Within any zone where a nonresidential development
abuts a residential zone or where off-street parking and loading for
six or more vehicles abuts a street, the following buffer area and
landscaping requirements shall apply.
A. A strip of land 20% of the average width or depth
of the property, but not less than 10 feet, when a nonresidential
use abuts a residential zone on the side or rear, shall be designated
as a buffer area and so indicated on the plat. Buffer areas will be
contiguous with residential property lines and shall be of uniform
width. In no case should the width of the buffer exceed 50 feet. If
the buffer is less than 20 feet wide, the applicant may be required
to erect and landscape a six-foot-high stockade fence within the buffer
area parallel to the lot line of the abutting residential lot and
set back a distance appropriate for the landscaping treatment in the
buffer area. Buffer areas between parking and loading areas and streets
shall be at least 10 feet wide.
B. Buffer areas shall be maintained and kept clean of
all debris, rubbish, weeds and tall grass. Any screen planting shall
be maintained permanently and any plant material which does not live
shall be replaced within one year or one growing season.
C. No structure, activity, storage of materials or parking
of vehicles shall be permitted in the buffer area, except access drives
from public streets, one unlighted directional sign per each direction
of traffic per access drive and permitted signs as specified in the
district regulations.