang.