A well-prepared landscape plan integrates the various elements
of a site's design, while preserving and enhancing the preexisting
identity of the site. It creates a sense of entry to a building and/or
site. Landscape plans are required for all new developments to ensure
protection of the site's natural features and sensitive areas; to
provide landscaping that is consistent with standards for crime prevention
through environmental design; to enhance community design by using
landscaping to buffer incompatible uses; to create seasonal interest
through use of a variety of landscaping materials; and to improve
the general appearance of public and private spaces, walkways and
open spaces throughout the community. Landscape plans tailored to
the location, design and use of a particular site also enhance the
Town's character. The landscaping standards are intended as a tool
to implement the Town of Bel Air Comprehensive Plan goals of protecting
sensitive areas, achieving quality growth and development and upgrading
the Town's appearance.
[Amended 4-3-2017 by Ord.
No. 780-17]
A. A landscape plan shall be submitted with each subdivision and site plan application. The plan shall include all elements required in §
165-57 of this article.
B. Additionally, landscape plans are required for any enlargement exceeding
500 square feet of an existing building and/or construction or expansion
of a parking lot.
[Amended 4-3-2017 by Ord.
No. 780-17]
The landscape plan must be prepared, signed and sealed by a
landscape architect registered in the State of Maryland. The plan
should specify the location, size, species, spacing of plant materials,
method of installation, method for maintenance and retention of materials
in accordance with standards outlined in the latest edition of the
Town Landscape Manual.
A. The applicant shall submit a landscape plan, identifying all existing vegetation, streams, floodplain zones and nontidal wetlands, along with the preliminary site plan. The plan shall indicate provisions for landscape maintenance, stormwater management, revegetation, establishment of vegetated buffers and the method of providing perpetual protection of any special flood hazard areas as required by Chapter
210, Floodplain Management, of the Bel Air Town Code.
B. The plan shall include all existing and proposed street trees located
within the public right-of-way or immediately adjacent to the right-of-way.
Wherever possible, the plan should emphasize use of native vegetation
and incorporate sustainable development practices through the use
of green roofs and associated sustainable planting practices.
[Amended 10-16-2023 by Ord. No. 817-23]
C. The plan shall be reviewed by the Zoning Administrator or designee
and the Director of Public Works or designee for completeness, conformance
with the requirements of this Part 2 and for appropriateness of species
and location.
[Amended 10-16-2023 by Ord. No. 817-23]
D. Following staff approval, the plan shall be submitted to the Planning
Commission, if applicable, for final review.
E. Any property owner seeking a modification to the approved plan shall
submit a written request to the Department of Planning and Community
Development justifying the proposed change and a revised plan graphically
identifying the proposed modifications. Any significant revisions
to the approved plan, as determined by the Zoning Administrator and
Director of Public Works, will require Planning Commission approval.
F. The Department of Planning and Community Development shall forward
said documentation to the Planning Commission for consideration if
determined that revisions are significant. The Planning Commission
shall then determine whether the modifications are comparable in quality,
effectiveness and durability with the originally approved plan and
whether minimum standards of this Part 2 have been satisfied. The
modifications shall have no adverse visual effect on adjacent properties.
[Amended 4-3-2017 by Ord.
No. 780-17]
A. General planting specifications.
(1) All proposed planting shall have a minimum size and height as outlined
in the Town Landscape Manual.
(2) The condition of plant material shall meet standards outlined in
the Town Landscape Manual. After, installation and acceptance, all
required plant material shall be maintained by the property owner
for the lifetime of the development.
(3) Within one year of planting, any dead or dying trees or plant materials
shall be replaced by the applicant during the next planting season
prior to release of any required surety.
(4) Existing vegetation shall be preserved to the maximum extent practical.
The landscape plan shall identify the protection area and method of
protection for retained vegetation. The applicant shall be responsible
for replacement of such vegetation should removal or loss occur during
and/or within one year of construction.
(5) No buildings, structures, storage of materials, or parking shall
be permitted within preservation areas and designated buffer areas
unless specifically approved by the Planning Commission.
B. Screening plans and materials.
(1) Every development shall provide sufficient screening when the Planning
Commission determines that there is a need to shield neighboring properties
from any adverse external effects of a development or to shield the
development from negative impacts of adjacent uses.
(2) When building design and siting do not provide privacy, the Planning
Commission may require landscaping, fences, or walls to screen dwelling
units for privacy.
(3) When landscape buffers are used as screening, the buffers shall be
measured from right-of-way, side and rear property lines, excluding
driveways.
(4) Screening shall provide a year-round visual shield in order to minimize
adverse impacts. All planting must retain two-thirds of foliage during
the lifetime of the project or replacement is required. All required
screening must be located within the project area. All off-site screening
must be encumbered within a recorded easement to insure proper maintenance
and retention.
[Amended 10-16-2023 by Ord. No. 817-23]
(5) Screening may consist of walls, fencing, vegetation, berms, rocks,
boulders, mounds, or combinations thereof to achieve the same objectives.
(6) Plant species considered to be invasive or which may cause damage
to the environment or infrastructure are prohibited. The list of these
species are outlined in the Town Landscape Manual.
(7) If planted berms are used, the minimum top width shall be four feet,
and the maximum side slope shall be 3:1.
(8) Plantings shall be watered regularly and in a manner appropriate
for the specific plant species.
(9) Buffer areas shall be maintained and kept free of all debris, rubbish,
weeds, and tall grass.
C. Tree plantings. In addition to general planting requirements noted
above, any tree planting in close proximity to overhead or underground
utilities shall satisfy the following specifications and standards:
(1) Any trees planted within 15 feet of the center of a distribution
pole line (<69 kilovolts) should not have a mature height that
exceeds 30 feet.
(2) Any trees planted in an area 15 feet to 40 feet from the center of
a distribution pole line should not have a mature height exceeding
50 feet.
(3) Any trees that are allowed to generate to satisfy the forest conservation plan or other vegetation enhancement requirements shall conform to the requirements noted in Subsection
C(1) and
(2) above. These conditions shall be appended to any existing and future Town-approved forest conservation plans and associated declarations of covenants, conditions and restrictions, and within any recorded easements that may encumber the property through which a pole line or utility easement is situated.
(4) Major deciduous trees are not permitted within 10 feet of underground
utilities excluding storm drains.
[Amended 4-3-2017 by Ord.
No. 780-17]
A. Location. Major or minor deciduous trees shall be installed on both
sides of all proposed streets and along the street frontage of all
existing streets in accordance with the approved landscape plan.
(1) Trees shall be planted at predetermined intervals along streets;
spacing shall depend on site conditions and species, as follows:
Tree Height
(feet)
|
Planting Interval
(feet)
|
---|
Major deciduous trees
|
40
|
Minor deciduous trees
|
30
|
(2) Trees shall be planted so as not to interfere with utilities (buried
and overhead), roadways, sidewalks, sight easements, or streetlights.
Tree species location, and spacing shall be approved by the Planning
Commission as part of the landscape plan. The plan must be approved
by a representative of the Department of Natural Resources, Forest
Service. Street trees should be planted in a right-of-way or easement
area located behind the sidewalk to allow room for root growth.
B. Tree type. Selection of tree species shall be approved by the Zoning
Administrator or his/her designee and the Director of Public Works.
C. Safety and visibility. Street trees shall not restrict sight lines
at intersections, nor restrict the approach view of any traffic or
road sign or device. The Planning Commission may waive street tree
location requirements if their placement would have an adverse impact
on safety requirements.
[Amended 4-3-2017 by Ord.
No. 780-17]
A. Perimeter buffer.
(1) Planting for all required buffers is based upon the application of
a standardized planting unit (PU) along the length of mandatory perimeter
screening area. The required planting is based on dividing the length
of required buffer by the number of planting units per linear foot
or fraction thereof. Table 165-59.I, below, provides the number of
planting units per linear foot.
(2) Planting unit is equal to the following tree or shrub types or a
combination thereof:
[Amended 4-2-2018 by Ord.
No. 783-18; amended 11-1-2021 by Ord. No. 806-21; 10-16-2023 by Ord. No.
817-23]
1
|
Major deciduous tree
|
2
|
Minor deciduous trees
|
2
|
Evergreen trees
|
10
|
Shrubs
|
Table 165-59.I
|
---|
Use
|
Use
|
Buffer Width
(feet)
|
Buffer type
|
---|
Multifamily, townhouse or institutional use
|
Single family
|
10
|
1 pu/25 LF (1 pu/50 LF w/ 6-foot fence, wall, berm)
|
Recreation
|
Residential
|
10
|
1 pu/15 LF
|
Residential (rear or side yard)
|
Collector/arterial right-of-way
|
20
|
1 pu/10 LF
|
Commercial
|
Residential
|
10
|
1 pu/10 LF
|
Nonresidential parking
|
Residential
|
10
|
1 pu/10 LF
|
Industrial (heavy)
|
Residential
|
25
|
1 pu/5 LF
|
Industrial (light)
|
Residential
|
15
|
1 pu/7.5 LF
|
Parking
|
Residential
|
10
|
1 pu/10 LF (1 pu/20 LF w/6-foot fence, wall or berm)
|
Nonresidential parking
|
Right-of-way
|
3
|
1 pu/25 LF
|
Residential parking
|
Right-of-way
|
5
|
1 pu/25 LF
|
Nonresidential parking
|
Commercial
|
3
|
No buffer required
|
(3) The Planning Commission may approve a lesser buffer width or screening
requirement based upon mitigating factors such as walls, fencing,
elevation change or existing vegetation.
[Amended 10-16-2023 by Ord. No. 817-23]
(4) Buffer widths may be expanded and buffer planting may be increased if required by performance standards in Article
VIII, the zoning district in Article
III or by determination of the Planning Commission based upon site conditions, intensity of proposed use or impact to adjacent uses.
(5) Spacing shall be based on the selected species or the conditions
at the site.
(6) Commercial, industrial, institutional, multifamily residential uses
shall provide screening in the form of landscaping and fencing around
any proposed utility, storage or service areas and refuse/recycling
areas.
(7) The location, size, species, design, method of installation and planting
area must meet requirements set forth in the Town Landscape Manual.
B. Parking lot interior landscape.
(1) "Parking lot interior" is defined as the area located within the
outside edge of all paving area used for parking and vehicular access.
(2) Interior parking lot landscape is required for all development containing
more than five spaces. Landscape area shall equal or exceed 8% of
the interior area.
(3) One major deciduous tree shall be provided for every 10 parking spaces.
Any fraction of spaces below five may be disregarded.
(4) The location, size, species, design, method of installation and planting
area must meet requirements set forth in the Town Landscaping Manual.