The intent of this article is to provide minimum standards for
the design, installation and maintenance of landscape elements throughout
the Township. Landscaping is viewed as a critical element to promote
the desired image of the community, enhance the visual appearance,
articulate outdoor spaces, preserve natural features, improve property
values and reduce impacts generated by certain land uses.
The standards below are intended to encourage the preservation of trees that are not regulated by Article
23, Tree and Woodlands Replacement:
A. Credit may be given for preserving healthy, nonregulated, quality
trees when the design intent of this article is met. The credit for
tree preservation shall be applied at the rate of one tree for each
existing tree between 2.5 to 7.9 inches DBH.
B. Trees requested as credit must be inspected by the Township to ensure
the trees are high quality and will fulfill the requirements of this
article.
C. Trees preserved for landscape credit shall be clearly indicated on the grading and landscape plans. Tree protection methods shall comply with Article
23, Tree and Woodlands Replacement.
D. To protect and encourage the continued health of the preserved trees,
the ground area within the dripline of the trees shall be maintained
as vegetation or other approved pervious surface.
A greenbelt is the land abutting a public street, private street
or access drive that shall be reserved as a landscaped area to serve
as an obscuring screen, noise abatement and visual enhancement along
roadway corridors.
A. Greenbelts are measured from the edge of a public street right-of-way,
private road easement or access drive/easement.
B. The greenbelt shall include one canopy tree and six shrubs per 40
linear feet of road frontage. The frontage calculation shall include
any openings for driveways, sidewalks or easements.
C. A thirty-five-foot-wide greenbelt is required for residential zoning
districts, unless additional width is approved for a PUD, HPUD or
OSC development.
D. For nonresidential zoning districts, the width of the greenbelt shall
be equal to the required parking lot setback.
E. The Township may approve substitution of evergreen trees for up to
50% of the required greenbelt trees if the intent is to provide a
more-effective buffer and provided a mixture of other species are
included.
F. The greenbelt plantings shall be designed to simulate a natural appearance
and include a variety of species. Upright shrubs shall be the dominant
type to provide the greatest visual impact; low or spreading varieties
may be used as an accent material.
G. The greenbelt shall include only living materials, except approved
pathways, walls, fences or other similar ornamental features.
H. Gates, functioning or ornamental, are not permitted.
I. Public rights-of-way and easements adjacent to greenbelts shall be
planted with grass or living ground cover. Plant material and other
improvements located within the right-of-way must be approved by Wayne
County.
A buffer zone is a landscaped area located adjacent to a residential
use and intended to reduce negative impacts on adjacent residential
properties.
A. A buffer zone shall be required on any parcel that abuts a residential
zoning district or use. Buffers shall include landscape and a wall
or a berm in accordance with the following table. The Planning Commission
shall determine whether a wall or berm is most appropriate in consideration
of the proposed use, physical area available and impacts to be abated.
|
District or Use
|
Landscape Buffer
|
Height of Wall or Berm
|
---|
|
MF and SH
|
B
|
4.5' to 6'
|
|
OS, B-1, B-3 and NRMU
|
B
|
4.5' to 6'
|
|
ORT, I and CI
|
A
|
5' to 8'
|
|
Off-street parking
|
B
|
4.5'
|
|
Service and loading areas
|
A
|
5' to 8'
|
|
Public utility buildings
|
B
|
6'
|
|
Mining and quarrying
|
A
|
6'
|
|
•
|
Landscape Buffer A: two trees and four shrubs per 20 linear
feet.
|
---|
|
•
|
Landscape Buffer B: one tree and four shrubs per 20 linear feet.
|
B. The buffer shall be required on the subject site, even if the adjacent
site is unimproved land.
C. The width of the buffer shall be equal to the required setback.
D. The height of the wall or berm shall be measured from the surface
of the parking area or land on the nonresidential side of the wall
or berm.
E. When the subject site abuts two districts with different height requirements
for a wall or berm, the height of the wall or berm shall be determined
by the Planning Commission based on the best option for minimizing
off-site impacts.
F. Standards for walls.
(1)
Walls shall be located on the lot line, except where underground
utilities interfere or where an alternate location provides a better
opportunity for screening.
(2)
Walls shall be constructed of brick or comparable decorative
materials that match the primary building material used on the site.
Wood or wood products are not permitted.
(3)
Walls shall be contiguous except for approved pedestrian or
vehicular connections.
G. Standards for berms.
(1)
Berms shall have a minimum four-foot-wide crest on the top of
the berm.
(2)
The exterior face of the berm shall be constructed as an earthen
slope. The interior face of the berm may be constructed with a retaining
wall or terrace.
(3)
Sides of the berm shall not exceed a 1:4 slope.
(4)
Side slopes shall be established with grass or other ground
cover. If slopes are seeded, they shall be protected until the seed
germinates and a permanent lawn is established.