(a) Materials. Landscape buffering may include, but shall not be limited to, trees, shrubs, bushes, earth berms or a combination thereof.
(b) Screening. Screening shall consist of plant material or other nonliving durable landscape material.
(1) When a thirty foot to fifty foot minimum width buffer is required:
A. One deciduous tree planted every thirty lineal feet plus a continuous row of evergreen plantings minimum 6 feet in height at time of planting.
B. A six foot wall or opaque fence plus one deciduous tree planted every thirty lineal feet.
C. A double row, staggered planting of evergreen plantings, a minimum of six feet in height at time of planting and planted every fifteen lineal feet.
D. A six foot tall earthen berm with deciduous and or evergreen trees, planted every thirty lineal feet.
E. Any combination of above that achieves a continuous six foot tall minimum buffer at time of planting.
(2) When a ten foot minimum width buffer is required:
A. One deciduous tree planted every thirty lineal feet plus a continuous row of evergreen plantings a minimum six feet in height at time of planting when bordering a residential use.
B. One deciduous tree planted every thirty lineal feet plus shrubs planted every three lineal feet that are a minimum of thirty inches in height at time of planting when screening a parking lot from a street.
C. A six foot wall or opaque fence plus one deciduous tree planted every thirty lineal feet.
(c) Buffered Areas.
(1) Location and width. Buffering shall be located on those less restrictive portions of land bordering or abutting a more restrictive use or zoning district and shall be a minimum of ten feet in width. In Business Districts, Planned Office Districts, Planned Unit Developments, Multi-Family Districts and Automobile Parking Districts, buffering width shall be not less than fifty feet when bordering or abutting a Residential District, except that
the buffer for a cluster development shall not be less than thirty feet. A minimum of ten feet buffer shall be provided between non-residential uses and residential uses within any residential district and when needed to screen headlights in parking lots from adjacent uses and roads. Plant material and screening shall be distributed within the buffer area so as to provide the desired opacity and visual screening in accordance with this Chapter.
(2) Use. Designated buffered areas shall be used for no other purpose than plantings or screening. Required buffer areas shall not be used for open retention basins or driveway access.
(3) Design. A buffered area shall be designed to permit access to easement tracts to grantees to perform the functions for which the easements were granted and to facilitate use of such easement areas for fire protection purposes.
(4) Opacity. Where buffering is required, the buffer material and screening shall provide a minimum of eighty percent (80%) opacity in the summer and sixty percent (60%) opacity in the winter when viewed from two feet to ten feet above the adjacent ground level.
(d) Fences and Walls. Fences shall be acceptable as part of a landscape buffer where traffic noise and lights create a need for a greater buffer. When used, they shall be a decorative style and type. Walls and berms may be used in unusual cases, as may be required by the Planning Commission to fulfill the buffering requirements.
(e) Natural Conditions in Required Buffered Areas. Natural plantings and existing trees that are in good condition and not invasive species shall be preserved with existing grades maintained. Additional landscape material and screening may be required to supplement the natural plantings to meet buffer and opacity requirements of this Chapter.
(f) Buffering Effect. The desired buffering shall be achieved not later than twelve months after the initial installation. The Planning Commission may extend this period of time when a hardship would be created because of expected growth or material shortages, but the Commission shall not extend such period beyond five years from the time the initial installation was to have been or has been installed.
(g) Modification Requirements. The Commission may modify or change the location of a buffer area contiguous to side and rear property lines where topographical problems prevent the installation of buffer materials or where the buffering effect cannot be reasonably obtained at the lot line.
(h) Plant Species. The plant species used shall be identified as appropriate for this region on the United States Department of Agriculture’s Plant Hardiness Zone Map and approved by the Commission. Invasive species to this region shall not be used. A variety of plant materials shall be used within a development to ensure the long-term health of the City’s vegetation.
(i) All trees or plantings required in this Chapter shall be maintained in perpetuity in a healthy and living condition. Any required tree or planting that dies or is removed for any reason shall be replaced with a new tree or planting in conformance with this Chapter.
(j) All other approved buffering, such as fences, walls and berms, shall be maintained in perpetuity and replaced when needed due to age, decay or other circumstance affecting the viability of the buffer. Such replacement shall be in conformance with this Chapter.
(Ord. 1991-83. Passed 5-16-91; Ord. 2023-6. Passed 4-20-23; Ord. 2024-23. Passed 6-6-24.)