(a) Maintenance of landscaping and screening. All landscaping materials shall be installed and maintained according to accepted nursery industry procedures. The owner of the property shall be responsible for the continued property maintenance of all landscaping materials, and shall keep them in a proper, neat and orderly appearance, free from refuse and debris at all times and shall remove all noxious, invasive or poison type plants. All unhealthy or dead plant material shall be replaced within one year, or by the next planting period, whichever comes first. Violation of these installation and maintenance provisions shall be grounds for the Building Official to refuse an occupancy permit, require replacement of the landscape material or institute legal proceedings to enforce the provisions of this section.
(b) Screening establishment. Once a screen has been approved by the Planning Commission and established by the owner, it may not be used, disturbed or altered for any purpose that would decrease its effectiveness.
(c) Quality and installation. All specifications for the quality and installation of trees and shrubs shall be in accordance with the most recent edition of
American Standards for Nursery Stock published by the American Association of Nurserymen. Trees shall be identified on the approved Street Tree List located in Appendix F of the Woodlawn Subdivision Regulations. In addition:
(1) All plant material shall be free from disease and damage.
(2) All plant material shall be planted in a manner that is not intrusive to utilities, pavement, pedestrian traffic or vehicular traffic.
(3) All required plant material shall be planted within one year or by the next planting season, as outlined in the latest edition of American Standards for Nursery Stock, after all construction activity in the area of the new planting has ceased.
(d) Size.
(1) Canopy trees shall be deciduous trees with a minimum of 12 feet overall height or a minimum caliper of 2-1/2 inches when installed, and have an expected height of at least 35 feet at maturity.
(2) Evergreen trees shall be a minimum of five feet in height when installed.
(3) Understory trees shall be a minimum of five feet in height in clump form or 1-1/2 inch caliper in single stem form when installed.
(4) Shrubs shall be at least 18 inches in height or 24 inches in spread when installed.
(e) Screens. The objective of providing a screen is to visually hide whatever is behind the screen. The screen shall be 100% opaque. The following standards for each screening material shall be required.
(1) Plant material height requirements. When plant material is used as screening it shall meet all height requirements in accordance with this chapter. Height requirements will be considered met when plants are selected whose height at maturity meet such requirements as certified by a licensed landscape architect or certified horticulturist.
(2) Planting requirements. To be counted towards screening requirements, evergreen trees and evergreen shrubs shall be planted close enough to fulfill the objective as defined in this section. Recommended spacing to achieve this is as follows:
A. Spreading evergreen trees should be planted eight feet on center. Narrow evergreen trees should be planted four feet on center. Designation of evergreen trees as spreading or narrow shall be certified by a licensed landscape architect or certified horticulturist.
B. Evergreen shrubs should be planted at a maximum of four feet on center.
(3) Combination of materials. Plant material may be used in conjunction with fences, walls and berms but the overall effect shall be a continuous 100% opaque screen at maturity. Plants may be planted in rows or be staggered, but the overall effect shall be a 100% opaque screen.
(4) Fences and walls. Natural screening (plantings, berming, etc.) is preferred, however fences or walls can be used, where appropriate, to create an effective screen between incompatible uses.
A. Fences or walls used to fulfill screening requirements shall be detailed on the landscaping plan. They are to be of weather-proof materials. This includes pressure treating, staining or painting of lumber if it is not redwood or cedar and using aluminum or galvanized hardware. Chain link fences with or without wooded or synthetic slat material shall not be permitted to satisfy screening requirements.
B. Fences or walls to be used as screens shall be approved by the Planning Commission during review of the landscape plan and shall be in conformance with regulations as established in § 1296.24, Fences, Walls and Hedges.
(Ord. 17-2013, passed 9-24-2013)