A. Berms. Berms may be used independently, or in conjunction with a wall or fencing, to meet the screening intent of a perimeter buffer or other required screening when configured in accordance with the following:
1. Berms shall have a minimum height of three feet, a minimum crown width of at least three feet, and a slope of no greater than 3:1.
2. Berms shall be no taller than twelve feet above the toe of the berm.
3. Berms shall be stabilized with trees, shrubs, and ground cover.
4. A berm may not damage the roots of existing healthy vegetation being preserved for credit towards the landscaping requirements in this Ordinance. Suffocation of existing roots by deposition of fill in excess of 12 inches shall be considered damage to existing tree roots.
5. A berm shall not interfere with required a sight distance triangle (see Section 5.1.7, Sight Distance Triangles).
B. Fences and Walls.
1. Opaque fences or walls, a minimum of four feet in height, constructed within required landscaping areas, and configured in accordance with Section 5.5, Fences and Walls, may reduce the minimum and average perimeter buffer width requirement in accordance with Table 5.6.10.C: Perimeter Buffer Configuration.
2. If utilized, fences or walls shall be located within the required landscaping area and all required shrubs shall be planted between the fence or wall and the lot line.
3. Required trees may be planted either in front of or behind the fence or wall.
C. Planters.
1. Planters, if provided, shall be constructed of masonry, stone, or pressure treated lumber stamped for ground contact. Other materials may be approved, based upon their durability, by the Planning Director.
2. Planters shall maintain a minimum height of 30 inches and have an effective planting area of seven feet (measured in any direction) if trees are to be planted and an effective planting area of four feet (measured in any direction) if no trees are to be included.
3. The minimum height of shrubs in the planter, except for ground cover, shall be six inches at the time of planting.
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019)
5.6.9. Parking Lot Landscaping
All parking lots serving multi-family, mixed-use, and non-residential developments shall comply with the following parking lot landscaping standards:
A. Shade Trees. All parking lots shall be served by shade trees to reduce the heat island effect and soften the appearance of the parking lot, in accordance with the following standards:
1. Parking lots subject to these standards shall include at least one canopy tree for every 12 off-street parking spaces provided.
2. Required canopy trees may be placed around, in, or near the parking lot provided that no parking space is more than 50 feet from the trunk of a canopy tree (see Figure 5.6.9.A: Parking Lot Shading).
3. Required canopy trees shall be distributed throughout parking areas and may be located in landscape islands, between rows of parking, in driveway medians, and within ten feet of the perimeter of the parking lot.
B. Interior Plantings.
1. Area to be Landscaped. For the purposes of this section, the interior of a parking lot shall be all of the area within the outer boundary of the parking lot including interior and corner landscape islands intended to fulfill the interior parking lot landscaping requirements, but not including landscaping planted around the perimeter of the parking lot (see Figure 5.6.9.B: Parking Lot Interior Plantings).
2. Landscaping Islands and Strips. A parking aisle with more than 12 vehicle spaces in a single row shall provide and maintain landscaping islands at each end, or provide landscaping strips along the full length of the row, in accordance with the following standards.
a. Islands shall have a minimum dimension of nine feet and a minimum area of 200 square feet, including the curb (if curbing is provided).
b. Landscape islands shall provide 1,000 cubic feet of soil per tree.
c. Landscape islands that do not contain canopy trees shall contain three or more shrubs and also may contain understory trees.
d. Landscaping islands intended for the placement of canopy or understory trees shall maintain a minimum width of nine feet.
e. Landscape strips between adjoining rows of parking spaces or serving as driveway medians shall have a minimum dimension of nine feet, including the curb (if provided). Landscape strips that do not have canopy trees shall include shrubs planted no more than five feet on-center.
f. Landscaping strips running the full length of a row of parking spaces shall be provided so that no more than six rows of parking spaces are provided without a landscaping strip.
3. Separation of Light Poles and Trees. In order to prevent the need to excessively trim required trees within landscape areas and to maintain the effectiveness of parking area exterior lighting, light poles shall be spaced at least ten linear feet from a canopy tree trunk, to the maximum extent practicable.
4. Protection of Landscape Islands.
a. Landscape islands shall be protected from vehicle damage by the installation of curbing, wheel stops, or other comparable methods.
b. The placement of plant material within landscape islands shall allow for a two-and-one-half-foot vehicle overhang from the face of the curb or wheel stop.
5. Protection from Pedestrian Walkways. In cases where a pedestrian walkway must be located within five feet of a tree trunk, wooden walkways, pervious pavers, or other methods shall be used to ensure the required tree is not damaged by the walkway.
6. Stormwater Management. A landscape island may be designed to function as a stormwater management device, provided its landscaping performance function is maintained.
7. Structural Soil Required. Landscaping islands and strips located within a parking lot shall be comprised of properly-prepared structural soil that has been properly amended and cultivated to support healthy vegetation.
C. Perimeter Plantings.
1. Intent. Parking lot perimeter landscaping shall be designed to soften the view of the parking lot from an abutting street or development and to filter spillover light from vehicle headlights. Required plant material shall be planted in such a way as to best achieve this intent.
2. Location. Required plant material shall be placed adjacent to the perimeter of the parking lot.
3. Planting Rate.
a. Parking lot perimeter landscaping shall consist of a single continuous row of evergreen shrubs planted no greater than three feet on-center and within five feet of the parking lot edge.
b. Applicants may propose an alternative plant species, such as native grasses, provided the proposed plant material provides a fully opaque screen to a maximum height of 36 inches above grade throughout the year, as approved by the Planning Director.
4. Size of Plant Material.
a. Shrubs used for parking lot perimeter landscaping shall be of a minimum size necessary to achieve a maximum height of 36 inches above grade within three years of planting.
b. In cases when vegetation provided as perimeter plantings around a parking lot grow to a height exceeding 48 inches above grade, they shall be trimmed or pruned as necessary to maintain a minimum height of 36 inches.
c. It shall be a violation of this Ordinance to remove or severely prune shrubs required as parking lot perimeter vegetation to a height of less than 36 inches.
5. Alternatives. Perimeter parking lot plantings may be supplemented or replaced through use of a vegetated berm configured in accordance with Section 5.6.8.A, Berms, or an opaque fence or wall that meets the screening objective of this section and is configured in accordance with Section 5.5, Fences and Walls.
6. Exemptions.
a. Where off-street parking lots are adjacent to one another, but on different lots, perimeter plantings or other forms of screening are not required along the common boundary between the two parking lots.
b. Developments consisting of multiple lots that are planned and developed as a single, unified, or consolidated project may be configured so that perimeter plantings are only located around the perimeter of the entire development instead of between parking lots and buildings located within the development.
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019)