Emphasis shall be placed upon landscaping as a means of achieving beauty, safety and convenience in the community. Landscaping shall be designed in such a manner as to impart its aesthetic character when viewed from an area accessible to the public or from adjacent properties. It will be required on all projects. The location, nature and height of walls and fences and the nature and extent of the landscaping on the sites shall be such that the use will not hinder or discourage the appropriate development and use of adjacent land and buildings.
Landscaping design and planning shall be integrated into the overall design and shall not be considered as an afterthought. Proposed landscape design schemes shall be evaluated in their relationship to the existing natural landscape or to the developed or proposed landscape, including those on adjacent properties. The existing natural landscape character shall be preserved whenever possible and practical.
Landscaping includes not only the design and installation of plant material but also paving, benches, fountains, exterior lighting fixtures, fences and other items of outdoor furniture serving the pedestrian. The design of these items shall complement the total design of the space. No advertising will be allowed on any exposed amenity or facility such as benches and trash containers.
One of the uses of landscaping will be to screen, to buffer and to accentuate boundaries and to involve the masking out or concealing of any objectionable area. The achievement of this is left to the designer, whether by walls, fences, mounds of earth or vegetation. Screening shall be employed to mask from the public view or adjacent properties such service areas as trash and garbage areas, outside equipment of an unaesthetic character and accessory buildings or areas not enhancing or in keeping with the aesthetics of the project or neighborhood.
All landscaping and plantings designated on the plans shall be of specified height and shall be installed and growing in a healthy condition before a certificate of occupancy is issued.