(A) Intent. Landscaping of required yards and required bufferyards is an essential element of the design of a site with respect to promoting the public health, safety, comfort, convenience and general welfare of the town. Landscaping is intended to lessen the impact of development on the environment by reducing glare and heat buildup, promoting the creation of landscape islands for pedestrian safety, to break up large expanses of pavement, and to reduce storm water run-off. Landscaping provides a critical buffering effect between higher intensity districts and lower intensity districts (e.g., typically between business or industrial districts and abutting or adjacent residential and specific special use (SU) districts).
(B) Landscaping of required front, side and rear yards, required front, side and rear perimeter yards, and required front, side and rear bufferyards in all business, industrial and multi-family residential districts.
(1) Required front, side and rear yards in business and industrial districts shall be landscaped in compliance with the following.
(a) Required front yard. Landscaping in the required front yard shall consist of trees planted in accordance with one of the following alternatives.
1. If deciduous shade (overstory) trees are used: there shall be one tree planted at a maximum of every 40 feet on center of linear distance along all required front yards. These required trees may be grouped together in the required front yard; however, in no case shall spacing between the trees exceed 80 feet.
2. If deciduous ornamental (understory) trees are used: there shall be one tree planted at a maximum of every 25 feet on center of linear distance along all required front yards. These required trees may be grouped together in the required front yard; however, in no case shall spacing between the trees exceed 50 feet.
(b) Required side yard and required rear yard. Landscaping in the required side yard and required rear yard shall consist of trees planted in accordance with one of the following alternatives.
1. If deciduous shade (overstory) trees are used: there shall be one tree planted at a maximum of every 50 feet on center of linear distance along all required side yards and required rear yards. These required trees may be grouped together in the required side yard and required rear yard; in no case shall spacing between the trees exceed 80 feet.
2. If deciduous ornamental (understory) trees are used: there shall be one tree planted at a maximum of every 35 feet on center of linear distance along all required side yards and required rear yards. These required trees may be grouped together in the required side yard and required rear yard; however, in no case shall spacing between the trees exceed 50 feet. Deciduous shade trees and deciduous ornamental trees may be grouped together in the required yards, however, in no case shall spacing between a deciduous shade tree and a deciduous ornamental tree exceed 50 feet. The minimum size of all required landscape plant materials, at the time of planting, shall comply with the plant sizes listed in Table 12.
(2) Required front, side and rear bufferyards in all business and industrial districts, and front, side and rear perimeter yards in the R-MF-1 and R-MF-2 Districts shall be landscaped in compliance with the requirements of Table 12.
(C) Foundation planting in business and industrial districts (except the VBD, Village Business District).
(1) Foundation planting areas shall be required for all new buildings and building additions in all business and industrial districts (except the VBD-Village Business District).
(2) In the case of a single use site or a primary building in an integrated center located on a business district, foundation planting areas are required along the front and side of the building. In the case of a building located on an outlot in a business district or any building located in an industrial district, the front, side and rear of the building shall have foundation planting areas.
(3) Foundation planting areas shall be subject to the following requirements.
(a) Foundation planting areas shall be calculated individually for each applicable front, side or rear of a building and shall be located along such front, side or rear of a building (except for those portions of the front or side of a building devoted to pedestrian ingress/egress, vehicular ingress/egress, loading or drop-off zones).
(b) Foundation planting areas shall have a total area in square feet of not less than two feet times the length of the wall (two feet by length of wall equals area for foundation planting) to which the foundation planting is oriented.
(c) Foundation planting areas shall be located:
1. Adjacent to the building; or
2. So as to begin within ten feet of the building (in the case of a sidewalk which runs adjacent to the building).
(d) Foundation planting areas shall maintain a minimum depth in the smallest dimension of six feet.
(e) Foundation planting areas shall be landscaped with grass and shrubbery, trees or hedge, or in combination with other suitable ground cover materials and maintained as a foundation planting strip in compliance with the requirements for a Level A plantings as set forth in Table 12.
(D) Parking lot landscaping in business and industrial districts.
(1) Interior parking lot landscaping in business and industrial districts.
(a) All new surface parking lots and expanded surface parking lots (except for semi-truck loading and maneuvering areas and parking areas) located in any business or industrial district shall include at least one interior landscape island measuring eight feet by 18 feet minimum for every 15 parking spaces. Each interior landscape island shall contain at least one deciduous shade (overstory) tree, deciduous ornamental (understory) tree or evergreen tree. All trees shall comply with the size at time of planting as indicated in Table 12.
(b) Space devoted to interior landscape islands shall be in addition to any required front, side or rear yards, required front, side or rear bufferyards, or required foundation plantings.
(c) The area devoted to interior landscape islands may be located individually in the interior of the parking lot or may be aggregated into one or more landscape areas. When located individually, interior landscape islands shall be located so as to define vehicular and pedestrian traffic patterns. When aggregated into one or more landscape areas, interior landscape islands shall function to:
1. Preserve existing trees;
2. Create boulevard treatments;
3. Create landscape features;
4. Create common open space areas for passive recreational activities; or
5. Define vehicular and pedestrian traffic patterns.
(d) Each tree shall be a minimum of two and one-half feet away from the outside of any permanent barrier of a landscaped area or edge of the parking area.
(2) Perimeter landscaping of parking lots in business and industrial districts. In addition to landscaping provided in required yards and required bufferyards, if a parking area is located between a building and a required front yard or between a building and a required front, side or rear bufferyard. The side of the parking area facing the front yard or the front, side or rear bufferyard shall be screened by:
(a) A compact hedge row located between the front yard or a bufferyard and the edge of the parking area planted three feet on-center and between 24 inches and 30 inches in height at the time of planting; or
(b) Hedge plants in combination with: an ornamental, decorative fence or masonry wall or earthen berm; provided that, the plant unit value of the hedge, wall or berm equals one and one-half.
NOTE: Each sample area represents a total length of 400 feet. Depth of the sample areas varies for illustrative purposes only. Trees indicated are at full growth, not at time of planting.
Table 11: Bufferyard and Perimeter Yard Landscaping (Table A) | ||||||||||||||||||
Zoning Of Subject Property | ||||||||||||||||||
O-1 | R-SF-1 | R-SF-2 | R-SF--3 | R-SF-4 | R-V | R-MF-1 | R-MF-2 | BO | B-1 | B-2 | B-3 | VBD | I-ORT | I-1 | I-2 | I-3 | SU | |
Table 11: Bufferyard and Perimeter Yard Landscaping (Table A) | ||||||||||||||||||
Zoning Of Subject Property | ||||||||||||||||||
O-1 | R-SF-1 | R-SF-2 | R-SF--3 | R-SF-4 | R-V | R-MF-1 | R-MF-2 | BO | B-1 | B-2 | B-3 | VBD | I-ORT | I-1 | I-2 | I-3 | SU | |
O-1 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | A | A | A | A | B | C | A(1) | B | B | C | C | * * |
R-SF-1 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | B | B | B | B | C | C | A(1) | B | B | C | C | * * |
R-SF-2 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | B | B | B | B | C | C | A(1) | B | B | C | C | * * |
R-SF-3 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | B | B | B | B | C | C | A(1) | B | B | C | C | * * |
R-SF-4 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | B | B | B | B | C | C | A(1) A | B | B | C | C | * * |
R-V | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | B | B | B | B | C | C | (1) | B | B | C | C | * * |
R-MF-1 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | A | A | B | B | B | C | A(1) A | B | B | B | C | * * |
R-MF-2 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | A | A | B | B | B | C | (1) | B | B | B | C | * * |
Interstate Freeway | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | NR | A | A | A | A | * * |
NOTES TO TABLE:
NR = Landscaping/screening not required A= Level A B = Level B C = Level C * =Perimeter yards for the R-MF-1 and R-MF-2 Districts, when located adjacent to all other districts not listed on Table 12 shall be landscaped at Level A ** = Landscaping shall be provided based upon the “Applicable District Development Standards” listed in § 194.057(C) of this chapter for each special use district (1) = Applicable only to side or rear bufferyards | ||||||||||||||||||
Table 12: Levels of Plantings - Bufferyards and Perimeter Yards (Table B) |
Level A = Any combination of plants selected from the plant categories listed below, which equals or exceeds a plant unit value of 2 for each 100 lineal feet; provided that, at least 50% of the required plant unit value shall be derived from deciduous shade (overstory) trees, deciduous ornamental (understory) trees, evergreen trees or evergreen trees - narrow spread. |
Level B = Any combination of plants selected from the plant categories listed below, which equals or exceeds a plant unit value of 3 for each 100 lineal feet; provided that, at least 25% of the required plant unit value shall be derived from deciduous shade (overstory) trees or deciduous ornamental (understory) trees and at least 25% of the plant unit value shall be derived from evergreen trees or evergreen trees - narrow spread. |
Level C = Any combination of plants selected from the plant categories listed below, which equals or exceeds a plant unit value of 4 for each 100 lineal feet; provided that, at least 25% of the required plant unit value shall be derived from deciduous shade (overstory) trees or deciduous ornamental (understory) trees and at least 50% of the plant unit value shall be derived from evergreen trees or evergreen trees - narrow spread. |
Table 13: Plant Unit Values (Table C) | |
Plant Categories | Plant Unit Value |
Table 13: Plant Unit Values (Table C) | |
Plant Categories | Plant Unit Value |
(Minimum Size at Time of Planting) | |
Deciduous shade (overstory) | 0.50 |
(2-1/2” caliper at 6” above the ground) | |
Deciduous ornamental (understory) tree | 0.40 |
(91-1/2” caliper at 6” above the ground) | |
Evergreen tree (6’ high) | 0.40 |
Evergreen tree-narrow spread (4’ high) | 0.25 |
Hedge plant (24” - 30” high) | 0.05 |
(E) Ground cover within required landscaping. All landscaping required above shall, at a minimum, consist of living vegetation (i.e., trees and shrubs) and grasses or ground cover materials, or preserved existing natural vegetation (i.e., thickets). Landscape stone may be used as a landscaping accent, but shall not exceed 20% of the area of the required landscape area in which it is used.
(1) Exception(s): Substitution of all mulch within the defined area mentioned above for landscape stone may occur if:
(a) Minimum number of required plantings are dispersed evenly throughout the defined area, or
(b) Building facade is located on a non-frontage elevation.
(F) Wall, fence or berm. In addition to living vegetation required above, landscaping in a required yard, required bufferyard or required perimeter yard may include a fence, wall or berm as regulated below.
(1) Fence or wall in a front yard. An ornamental, decorative fence or masonry wall may be used in conjunction with required front yard or required front bufferyard landscaping. Any fence or wall used in a front yard shall not exceed three feet in height if solid or six feet in height if the sight barrier is less than 50%. Any fence or wall which maintains a height of between 30 inches and three feet if solid or between five feet and six feet if the sight barrier is less than 50% shall count as up to a 50 plant unit value for each 100-foot increment against the required plant unit value specified by Table 12. Chain link may be used as a fencing material, however, a chain link fence shall not count as a plant unit value.
(2) Berm in a front yard or front bufferyard. An undulating earthen berm. may be used in conjunction with required front yard or required front bufferyard landscaping. Any berm used in a front yard shall have a maximum height not to exceed three feet when located in a multi-family residential or business district or five feet when located in an industrial district, shall have a minimum crown width of two feet and shall have a side slope of not greater than three feet horizontal to one foot vertical (3:1). Any berm shall be planted and covered with live vegetation. A retaining wall may be used on the side of the berm facing away from the public right-of-way. Any berm which maintains its maximum height for a minimum of 60% of the lineal distance of each 100-foot increment of the yard shall count as up to a 0.50 plant unit value for each 100-foot increment against the required plant unit value specified by Table 12.
(3) Fence or wall in a side or rear yard or side or rear bufferyard. An ornamental, decorative fence or masonry wall may be used in conjunction with required side or rear yard, required side or rear bufferyard, or required side or rear perimeter yard landscaping. Any fence or wall used in a side or rear yard or side or rear bufferyard shall not exceed six feet in height. Any fence or wall which maintains a height of between four feet and six feet shall count as up to a 0.50 plant unit value for each 100-foot increment against the required plant unit value specified by Table 12. Chain link may be used as a fencing material, however, a chain link fence shall not count as a plant unit value.
(4) Berm in a side or rear yard or side or rear bufferyard. An undulating earthen berm, may be used in conjunction with required side or rear yard, required side or rear bufferyard, or required side or rear perimeter yard landscaping. Any berm used in a side or rear yard or side or rear bufferyard shall have a maximum height not to exceed six feet, shall have a minimum crown width of two feet and shall have a side slope of not greater than three feet horizontal to one foot vertical (3:1). Any berm shall be planted and covered with live vegetation. A retaining wall may be used on the side of the berm facing away from the side or rear lot line. Any berm which maintains its maximum height for a minimum of 60% of the lineal distance of each 100-foot increment of the yard shall count as up to a 0.75 plant unit value for each 100 lineal feet against the required plant unit value specified by Table 12.
(G) Installation of landscaping. All landscaping required by this section shall be:
(1) Installed prior to commencement of the use on the real estate; or
(2) If seasons and weather conditions are not appropriate for the installation of landscaping immediately prior to commencement of the use, all landscaping required by this section shall be installed by the end of the next planting season after the use is commenced.
(H) Maintenance of landscaping. The owner or property manager shall:
(1) Maintain all required landscaping by keeping lawns mowed, all plants maintained as disease-free, and planting beds groomed, except in areas of preserved existing natural vegetation (i.e., thickets); and
(2) Replace any required planting, which is removed or dies after the date of planting. Such replacement shall occur during the next planting season.
(I) Credit for preservation of existing trees.
(1) In order to encourage the preservation of existing stands of trees or tree rows and to enhance the quality of the built environment, the Plan Commission may approve an alternative landscape plan which utilizes the designation of one or more tree save areas in lieu of new plantings within a required yard, a required perimeter yard, a required bufferyard, foundation plantings or interior landscape islands in parking lots.
(2) A 0.25 plant unit value credit shall be given for every two caliper inches of trees saved per 100-foot increment. The credit shall count towards the required new plantings within such 100-foot increment of a required yard, a required perimeter yard, a required bufferyard, foundation plantings or interior landscape islands in parking lots.
(3) An alternative landscape plan which utilizes the designation of a tree save area shall:
(a) Provide that, all trees which are to be preserved in a tree save area shall be maintained without injury and with sufficient area for the root system to sustain the tree;
(b) Provide that, protective care and physical restraint barriers at the drip line, such as temporary protective fencing, shall be provided in the tree save area to prevent alteration, compaction or increased depth of the soil in the root system area prior to and during groundwork and construction; and
(c) Provide that, in the event trees designated for saving in the tree save area are damaged during construction or die within three years of completion of construction on the site, replacement trees shall be planted in the designated tree save area to equal the credited plant unit value of the tree which was damaged or which died.
(Ord. 2000-16, passed 8-28-2000, § 3.15; Ord. 2020-01, passed 1-6-2020)