A. Purpose and Intent. These standards are proposed to eliminate or minimize potential nuisances, such as dirt, litter, noise, glare of lights, signs, and unsightly buildings or parking areas through physical and visual separation between land uses in separate zoning districts.
B. Applicability.
1. All development shall comply with the perimeter buffer standards in this section.
2. Development shall provide perimeter buffers along side and rear lot lines in accordance with Table 5.6.10.F, Buffer Application.
3. Lot lines abutting street rights-of-way shall comply with the standards in Section 5.6.12, Streetscape Buffers.
C. Buffers Distinguished. Table 5.6.10.C: Perimeter Buffer Configuration, establishes the standards for perimeter buffers, including the minimum requirements for each of the following buffer types:
1. Type A, Separation Buffer;
2. Type B, Intermittent Buffer;
3. Type C, Semi-Opaque Buffer; and
4. Type D, Opaque Buffer.
D. Buffer Determination.
1. The lot or site being developed is the one responsible for providing the required perimeter buffer, which shall be located solely upon the lot or site being developed.
2. The type of perimeter buffer required is based upon the zoning district designation of the land being developed as well as the zoning district designation of the abutting lots (see Table 5.6.10.F, Buffer Application).
E. Buffer Location.
1. Perimeter buffers required by this section shall be located along the outer perimeter of the lot and shall extend to the connecting lot lines.
2. In cases where the lot line is within a drainage swale, the perimeter buffer shall extend to the edge of the swale instead of the lot line.
3. A perimeter buffer may be located along shared access easements between parcels in nonresidential developments.Table 5.6.10.C: Perimeter Buffer Configuration
TYPE A SEPARATION | Objective: The Type A Separation perimeter buffer serves as a visual break between land ownership or zoning district designations. It is not intended to provide substantial visual or acoustic buffering. The image below shows an approximation of this buffer type at maturity. |
Buffer Configuration | Requirement |
Buffer width (feet) | 10 |
Required canopy trees per every 100 linear feet (#) / Maximum on-center spacing (feet) | None |
Required understory trees per every 100 linear feet (#) / Maximum on-center spacing (feet) | 4/ None [1] |
Shrubs per every 100 linear feet (#) / Maximum on-center spacing (feet) [2] | 15 /None [1] |
Minimum evergreen shrub percentage (%) | 50 |
Notes: [1] Grouping of trees or shrubs is permitted provided there is no un-vegetated portion of the buffer exceeding 30 feet in length. [2] In the event a fence or wall is provided, shrubs shall be planted between the fence or wall and the lot line. Shrubs shall be no closer than 3 feet to the lot line. | |
TYPE B INTERMITTENT | Objective: The Type B Intermittent perimeter buffer functions as an intermittent visual screen from the ground to a height of five feet. It is intended to partially block visibility between different uses but not totally obstruct visual contact from one use to another. The image below shows an approximation of this buffer type at maturity. |
Buffer Configuration | Requirement |
Buffer width (feet) | 20 |
Required canopy trees per every 100 linear feet (#) / Maximum on-center spacing (feet) | 2/50 |
Required understory trees per every 100 linear feet (#) / Maximum on-center spacing (feet) | 4/25 [1] |
Shrubs per every 100 linear feet (#) / Maximum on-center spacing (feet) [2] | 15/None [1] |
Minimum evergreen shrub percentage (%) | 60 |
Notes: [1] Grouping of trees or shrubs is permitted provided there is no un-vegetated portion of the buffer exceeding 20 feet in length. [2] In the event a fence or wall is provided, shrubs shall be planted between the fence or wall and the lot line. Shrubs shall be no closer than 3 feet to the lot line. | |
TYPE C SEMI-OPAQUE | Objective: The Type C Semi-Opaque perimeter buffer functions as a partially opaque screen from the ground to a height of six feet. This type of buffer prevents visual contact between uses but not total obstruction from one use to another. The buffer creates a sense of visual separation but provides only minor acoustic separation. The image below shows an approximation of this buffer type at maturity. |
Buffer Configuration | Requirement |
Minimum buffer width (feet) [1] [2] | 30 |
Required canopy trees per every 100 linear feet (#) / Maximum on-center spacing (feet) | 3/33 |
Required understory trees per every 100 linear feet (#) / Maximum on-center spacing (feet) | 6/16 [3] |
Shrubs per every 100 linear feet (#) / Maximum on-center spacing (feet) [4] | 25/4 [3] |
Minimum evergreen shrub percentage (%) | 75 |
Notes: [1] Provision of a semi-opaque fence or wall allows the buffer width to be reduced by 5 feet. [2] Provision of a fully-opaque fence, wall, or berm allows the buffer width to be reduced by 10 feet. [3] Grouping of trees or shrubs is permitted within 20 feet of the edge of a street right-of-way provided there is no un-vegetated portion of the buffer exceeding 10 feet in length. [4] In the event a fence or wall is provided, shrubs shall be planted between the fence or wall and the lot line. Shrubs shall be no closer than 3 feet to the lot line. | |
TYPE D OPAQUE | Objective: The Type D Opaque perimeter buffer functions as a fully opaque screen from the ground to a height of eight feet. This type of buffer provides a strong sense of visual and acoustic separation between uses. The image below shows an approximation of this buffer type at maturity. |
Buffer Configuration | Requirement |
Buffer Configuration | Requirement |
Minimum buffer width (feet) [1] [2] | 40 |
Required canopy trees per every 100 linear feet (#) / Maximum on-center spacing (feet) | 4/25 |
Required understory trees per every 100 linear feet (#) / Maximum on-center spacing (feet) | 8/15 |
Minimum evergreen understory tree percentage (%) | 75 |
Shrubs per every 100 linear feet (#) / Maximum on-center spacing (feet) [3] | 35/3 |
Minimum evergreen shrub percentage (%) | 100 |
Notes: [1] Provision of a semi-opaque fence or wall allows the buffer width to be reduced by 5 feet. [2] Provision of a fully-opaque fence, wall, or berm allows the buffer width to be reduced by 10 feet. [3] In the event a fence or wall is provided, shrubs shall be planted between the fence or wall and the lot line. | |
F. Buffer Application. Table 5.6.10.F, Buffer Application, specifies the type of perimeter buffer that development shall provide between it and adjacent land, based on the zoning district of the development site and that of the adjacent land. The buffer type is indicated by a letter corresponding to one of the three buffer types described in Table 5.6.10.C: Perimeter Buffer Configuration.
Zoning District of Developing Land [1] [2] | Zoning District of Land Adjacent to Proposed Development [3] [4] [5] | |||||
R1, R2 | R4, R6 | RMF, OI | NC, DTP | GC, HC | LI, IC, HI | |
Zoning District of Developing Land [1] [2] | Zoning District of Land Adjacent to Proposed Development [3] [4] [5] | |||||
R1, R2 | R4, R6 | RMF, OI | NC, DTP | GC, HC | LI, IC, HI | |
R1, R2 | A | None | None | A | A | B |
R4, R6 | B | A | A | None | A | A |
RMF, OI | C | B | A | A | None | None |
NC, DTP | D | C | B | A | A | None |
GC, HC | D | D | C | B | A | None |
LI, IC, HI | D | D | D | D | C | None |
Notes: [1] Development in PD districts is subject to the perimeter buffer configurations proposed in the applicable planned development master plan. [2] No perimeter buffers are required in the DTC and DTP districts, but are required where these districts abut other districts. [3] A Type A or B perimeter buffer shall not be required when the lot line abuts unbuildable land within a riparian buffer, the FHO, a Town-designated tree-save area, a reforestation area, or other Town-designated conservation area where existing vegetation will not be removed. [4] In cases where a Type C or D perimeter buffer is required but the lot line abuts unbuildable land within a riparian buffer, the FHO, a Town-designated tree-save area, a reforestation area, or other Town-designated conservation area where existing vegetation will not be removed, the required perimeter buffer width and amount of required landscaping material may be reduced by 50 percent (see Table 5.6.10.C: Perimeter Buffer Configuration). [5] Lot lines abutting public street rights-of-way shall be subject to the standards in Section 5.6.12, Streetscape Buffers. [6] In cases where development abuts land outside the Town's planning jurisdiction, only a Type A buffer shall be required along the boundary. | ||||||
G. Exemptions. Developments consisting of multiple lots that are planned and developed as a single, unified, or consolidated project may be configured so that perimeter buffers are only located around the perimeter of the entire development instead of between lots within the development.
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019)