(A) Generally.
(1) Any part of a commercial, industrial, institutional or apartment lot which is not used for structures, loading areas, parking spaces and aisles, sidewalks and designated storage areas shall be provided with an all-season, well-maintained vegetative groundcover, and shall be landscaped with trees and shrubs.
(2) Landscaped areas shall be kept free of debris, rubbish and noxious weeds.
(C) Street trees. As part of the creation of a new nonresidential lot or the construction of a new principal nonresidential building, or development of parking area for six or more parking spaces, deciduous shade street trees shall be planted between such lot lines, building and/or parking area and any adjacent public street(s). This requirement shall not apply along street segments where existing healthy trees will be preserved and protected during construction that will serve the same purpose.
(1) Number. A minimum average of one such tree shall be planted for each 50 feet of length of street right-of-way around the lot.
(2) Location. Such trees may be placed immediately outside of the street right-of-way, or an alternative location acceptable to the township.
(3) Sidewalks and utilities. Such street trees shall be planted in a manner approved by the township to avoid conflicts with sidewalks and utilities.
(4) Buffer. Where shade trees may be required under the buffer yard provisions, the same tree may be used to count towards both requirements.
(5) Street trees. The street trees shall meet the requirements of division (D) below.
(6) Agricultural lot. This requirement for street trees shall not apply for an agricultural lot.
(D) Parking lot landscaping.
(1) A minimum of one deciduous tree shall be required for every 15 new off-street parking spaces.
(2) If a lot will include 30 or more new parking spaces, landscaped islands shall be provided within auto parking areas. Otherwise, the trees may be planted around the parking area.
(3) Deciduous trees required by this section shall meet the following standards:
(a) Type of trees permitted.
1. Required trees shall be chosen from the following list of approved street trees, unless the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the township that another type of tree would shade paved areas, be resistant to disease, road salt and air pollution and be attractive.
Types of Deciduous Trees Permitted to Meet Chapter Requirements
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Types of Deciduous Trees Permitted to Meet Chapter Requirements
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Acer rubrum - Red Maple |
Acer saccharum - Sugar Maple |
Carpinus betulus - European Hornbeam |
Celtis occidentalis - Common Hackberry |
Fagus sylvatica - European Beech |
Fraxinus americana - White Ash |
Fraxinus pennsylvania - Green Ash |
Ginko biloba fastigiata - Maiden Hair Tree (male only; female has noxious odor) |
Gleditsia triacanthos - Thornless Locust |
Liriodendron tulipifera - Tulip Poplar |
Ostrya virginiana - Hop Hornbeam |
Quercus - All species of oaks |
Sophora japonica - Scholar Tree/Pagoda Tree |
Tilia americana - American Linden |
Tilia cordata - Little Leaf Linden |
Tilia euchlora - Crimean Linden |
Tilia petiolaris - Silver Linden |
Ulmus hybrids - Homestead or Sapporo Autumn Gold |
Ulmus parviflora - Chinese or Lacebark Elm, not including Siberian Elm |
Zelkova serrata - Zelkova |
2. Note: this chapter only regulates the species of trees that are used to meet requirements of the township. The species of trees that are not required by township ordinances are not regulated.
(b) Quality of trees. Required trees shall be of symmetrical growth and free of insect pests and disease.
(c) Minimum size. The trunk diameter (measured at a height of six inches above the finished grade level) shall be a minimum of two inches or greater.
(d) Planting and maintenance. Required trees shall be:
1. Planted in conformance with good landscaping practices, with adequate unpaved surface around each for water and air; and
2. Properly protected by curbs, curb stops, distance or other devices from damage
from vehicles.
(E) Green area around trees. A minimum vegetative area shall be provided that includes at least a three foot minimum radius around all sides of the trunk of each required deciduous tree that is within or adjacent to a parking lot. Where a tree is required to be planted abutting a street, a minimum vegetative area shall be provided that is not less than three feet wide and three feet long surrounding the tree. In each case, a minimum land area of 12 square feet of vegetative area shall be provided around each required tree.
(F) Review and approval. Where landscaping is required by this chapter, the applicant shall submit a landscaping plan, in addition to a site plan, showing proposed initial sizes, locations and species of plantings.
(G) Landscape maintenance. All shade tree, buffer yard and other landscaping required by this chapter shall be perpetually maintained by the property owner. Any landscaping needed to meet a requirement that dies, is removed, or is severely damaged shall be replaced by the current property owner, on a one-to-one basis, as soon as is practical considering growing seasons, within a maximum of 150 days.
(H) Stormwater basin landscaping. The following requirements shall apply to landscaping within and around stormwater management basins covering more than 20,000 square feet in land area.
(1) All areas of stormwater management basins, including basin floors, side slopes, berms, impoundment structures or other earth structures, shall be planted with suitable vegetation, such as meadow plantings or grasses specifically suited for stormwater basins.
(2) Trees and shrubs shall be planted around stormwater basins that cover more than 5,000 square feet of land and that are not designed to resemble natural ponds. However, trees and shrubs shall not be planted in locations that would interfere with the function of the basin. A minimum average of two trees and ten shrubs shall be required to be planted around the basin for every 100 linear feet of basin perimeter. Trees shall have an initial trunk diameter of two inches, measured six inches above the ground. Shrubs shall have an initial height of four feet.
(3) Natural ground cover plant species shall be planted in the floors and slopes of the basin. These ground covers may include wildflowers, meadows or non-aggressive grasses. Species shall be chosen that are suitable for the expected wetness of various portions of the basin. The plantings shall provide a continuous cover over all earth areas of the basin. The plantings shall not interfere with the proper functioning of the basin, in the determination of the Township Engineer.
(Ord. 126, passed 3-18-2010; Ord. 126A, passed 2-7-2013)