The following standards are intended to implement the Village's long-term planning goals by assuring an acceptable degree of buffering between land uses, particularly between residential and nonresidential uses, providing a balance between developed uses and open space, enhancing the visual and aesthetic appearance of the community and encouraging preservation of existing natural features. Specifically, these regulations are intended to:
A. 
Provide natural visual screening of parking areas and along property boundaries to protect the existing visual quality of adjacent lands.
B. 
Reduce surface runoff and minimize soil erosion through the natural filtering capability of landscaped areas.
C. 
Provide natural buffers that reduce glare and noise, provide wildlife corridors and protect wildlife habitats, wetlands, stream corridors and other significant environmental features.
D. 
Moderate the microclimate of parking areas by providing shade, absorbing reflected heat from paved surfaces and creating natural windbreaks.
E. 
Enhance the overall visual quality of the community by surrounding developed areas with a variety of plant materials that are consistent and compatible with the existing natural vegetation of the area.
These landscaping regulations shall apply to all uses in all districts. Within the MU-2 District, whenever the requirements of this article vary from the requirements of the design standards found in § 130-36, the most restrictive or those imposing the higher standards shall govern. More specifically, requirements and procedures shall be as follows:
A. 
Building permits for construction of new single-family or two-family dwelling major subdivisions shall require preservation of existing vegetation or plantings to provide two shade trees of a minimum two-inch caliper, measured in accordance to American Standards for Nursery Stock (ANSI), for each dwelling. Such tree(s) shall be located outside the public right-of-way in the front yard.
B. 
Major residential subdivisions shall be required to submit landscaping plans in accordance with § 130-73 of this chapter indicating appropriate landscaping of entrances, common open spaces and recreation areas and perimeter buffer areas.
C. 
Development activities requiring site plan approval shall submit, as part of such approval, a landscaping plan in accordance with § 130-73 of this chapter.
A. 
Existing site vegetation and unique site features, such as stone walls, shall be incorporated into landscaping plans to the maximum extent feasible. Existing healthy trees which are retained shall be credited against the requirements of these regulations in accordance with their size and location.
B. 
Issuance of a certificate of occupancy shall require completion of lot grading, seeding and required landscaping or posting of a performance guaranty acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer if the applicant cannot perform the work due to seasonal impracticalities.
C. 
All required landscaping shall be of healthy stock, planted according to accepted horticultural practices. Landscaping plans shall clearly indicate who is responsible for plant maintenance during the first 12 months after planting, and a performance guaranty shall be posted for assuring replacement in kind of plants which die or become diseased within that time.
D. 
All required landscaping shall be maintained in healthy condition. Failure to maintain such landscaping or to replace dead or diseased landscaping required by this chapter shall constitute a violation of these regulations.
E. 
All plant material adjacent to parking areas, loading areas and driveways shall be protected by barriers, curbs or other means from damage by vehicles or from stormwater runoff.
F. 
Where existing conditions make compliance with these regulations not feasible, the Planning Board, at its discretion, may approve planters, plant boxes or pots containing trees, shrubs and/or flowers to comply with the intent of these regulations.
G. 
In cases where the edge of pavement within a public right-of-way does not coincide with the front lot line, the property owner shall be responsible for maintenance and landscaping in the area between the front lot line and the edge of the street pavement.
H. 
Trees for screening shall be of species and stock that will provide a visual screen from the ground up, at least five feet in height.
A. 
Based on the scale and location of the project, the Planning Board shall determine whether the landscaping plan must be prepared by a licensed landscape architect, landscape designer or other professional. All landscaping plans shall contain the following information:
(1) 
A title block with the name of the project, then name of the person preparing the plan, a scale, North arrow and date.
(2) 
All existing significant plant materials on the site.
(3) 
Existing and proposed structures.
(4) 
Topographical contours at two-foot intervals.
(5) 
Parking areas.
(6) 
Access aisles.
(7) 
Drainage patterns.
(8) 
Location, size and description of all landscape materials existing and proposed, including all trees and shrubs, and shall identify those existing plant materials that are to be removed.
(9) 
Other information as may be required by the Code Enforcement Officer and/or the Planning Board.
B. 
Alternative landscaping plans may be submitted, provided that they meet the purpose and intent of these regulations.