[Amended 12-17-2012 by Ord. No. 1485-2012; 9-15-2014 by Ord. No. 1512-2014]
A landscape buffer area shall be provided along all external property lines, except for properties with frontage along the Hudson River where the applicant shall be required to install a riverfront walkway pursuant to this chapter. The following landscaping requirements shall apply:
| Buffer From Adjacent Nonresidential Use (feet) | Buffer From Residential Use (feet) |
|---|
R-3 | 10* | 10* |
R-4 | 15 | 20 |
R-5 | 15 | 25 |
MCRD | 15 | 25 |
CBD | 10 | 15 |
B-1 | 0 | 10 |
B-3 | 15 | 25 |
B-4 | 0 | 10 |
OR-1 | 15 | 25 |
MXD-1 | 10 | 10 |
MXD-2 | 10 | 10 |
MXD-3 | 10 | 10 |
NOTES: |
|---|
* | Except for permitted one- and two-family residences in an R-3 Zone, where no buffer is required. |
A. The landscape area shall provide a year-round visual screen to minimize adverse impacts from the site on adjacent properties.
B. If the landscape area is less than 10 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.
C. The landscape 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.
D. No structure, activity, storage of materials, driveways or parking of vehicles shall be permitted in the landscape area, except permitted signs as specified in the district regulations. Driveways may be permitted to bisect the landscape area only to provide direct vehicular access from the street into the lot.
E. Requirements for planting in landscape area.
(1) A solid and continuous landscaped screen shall be planted and maintained to conceal the parking and loading areas, eliminate the glare of vehicle lights throughout the year and camouflage the building from the abutting residential areas. The landscaped screen shall consist of evergreen trees, such as hemlock, Douglas fir, Norway spruce, etc. Evergreen trees shall not be less than eight feet high when planted, and the lowest branches shall be not more than one floor above the ground. In the event that the existing evergreen trees do not cover the required area from the ground, said landscaping screen shall be supplemented with evergreen shrubbery.
(2) In addition to the landscaped screen, shade trees shall be planted by the applicant at a distance of not more than 40 feet from each other.
(3) If the landscape area includes existing growth of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubbery, but not enough to provide a suitable screen as required above, existing trees and shrubbery may remain and shall be supplemented by additional evergreen plantings to provide the required landscaped screen. In the event that the approving authority finds that additional plantings of evergreens will not grow satisfactorily in said buffer areas, a stockade fence(s) six feet high shall be erected in the buffer area.
F. The approving authority shall have the power to waive any of the requirements or details specified above if it determines an adequate buffer can be provided in less than the required width while maintaining the purposes of this section. The approving authority, when considering waiving any of the buffer requirements, shall review the proposed plat and the standards and purposes of this chapter and, to these ends, shall consider the location of buildings, parking areas, outdoor illumination and topographic features of the area, and existing features, such as trees and streams; the efficiency, adequacy and safety of the proposed layout of driveways, streets, sidewalks and paths; the adequacy and location of screening and parking areas, structures and uses; and such other matters as may be found to have a material bearing on the above standards and objectives.