Landscaping requirements are established to:
A. 
Promote the public health, safety and welfare of residents by requiring that all developments landscape their land, including parking areas.
B. 
Establish minimum landscaping standards and criteria for all developments.
C. 
Minimize unnecessary clearing and disturbing of land to ensure protection of natural, existing flora and replace native flora that has been removed.
D. 
Reduce the effects of wind and air turbulence, heat, noise and the glare of lighting.
E. 
Provide unpaved areas within developments and regulate the amount of impervious surface to ensure the absorption of stormwater.
F. 
Prevent soil erosion.
G. 
Provide shaded areas in developments.
H. 
Protect property values and character of neighborhoods.
I. 
Ensure that the development of new parking areas have minimal visual effects on the neighborhood.
The provisions of this article shall apply to all uses requiring site plan approval or special permit approval. Nothing in this section shall limit the ability of an approving Board to require more extensive landscaping, or specific types of vegetation, or placement of landscaping.
A. 
General.
(1) 
A minimum of 10% of a development shall be landscaped and treed as outlined in this code.
(2) 
Natural features, including streams, drainageways, and existing trees, shall be preserved and incorporated into the landscaping plan of the development where practical.
(3) 
In the business and industrial districts, 5% of the landscaped area shall be dedicated to outdoor eating and recreation areas for employees. Such areas shall be screened from public streets, alleys, paths, private streets, and abutting lots with earth berms and dense landscaping to a minimum height of six feet.
(4) 
All planting strips, yards, setbacks, and other required open space areas shall be landscaped in accordance with a landscaping plan, prepared by a landscape architect, architect or engineer, approved by the Town. Landscaping shall consist of shrubs, ground cover and street trees and shall be designed and installed to provide an attractive development pattern.
(5) 
Landscaping shall be provided along and adjacent to all streets, common driveway areas and common off-street parking areas. Sidewalks shall be constructed along the lot frontage on all existing roads and shall provide pedestrian access to each residential unit and related nonresidential facilities.
(6) 
Landscape materials and street trees for each development shall be complementary to the adjacent developments and/or significant natural features and vegetation. Plantings shall follow the following basic plant principles:
(a) 
Plant material shall be massed in beds rather than planted as independent units in a lawn.
(b) 
Simple masses of shrubbery with good scale, a predominance of one species for unity and individual plants for accent are desirable.
(c) 
Landscaping materials should be contained so as not to spill or intrude into the public right-of-way.
(d) 
All trees shall be staked and all planting areas mulched.
(e) 
The use of synthetic vegetation (turf, plastic plants, etc.) shall not be permitted for any required landscaping.
(7) 
Significant trees, tree stands, natural vegetation and wildlife habitat on site shall be integrated into the site landscape plan to the maximum extent possible.
(8) 
All trees and other plant materials designated for preservation shall be protected during construction with wooden fencing to keep heavy equipment away from roots and trunks and will be permanently protected in case of site modifications that alter the tree's environment.
(9) 
All landscaping materials shall be selected, installed and maintained in accordance with any SWPPP required under the Town Code.
[Added 12-17-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
B. 
Maintenance.
(1) 
All required planting shall be permanently maintained in good condition and, when necessary, replaced with new plant material to ensure continued compliance with these standards.
(2) 
For the purpose of enforcement, the property owner shall be responsible for maintenance. Maintenance shall include watering, weeding and pruning.
(3) 
All required fences and walls shall be maintained and, when necessary, repaired or replaced.
(4) 
A developer shall be expected to topsoil, seed or sod all areas so designated in the landscape plan. The seeding responsibility of the developer shall not be considered complete until a lawn is produced of an acceptable quality.
(5) 
Grass sod shall be clean and free of weeds and noxious pests or diseases.
(6) 
All landscaping, either existing or to be installed within the road right-of-way, shall be privately maintained to the curbline or pavement edge.
C. 
Screening.
(1) 
Proper landscaping and screening shall be provided to screen the site from adjacent land uses. Visual, noise and air quality factors should be considered. Proper buffers shall be provided between abutting zoning districts.
(2) 
Transformers, gas meters, telecommunications base stations, etc., shall be screened.
(3) 
Blank-end walls shall be landscaped.
A. 
Prior to the issuance of site plan approval, special permits, etc., 10 copies of the landscaping plan shall be submitted with the site plan. Landscaping plans shall be drawn to scale, including the dimensions and distances and shall clearly delineate:
(1) 
Plant materials, including trees, shrubs, ground cover, turf and other vegetation, shall be labeled by botanical name, common name, caliper or container size, spacing and quantities in each group.
(2) 
Property lines and street names.
(3) 
Streets, driveways, walkways and other paved area.
(4) 
Pools, water features, lighting fixtures, fences and retaining walls.
(5) 
Existing and proposed buildings and structures, including elevation if applicable.
(6) 
Natural features, including but not limited to rock outcroppings and existing plant materials that will be preserved.
(7) 
Tree staking, plant installation, soil preparation details and all other applicable planting and installation details.
(8) 
Calculation of the total landscaped area.
(9) 
Designation of recreation areas, if applicable.
B. 
Landscape plans shall be developed in accordance with the following guidelines:
(1) 
Plants selected shall be suited to the climate and region as well as the geologic and topographic conditions of the site. The protection and preservation of native plant materials and natural areas is encouraged.
(2) 
A landscaped area shall have the minimum width of five feet excluding curbs, retaining walls or similar enclosing structures.
(3) 
No more than 30% of all plant material included in a landscape plan shall be coniferous. This includes both trees and shrubs to be included on the site.
(4) 
Water-intensive ornamental plant materials shall not exceed 10% of the total landscaped area.
(5) 
Decorative water features should use recirculating water, when possible.
(6) 
Applicants shall comply with the Grand Island Boulevard Planting Plan.
(7) 
The landscaping plan shall comply with any SWPPP required under the Town Code.
[Added 12-17-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
C. 
Plant materials shall be in accordance with the following minimum requirements.
(1) 
The minimum size for a shrub shall be 30 inches in height.
(2) 
The minimum size for a tree shall be a caliper of 2 1/2 inches and five feet in height.
(3) 
Vines shall be a minimum of 30 inches in length after one growing season and may be used in conjunction with fences, screens or walls to meet physical buffer requirements so specified.
(4) 
Ground covers used in lieu of grass in whole or in part shall be planted in such a manner as to present a finished appearance and complete coverage after two growing seasons.
(5) 
Plantings shall be continually maintained and dead trees replaced.