(A) Types of screens for side and rear yards. For purposes of administering the requirements of this subchapter, the following definition shall apply:
(1) TYPE A SCREENING. There shall be a minimum six-foot buffer yard and a decorative fence or wall which is a minimum of six feet in height as measured from the elevation at the lot line. The fence or wall shall be a decorative fence or wall that meets the design standards of § 154.214(B).
(2) TYPE B SCREENING. This screen shall consist of a buffer yard of at least ten feet in width. Within the buffer yard there shall be plantings of one tree and three shrubs for every 40 linear feet along the length of the property line between the adjacent uses. Shrubs shall be at least of medium height for buffer areas. Small shrubs used in combination with a berm to achieve an overall height of four feet may be substituted for the required plantings.
(3) TYPE C SCREENING. The screen shall consist of a buffer yard of at least 15 feet in width. Along the property line between land uses there shall be a decorative fence or wall which is a minimum of six feet in height as measured from the elevation at the lot line. The fence or wall shall be a decorative fence or wall that meets the design standards of section § 154.214(B).
(4) TYPE D SCREENING. The screen shall consists of a buffer yard at least 15 feet in width.
Within the buffer yard, there shall be a continuous planting of evergreen trees or any type of shrubs from the approved list in the village's tree ordinance, of at least medium height. The screen should be expected to reach a height of six feet or greater in three years. The plant material should be three feet in height when planted and there shall be no gap greater than four feet apart when planted. A combination of a berm and small shrubs or evergreen trees may be used to achieve the required minimum six feet for the height of the screen.
(5) TYPE E SCREENING. The screen shall consist of a buffer yard at least 25 feet in width. Within the buffer yard there shall be plantings of bushes and trees equal to one tree and three shrubs per 30 linear feet. Plantings may be clustered or in a continuous arrangement. Trees and shrubs used in the Type E buffer shall be from the plant list, which is available for inspection in the office of the Village Clerk, of trees for buffer areas and shrubs shall be at least of medium height approved for buffer areas. Small shrubs used in combination with a berm to achieve an overall height of at least six feet when the plantings mature, may be substituted for the required plantings.
(6) TYPE F SCREENING. This screening shall consist of a buffer yard at least 25 feet in width. Within the buffer yard, there shall be planting screen equal to Type D screening. There shall be a fence or wall which is a minimum of six feet in height as measured from the elevation at the lot line. The fence
or wall shall be a decorative or non-decorative material. The fence shall be 75% or more opaque and the planting shall be located on the lower impact side of the buffer yard.
(7) Commentary.
(a) Type A and B screens are intended for buffering between land uses where there is generally a low level of land use conflict. The main purpose is to provide privacy and to create a visual barrier. Type A screens with a fence may be more appropriate for developments with space constraints. The Type B screen relies on landscaping to achieve this effect. Additional yard area is required.
(b) Type C, D, and E screens are intended to buffer between residential uses and medium impact uses, such as more intense traffic, noise, litter, and size of development. These screens are necessary not only as a visual barrier but to minimize the negative impacts from the more intense uses. The types of fence and landscaping are taller and wider. Type F screen is for high impact uses. They may also be used for areas with potentially hazardous materials or dangerous equipment. A fence is also required. As long as the planting screen is visible to soften the appearance, the fence does not need to be a decorative type fence.
(B) Screening requirements along side and rear lot lines. Whenever land uses or various intensities are adjacent to one another, screening shall be provided in accordance with the following table:
No Impact | Low Impact | Medium Impact | High Impact | |
No Impact | No Screening | A or B | C, D or E | F |
Low Impact | A or B | No Screening | C, D or E | F |
Medium Impact | C, D or E | C, D or E | No Screening | C, D or E |
High Impact | F | F | C, D or E | No Screening |
(C) Classification of low, medium and high impact uses. For purposes of determining the appropriate screen, uses shall be classified in accordance with the uses listed below.
(1) No impact. Single-family residential; two-family residential; parks; agriculture.
(2) Low impact. Mobile (manufactured) homes; multi-family home; office buildings less than 6,000 square feet; religious institutions; schools and colleges; government buildings; libraries; personal services less 6,000 square feet; retail uses less than 6,000 square feet; automobile sales display areas, outdoors; accessory parking lots.
(3) Medium impact. Retail; office building and institutional uses and facilities between 6,000 square feet and 100,000 square feet; commercial uses not low impact; restaurants and taverns; hospitals; hotels/motels; commercial recreation; auto service uses; drive-in uses; warehouse/manufacturing totally indoor; power substations; arenas for less than 2,000 persons.
(4) High impact.
(a) Retail, office and public facilities greater than 100,000 square feet; manufacturing with outdoor activity; truck terminals; outdoor storage of building supplies, contractor equipment or recycling centers; storage of inoperable autos/major auto repair; power plants, treatment facilities and other similar utilities; concrete batch plants.
(b) Note: A fence is not required for high impact retail.
(D) Buffer yard requirements for front yards. Whenever any higher impact use abuts a lower impact use, the following requirements shall apply:
(1) Low and medium impact uses. If a parking lot is located in between the street and building for which screening is required, then requirements for parking lot screening shall satisfy requirements for front yard buffers. If there is no parking lot between the street and building for which screening is required, then the required front yard setback shall be equal to the front yard setback of the adjacent residential district with screening in accordance with requirements for parking lot screening along the street side.
(2) High impact uses. The front yard setback for high impact uses shall be equal to the front yard setback of the adjacent residential district. No parking lot shall be located within this front yard setback. The setback shall be landscaped in accordance with requirements for parking lot perimeters except that any area visible from the public right-of-way that is used for loading, mechanical equipment, outdoor storage (not outdoor sales), or trash disposal shall be screened equivalent to a Type F screen.
(E) Buffer yards design requirements.
(1) At least 90% of the buffer yard required by this subchapter shall be kept free of obstructions including, but not limited to, outside storage, accessory structures, active recreational uses, and service areas. There shall be no parking permitted in required buffer yards. No parking or access drives are permitted in the buffer yards. Any encroachment in the buffer yard shall be screened in accordance with requirements for utilitarian areas.
(2) Buffer yards shall be required to have a groundcover with a minimum of 75% living grass or other groundcover from the village's tree ordinance. The remaining area may be nonliving, consisting of bark, wood chips, decorative rock or stone, or other similar material.
(3) If all or any part of the buffer requirements regarding fence, walls or landscaping is provided on the adjacent property at the time the building permit is approved, the proposed uses must provide only that amount of the buffer which is not provided on the adjacent property regardless of whether the buffer on the adjacent yard is maintained.
(F) Requirements for buffer yards next to vacant property.
(1) When the adjacent property is vacant and zoned or designated in the Land Use Plan for a lower impact use, a minimum of only 50% of the required buffer yard shall be required. In no case, however, shall such buffer yard be less than the minimum yard requirements in the underlying zoning district.
(2) The term VACANT as used herein means that there is no structure, or vehicular surface area within 200 feet, or any outstanding approved village permit or final plat for the construction of the same, from any common property line of the developing property and the adjoining property. Public parks or common open space shall not be considered as VACANT land.
(3) When a lower impact development is constructed adjacent to an existing higher impact use or to vacant land or designated on the Land Use Plan as a nonresidential use, the required rear or side setback adjoining the nonresidential use shall be no less than 50% of the required buffer yard.
(G) Buffer yards and screening requirements for existing uses. When an existing use increases the amount of square feet in the building by 25% or more, the following requirements shall apply:
(1) If the expansion occurs on an adjacent lot, requirements for buffer yards and new lots shall apply as it would for a new use.
(2) If the expansion or change in use occurs on the same lot as the existing building, the buffer yards may be reduced to the setback of the existing building. The type of screen, would be required in accordance with the table in § 154.211(B).
(Ord. 2020-O-3, passed 2-18-2020)