(A) The buffering and screening requirements of this section shall apply to all new development except single and two family lots not part of an approved overall development plan.
(B) All portions of each site, which are not devoted to buildings, sidewalks, paving or special landscape features shall be grassed.
(C) Buffer types.
Subject Property’s District or Use | Adjacent District or Use | ||||||||
Subject Property’s District or Use | Adjacent District or Use | ||||||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||
1 | Agricultural districts | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
2 | Commercial districts | A | A | A | A | D | B | C | C |
3 | Professional office districts | A | A | A | A | D | B | C | C |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||
4 | Industrial districts | B | B | B | B | D | B | C | C |
5 | Public rights-of-way | -- | D | D | D | -- | * | D | D |
6 | Service stations convenience stores gas stations | B | B | B | B | * | B | C | C |
7 | Class I mining operations | C | C | C | C | D | C | C | C |
8 | Residential districts | A | B | B | C | D | C | C | A |
* Refer to § 12(B)(5) of this part for specific right-of-way buffer requirements for automotive service stations and convenience stores with gas pumps. | |||||||||
(1) Type A buffer. A ten-foot wide buffer with a single row of shade trees spaced a maximum of 50 feet on center and a continuous row of evergreen shrubs with a minimum height of 18 inches at installation with a maximum spacing of 36 inches on center.
Type A Buffer
(2) Type B buffer.
(a) A 15-foot wide buffer planted with a single row of shade trees having a maximum spacing of 50 feet on center. A visual screen designed to be 80% opaque within one year and a minimum of six feet in height at installation shall also be provided with this buffer. The screen may include an opaque fence, wall, hedge, berm or any combination thereof. Wooden fences shall be prohibited. Walls and fences shall not exceed eight feet in height. Shrubs that are used to provide a visual screen shall be spaced a maximum of five feet on center.
(b) For interior lots within a platted industrial park, the minimal type B landscape buffer may be reduced to five feet to fit within the minimum ten-foot wide setbacks. All planning and screening requirements of this section shall remain the same.
Type B Buffer
(3) Type C buffer. A 20-foot wide buffer planted with two staggered rows of shade trees with a maximum spacing of 50 feet on center (Note: See the drawing below. There is to be 100 feet between trees in the same row, but the two rows are to be staggered such that the second row of trees is to be placed halfway (50 feet) between the trees of the top row). A visual screen designed to be 80% opaque within one year and a minimum of six feet in height at installation shall also be provided within the buffer. The screen may include an opaque fence, wall, hedge, berm or any combination thereof. Wooden fences shall be prohibited. Walls and fences shall not exceed eight feet in height. Shrubs that are used to provide a visual screen shall be placed a maximum of five feet on center.
Type C Buffer
(4) Type D buffer (right-of-way buffer). This landscape buffer shall be required adjacent to any road right-of-way external to the development project and adjacent to any access roads internal to a commercial development.
(a) The minimum width of the right-of-way buffer shall vary according to the ultimate width of the abutting right-of-way as indicated below:
1. A right-of-way width from zer to 99 feet wide requires a minimum ten-foot wide buffer:
2. A right-of-way width of 100 feet or more requires a minimum 15-foot wide buffer; and
3. Developments of 15 acres or more require a minimum 20-foot wide buffer regardless of the width of the right-of-way.
(b) Shade trees shall be planted with a maximum spacing of 50 feet on center. Palms may be substituted for up to 30% of the required shade trees and shall be planted in clusters with a minimum of three palms per cluster with a maximum spacing of eight feet on center. A maximum distance of 50 feet shall be maintained between all types of tree plantings. The remainder of the buffer shall be landscaped with shrubs, at a minimum rate of five shrubs per tree or palms, ground cover and sod.
(c) No more than 50% of the required landscape area may be grassed, with the balance shall be landscaped in shrubs and ground covers. Note: This requirement will be reviewed on a case by case basis and a special exception can be submitted for those sites that cannot meet this requirement.
(d) A masonry wall, not to exceed eight feet in height, may be located within a required Type D buffer (right-of-way buffer) to separate a residential development from an arterial or collector road. Landscaping shall be provided along the right-of-way side closest to the wall. Shrubs shall be planted at a minimum rate of 40 shrubs for every 100 lineal feet of wall or fraction thereof. The shrubs may be planted in groupings or in a row. Where possible, sidewalks located adjacent to the masonry wall shall be separated from the masonry wall by a single row of trees, spaced 50 feet on center. The trees shall be planted to provide shade along the sidewalk. Palms may be substituted for trees at a rate of three palm trees, grouped together, per one tree. Palms may be substituted for up to 30% of the required trees. Vines and groundcover may also be incorporated into the landscaping. It is not the intent of this requirement to obscure from view decorative elements such as emblems, tile molding and wrought iron.
(5) Automotive service stations and convenience stores with gas pumps buffer. Automotive service stations and convenience stores with gas pumps shall be buffered from surrounding uses.
(a) Right-of-way buffer landscaping:
1. A landscape buffer, a minimum of 15 feet in width, shall be required between the public right-of-way and the development project.
2. Shade trees shall be planted in a single row with a maximum spacing of 50 feet on center. Palms may be substituted for up to 30% of the required shade trees and shall be planted in clusters with a minimum of three palms per cluster with a maximum spacing of eight feet on center. A maximum of 50 feet shall be maintained between all types of tree clusters.
3. All portions of each site, which are not devoted to buildings, sidewalks, paving or special landscape features, shall be sodded. However, no more than 50% of the required landscape area may be sodded, the balance shall be landscaped in shrubs and ground covers.
4. Refer to division (C) of this section for all buffering requirements from adjacent property.
(6) Vehicular use area (VUA). A minimum of 10% of the VUA is to be landscaped with one shade tree per 200 square feet of VUA. The landscape requirements for the VUA consist of one landscaped island per a maximum of ten parking spaces. Each island is to be 8 feet wide by 20 feet long and will contain one shade tree with either shrubs or ground cover beneath the tree.
(7) Foundation planting. Foundation plantings are to include one understory tree per 20 feet of building lineal feet and shrubs and ground cover to fill in the remaining foundation planting area.
(8) Sidewalks and the like. Sidewalks and other impervious areas shall not occupy any part of a required A, B, C or D buffer, except when:
(a) Driveways and sidewalks are constructed perpendicular to the buffer and provide direct access to the parcel or adjacent parcels; and/or
(b) A meandering sidewalk, bike trail or nature trail is provided within the buffer and the buffer width is increased by the equivalent sidewalk or trail width.
(9) Service function areas. Areas of nonresidential development that are utilized as loading areas or docks, outdoor storage, trash collection, mechanical equipment, trash compaction, recycling or other service functions shall be screened and out of view from adjacent properties at ground level and from public rights-of-way by a masonry wall a minimum of six feet in height. Industrial parks shall be exempt from the requirements of this section.
(10) Retention areas.
(a) All human-made dry and wet retention areas that are within 20 feet of the public right-of-way or located within a required buffer shall be landscaped. If the retention area is within 20 feet of a public right-of-way and runs parallel to the public right-of-way, then a Type D buffer will be used and a Type A buffer will be used on the remaining sides of the retention area. Retention ponds may contain special site features, such as fountains and reflecting pools. Existing natural vegetation may be used in lieu of new plantings.
(b) Retention/detention ponds and swales shall be permitted within a required buffer provided they are consistent with the following criteria:
1. Retention/detention ponds and swales shall not exceed 50% of the square footage of any required side, rear or front yard landscape buffer except where existing native vegetation is retained at natural grade;
2. Retention/detention ponds and swales shall not exceed, at any location within the required buffer, 70% of the required buffer width;
3. To reduce soil erosion and visually soften the edge of the water, trees shall be planted along the banks of the pond/retention area at a minimum rate of one tree per 50 lineal feet of pond bank; and
4. The banks of dry retention areas shall be sodded to the pond bottom. Wet retention areas shall be sodded to the high water line. Bahia grass may be used or planted in retention/detention areas, drainage areas and wetland setback and mitigation areas.
(c) Storm water retention/detention areas with slopes that require fencing by Southwest Florida Water Management District requirements shall be enclosed with a transparent six-foot decorative metal or vinyl coated chain link fence. Unfinished, galvanized chain link fencing shall not be permitted.
(d) All retention ponds that require fencing will also require a Type A buffer on the outside of the fence.
(11) Clear site triangles. Where a driveway/accessway intersects a road right-of-way or where two public road right-of-ways intersect, vegetation, structures and non-vegetative visual screens shall not be located as to interfere with the clear site triangle, as defined in the city’s Land Development Code.
(Ord. 922-05, passed 6-13-2005)