Landscaping for any outdoor parking area shall be provided around the perimeter as indicated in the matrix in Section 1175.10. Parking areas containing six (6) spaces or larger shall provide for perimeter landscaping. Parking areas containing more than 6,000 square feet of area or 20 or more vehicular parking spaces, whichever is less, shall provide interior landscaping of the peninsular or island types of uncompacted, well-drained soil as well as perimeter landscaping. For each 100 square feet or fraction thereof of parking area, at least five square feet of landscape area shall be provided.
(a) Interior Landscape Requirements.
(1) Minimum area. The minimum landscape area permitted shall be 64 sq. ft. with a four-foot minimum dimension to all trees from edge of pavement where vehicles overhang.
(2) Maximum contiguous area. In order to encourage the required landscape areas to be properly dispersed, no individual landscape area shall be larger than 350 square feet in size in parking areas less than 30,000 square feet and no individual area shall be larger than 1,500 square feet in parking areas over 30,000 square feet. In both cases, the least dimension of any required area shall be four feet minimum dimension to all trees from edge of pavement where vehicles overhang. Individual landscape areas larger than above are permitted as long as the additional area is in excess of the required minimum total.
(b) Minimum Tree Specifications.
(1) A 1¾" diameter tree for medium and large trees and 1¼" diameter tree for small trees (as measured 6 inches above ground) shall be planted for each 5,000 sq. ft. of total ground coverage, structures and pavement for vehicular use. Each island in a vehicular use area shall contain at least one (1) tree. Refer to Plant List for listing of trees.
(2) To retain visibility, trees shall have a clear trunk of at least five feet above the ground. The remaining area shall be landscaped with shrubs, and/or ground cover, not to exceed three feet (3') in height.
(c) Perimeter Landscaping for Parking Lots. Parking lots shall have perimeter buffer zones of a minimum width of 6½ feet containing evergreen plant material that will achieve an effective, dense screen of a height of at least three feet at the time of installation. Perimeter buffer zone shall also contain deciduous trees.
(d) Vehicle Overhang. Parked vehicles may not hang over the interior landscaped area. Concrete or other wheel stops shall be provided to ensure no overhang or penetration on the landscaped area.
(e) Grass or ground cover shall be planted on all portions of the easements not occupied by other landscaped material. Such material fulfills required interior or perimeter landscaping.
(f) A system which provides irrigation to all planted materials shall be installed at the time of installing plantings.
(Ord. 45-08. Passed 12-15-08.)