A. Buffer Parks: Buffer parks, as noted in city code, shall only apply as follows:
1. A minimum thirty foot (30') buffer park shall be required along Mills Civic Parkway, S. 88th Street, and Booneville Road.
2. A minimum thirty foot (30') buffer park shall be required between residential uses of differing densities and from commercial or office uses, except no buffer shall be required between parcels G and H. The buffer shall be placed on the higher intense land use. Buffers may be split between the land uses if it is determined by the city council that it achieves the required screening. In those areas where the comprehensive plan has a like land use but the existing use of the property is incompatible, a buffer is required unless the adjoining property owner provides written documentation waiving the buffer park requirement.
3. No dry detention basins may be located within the buffer parks except the buffer park along the north side of parcel G, with the provision that additional landscaping and/or a consistent decorative fencing or wall be installed to provide screening if the detention area restricts the placement of plant material. The requirement of additional landscaping or fencing/wall shall be determined during the review of the site plan.
B. Streetscape Landscaping: Those parcels along S. 91st Street and Stagecoach Drive which are not required buffer parks shall provide streetscape landscaping within the first fifteen feet (15') parallel beyond the public right of way of roadways/travelways.
1. The streetscape landscaping is intended to provide a consistent design treatment that enhances the travelways. A streetscape landscaping plan shall be presented to the city for review as part of each site 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. Streetscape landscaping requirements are in addition to the required open space, or parking lot requirements as follows:
a. To calculate the number of required plants, divide the total linear feet of street frontage by thirty five (35). For every thirty five feet (35'), 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. Perennials may be substituted for shrubs at a rate of two (2) 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 city council.
d. Street trees may count toward the streetscape landscaping.
2. An articulated three foot (3') or higher berm or landscape wall shall be required for areas adjoining a parking lot which require visual screening. 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 a licensed engineer.
b. Walls over four feet (4') shall have one and one-half feet (11/2') of horizontal terraces for every four feet (4') of exposed vertical wall face. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the director of community development 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 community development director, 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. 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. Ponds or water features may not saturate the subgrade of a public street. Dry detention may not be located within the streetscape landscaping area.
C. Open Space Landscaping: Open space landscaping shall adhere to the city code.
D. Parking Lot Landscaping: Parking lot landscaping shall adhere to title 9, chapter 19 of the city code except for parcels A, B, C and I which shall adhere to the following: The intent of this section 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, open space, or plaza landscaping requirements and is in lieu of the traditional ten percent (10%) parking lot open space requirement:
1. Landscape islands shall be spaced on average no greater than twelve (12) parking stalls apart within a single row of parking. Islands shall be ten feet in width by thirty eight feet in length (10' x 38') for dual parking rows and ten feet in width by nineteen feet in length (10' x 19') for single rows.
2. Landscape islands shall be located at the terminus end of all parking rows.
3. Landscape pods shall be spaced no greater than six (6) parking stalls apart from another landscape pod or island within a single row of parking. Landscape pods shall measure a minimum of six feet (6') back of curb to back of curb in each direction.
4. A minimum of one tree should be installed in each landscape pod and ten foot by nineteen foot (10' x 19') island. Two (2) trees shall be installed in each ten foot by thirty eight foot (10' x 38') island. Additional shrub or perennial planting is encouraged.
E. Street Trees: The use of any planting materials within the public street right of way shall be in accordance with the provisions of the city code and design standards unless stated below:
1. The mature spread of a tree shall dictate its spacing however, at a minimum street trees shall be forty feet (40') on center, plus or minus five feet (±5').
2. All species shall be in accordance with the metro design standards.
3. Maintenance and removal of any street trees shall be the responsibility of the master property owners' association.
4. Approval for any street trees should be sought at the time of platting and/or site planning. During the review of the site plan or preliminary plat, waivers of specific requirements of the street tree regulations may be granted by the city council. (Ord. 2047, 7-28-2014)