A. 
The purpose of these Landscaping and Screening standards are to encourage the planting of appropriate new vegetation and the preservation of existing vegetation to enhance the built environment and to protect and sustain the natural environment. Landscaping shall be designed as an integral part of every development project, and not merely located in leftover portions of the site. More specifically these standards are intended to:
(1) 
Visually tie the entire development together, help to define and announce entryways and circulation patterns (both vehicular and pedestrian);
(2) 
Minimize the expansive appearance of parking lots, provide shaded areas for pedestrians, and soften hard edges of buildings and parking lots;
(3) 
Limit unnecessary clearing and disturbance of existing vegetation;
(4) 
Reduce surface runoff and minimize soil erosion through the natural filtering capability of landscaped areas; and
(5) 
Reduce potential nuisances by requiring a visual screen between uses to mitigate the adverse effects of wind and air turbulence; heat and noise; motor vehicle headlight glare and other artificial light intrusion; and other adverse impacts associated with adjoining or nearby uses.
A. 
In conjunction with site plan procedures and standards (Article XIII), preliminary landscape plans and final landscape plans shall be submitted with improvement plans prior to the issuance of building permits for development projects. Such plans shall be prepared by a landscape architect registered to practice in New York State and shall show the following:
(1) 
Topography of site before and after landscaping.
(2) 
Location and size of all existing plant materials.
(3) 
Existing vegetation to be retained.
(4) 
Devices by which existing plant material shall be protected from damage during land alteration or land development activities. All disturbed areas not otherwise treated shall be seeded and/or sodded.
(5) 
Location, type, size, spacing and number of proposed trees, shrubs, and ground covers.
(6) 
Property lines, match lines, easements, limit of contract, building overhangs, paved areas, fences, walls and utilities.
(7) 
A legend, plant list, key, a scale drawn to a minimum of one inch to 30 feet, North arrow and planting detail.
A. 
Entryway and setback landscaping.
(1) 
Building setback areas along streets, accessways, or along private drives, shall be landscaped with a minimum of one shade tree per 35 feet of linear frontage. For property lines abutting a public right-of-way where street trees do not exist, trees shall be planted no more than 40 feet on center located between five feet and 10 feet from the back of the public sidewalk.
(2) 
Building setback areas shall include compact massings of ornamental plant material, such as ornamental trees, flowering shrubs, perennials, and ground covers.
(3) 
Planting shall be massed and scaled as appropriate for the entryway size and space.
(4) 
Plantings should decrease in size and increase in detail, color, and variety near entryways into developments.
B. 
Building foundation landscaping.
(1) 
Plant material shall be placed intermittently against expanses of buildings walls, fences, and other barriers to soften the effect and to help break up walls without architectural detail.
(2) 
Ornamental plant material, such as flowering trees and shrubs, perennials, and ground covers, are encouraged.
(3) 
Plantings should decrease in size and increase in detail, color, and variety near entryways into buildings.
C. 
Interior parking lot landscaping.
(1) 
The interior of all parking lots containing 10 or more spaces shall be landscaped according to the provisions in this subsection.
(2) 
The primary landscaping materials used in parking lots shall be trees, which provide shade or are capable of providing shade at maturity. Shrubbery, hedges and other planting materials may be used to complement the tree landscaping, but shall not be the sole means of landscaping. Effective use of earth berms and existing topography is also encouraged as a component of the landscaping plan.
(3) 
One shade tree shall be planted for every five parking spaces.
(4) 
Large and medium shade trees are recommended.
(5) 
Due to heat and drought stress and vision clearances, ornamental and evergreen trees are not recommended.
(6) 
Minimize conflicts between plantings and pedestrian circulation, emergency vehicle access, light poles, signs and site utilities.
(7) 
Landscaped berms shall be at least 10 feet wide, a maximum of three feet high, and include a maximum slope of 3:1.
A. 
Native plants are encouraged.
B. 
Deciduous trees shall be a minimum of 1 1/2 inch caliper at the time of planting, and eight feet in height at time of planting.
C. 
Evergreen trees shall have a minimum height of five feet at time of planting.
D. 
Upright shrubs to be planted shall be a minimum of 24 inches in height and spreading shrubs, deciduous or evergreen, shall be a minimum 15 inches in diameter.
E. 
Planting beds may be mulched with shredded hardwood, granite chips, river rock or similar materials.
F. 
All plant materials must be:
(1) 
Normally developed and typically representative of species and/or variety stated;
(2) 
Stock well-branched and healthy; and
(3) 
In accordance with the American Association of Nurserymen's American Standard for Nursery Stock.
G. 
Diversity.
(1) 
If there are more than eight required trees, no more than 40% of them can be of one species.
(2) 
If there are more than 24 required trees, no more than 20% of them can be of one species.
(3) 
If there are more than 25 required shrubs, no more than 75% of them can be of one species.
H. 
Lawn area (turf).
(1) 
Grass areas shall be planted in species well adapted to localized growing conditions in Cortland County. Grass areas may be sodded, plugged, sprigged, hydro-mulched, or seeded except that solid sod shall be used in swales or other areas subject to erosion.
(2) 
In areas where other than solid sod or grass seed is used, overseeding shall be sown for immediate effect and protection until coverage is otherwise achieved.
(3) 
Procure from new of-the-year seed crops, free of foreign material or weed seeds.
(4) 
Replacement or overseeding mixes shall match or compliment original installation.
(5) 
Provide continuous uniform and consistent coverage.
A. 
Fence permits.
(1) 
No fence may be erected without a permit issued by the Code or Zoning Officer.
B. 
Use and design regulations.
(1) 
No fence or wall in a residential district shall exceed six feet in height in the side and rear yards, except where contiguous to a business or industrial district and use a fence height of eight feet shall be allowed in the side or rear yard on the shared property line only.
(2) 
Within residential districts, no fence or wall over three feet in height shall be constructed in the front yard of any lot, other than a necessary retaining wall.
(3) 
No chain-link fencing shall be permitted in the front yard of a residential structure or a property located in a residential district.
(4) 
In all nonresidential districts, a fence erected in a required front yard shall not exceed four feet in height.
(5) 
In all nonresidential districts, a fence erected in a required side or rear yard shall not exceed eight feet in height.
(6) 
Within nonresidential districts, a ten-foot perimeter landscaped setback shall be required in conjunction with any fence or wall proposed along any street frontage, except a decorative fence or wall of no more than three feet in height in conjunction with landscaping may encroach in the required setback area.
(7) 
Swimming pools shall be enclosed with a fence as specified in the Building Code of New York State.
(8) 
No electrified fence shall be allowed.
(9) 
All fences must be constructed in such a manner that the side of the fence from which the structural supports are most readily observable faces inward on all sides and not toward the outside portion of the lot upon which the fence is erected.
(10) 
The height of any fence shall be measured from the natural grade. Except in front yards, fences having fence posts with a decorative cap may exceed the height of the top of the fence, but in no event by more than 12 inches above the top of the fence.
C. 
In all districts, a fence erected in a required front yard shall not exceed four feet in height and must maintain a maximum open to closed ratio of 1:1.
[Added 9-3-2019 by L.L. No. 6-2019]
A. 
Purpose.
(1) 
The provisions of this section are intended to separate and shield negative impacts of adjacent land uses, and shall be approved by the Planning Commission.
B. 
Definition.
(1) 
For the purposes of this chapter the following definition of a "buffer strip" shall apply: a landscaped strip of land contiguous to a lot line and designed to visibly separate the use of one lot from another. Such buffer strip may include screening such as a wall, fence, earthen berm, plantings, architectural features or a combination of such elements designed and used to muffle noise, shield light or otherwise minimize the migration of noise or light from one lot toward another lot or toward the street.
C. 
Required strips.
(1) 
If the use of a residentially zoned lot is other than as a single- or two-family dwelling, a buffer strip 10 feet in width shall be provided at the side or rear lot line which abuts the single- or two-family dwelling use. This buffer strip shall be in addition to any other required yard.
(2) 
A buffer strip 10 feet in width shall be provided upon all nonresidentially zoned lots which abut a residentially zoned lot at the side or rear lot line. This buffer strip shall be in addition to any other required yard.
D. 
Restrictions.
(1) 
No parking area, building, or other structure or paved area except walks, walls or fences shall be permitted in any buffer strip.
(2) 
No storage or display of goods shall be permitted in any buffer strip.
E. 
Landscaping.
(1) 
Each buffer strip shall be planted with at least two trees and/or shrubs every 10 linear feet. The remainder of each buffer strip shall be landscaped in grass, ground cover, other vegetation or a walk, wall or fence as allowed hereinabove in § 300-94. If woodlands are located within the required landscaped area, preservation of such woodlands may substitute for the required trees and/or shrubs. If woodlands are located in only part of the required landscaped area, the number of trees and/or shrubs required may be proportionally reduced.
(2) 
All vegetation shall be planted according to § 300-93.
(3) 
Landscaping of buffer strips shall not interfere in any manner with either on-site or off-site traffic visibility.
F. 
Screening required.
(1) 
The Planning Commission shall require and approve screening as it determines to be necessary.
A. 
The owner of the property, or their designated agent, shall be responsible for the proper care and maintenance, and replacement if necessary, of all landscape materials in a healthy and growing condition.
(1) 
Maintenance shall include but not be limited to watering, weeding, mowing, fertilizing, treating, mulching, trimming, removal or replacement of dead or diseased plants and removal of refuse and debris on a regular basis so as to continue a healthy growing condition and present a neat and well-kept appearance at all times.
(2) 
All landscaping and plant material that is missing, dead, decaying, or injured as of September 30 shall be replaced by June 30 of the following year at the owner's expense. The replacement shall be of the same species and size unless otherwise approved by the Code Enforcement Officer.
(3) 
Improper maintenance shall be determined through periodic inspection by the Code Enforcement Officer. The Code Enforcement Officer may require a review and status report of plantings by a professional landscaper, arborist, or engineer. All reasonable costs for review and determination shall be at the expense of the property owner.
B. 
The owner and occupant of property upon which a buffer strip is located shall maintain the buffer strip in such a manner as to preserve its intended appearance.
C. 
All fences shall be maintained by the property owner as to meet the original design specification.