A. Buffer Parks: Buffer parks traditionally required by the City Code shall not be required for this development. In lieu of buffer parks, along all public streets except 68th Street, streetscape landscaping shall be provided within the first twenty five feet (25') parallel to the roadways/travelways.
1. Streetscape Landscaping: The streetscape landscaping is intended to provide a constant design treatment that enhances the travelways. A streetscape landscaping plan shall be presented to the City for review as part of the specific plan. Buildings or pedestrian elements such as patios, walkways or design elements, may intermittently encroach into the landscaped area, however parking lots may not. The plantings shall be installed with the development of each site plan. Landscaping standards are as follows:
a. To calculate the number of required plants, divide the total linear feet of street frontage by twenty five (25). For every twenty five feet (25'), one tree and three (3) shrubs shall be required. Trees shall include both deciduous and evergreen. The landscaping may be arranged in massing or in a linear streetscape or a combination thereof.
b. Shrubs may be substituted for perennials at a rate of three (3) shrubs equals to a solid perennial planting area of twenty (20) square feet.
c. Alternative concepts that meet the intent of streetscape landscaping may be allowed at the discretion of the Director of Development Services.
2. Landscape Walls: An articulated three foot (3') or higher berm shall be required for areas adjoining a parking lot. The berm may be an earthen berm or landscape walls. Landscape walls must adhere to the following provisions:
a. Walls constructed for the retaining of soil which are greater than four feet (4') in height must be designed by an individual knowledgeable and certified in structural engineering.
b. Walls over four feet (4') shall have one and one-half feet (11/2') of horizontal terraces for every two feet (2') of exposed vertical wall face. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the Director of Development Services for unusual situations and to preserve existing vegetation or landscape features.
c. Walls may be brick, individual decorative modular wall stone, or natural stacked wall or field stone. Walls composed of landscape timbers or other wood products are not desired due to the deterioration potential of the material. Wood walls or other material may be used, with approval by the Director of Development Services, in areas where views of the wall will be minimal.
d. Vegetation shall be planted along all types of walls to soften the visual impact, visually break up long expanses of the wall and to visually anchor it to the site.
3. Water Features: Ponds, lakes, wetlands or other water features may be placed within the streetscape landscaping given that a water feature, such as a fountain and/or significant wetland plantings and edge treatments are provided. Dry detention areas are not generally allowed in buffer parks, however if it is determined by the director of development services that the intent of the buffer park is met, a portion of the dry detention may encroach into the buffer.
4. 68th Street: Overstory trees shall be required along 68th Street to help anchor the buildings. Tree grates and truck guards shall be required to create a unifying theme. At the review of the site plan, view corridors will be established to protect views of the plaza areas located along S. 68th Street.
B. Parking Lot/Vehicle Use Area Landscaping: The intent of this subsection is to encourage extensive landscaping within parking lot areas, which tend to have the greatest negative impact on developments, and to provide breaks in what could be viewed as a sea of parking. All parking areas shall be designed to create small, shared, aesthetically landscaped and screened parking lots that are designed to function not only in the interest of accommodating automobiles, but also in the interest of promoting safe pedestrian movement. The following standards are in addition to the required buffer park, streetscape or plaza landscaping requirements:
1. To calculate the number of required plants, divide the site's total number of proposed parking stalls by ten (10). For every ten (10) parking stalls, one tree and two (2) shrubs shall be required. Plants shall be located in the parking lot within the terminal islands, stall islands, landscape pods or linear islands. No substitutions are allowed for trees; however, shrubs may be substituted at a rate of three (3) shrubs equal a solid perennial planting area of twenty (20) square feet of perennials.
2. No parking space, within a single row of parking, shall be further than six (6) stalls from a landscape island or pod.
3. Landscape islands shall be located at the terminus end of parking rows. Islands shall be at least ten feet (10') in width by thirty eight feet (38') in length for ninety degree (90°) dual parking rows and ten feet (10') in width by seventeen feet (17') in length for single rows.
4. A landscape pod, located within the parking rows shall be at least six feet (6') from the back of curb to the back of curb. (Ord. 1738, 3-26-2007)