A.
The purpose of this zone is to protect the aesthetic and visual character
of land adjacent to major highway corridors and to provide for and
promote orderly development. All development proposed within this
zone shall be subject to the procedures, standards and guidelines
specified in the following sections, in addition to those standards
pertaining to the particular base zone in which the development occurs.
The following specific purposes will be accomplished through evaluation
of whether proposed developments comply with the standards of the
Highway Corridor (HC) Zone:
(1)
To encourage and better articulate positive visual experiences
along the County's major existing and proposed highways.
(2)
To provide for the continued safe and efficient use of these
roadways.
(3)
To maintain natural beauty and scenic, cultural and historic
character of the corridors, particularly distinctive views, vistas
and visual continuity.
(4)
To protect existing greenbelts, natural vegetation and wildlife
habitats along the corridors.
(5)
To prohibit indiscriminate clearing, excessive grading and clear-cutting
along the corridors.
(6)
Minimize cut-and-fill operations by placing emphasis on the
retention of natural topography of the corridors.
(7)
Minimize intersection and site access points.
B.
The provisions of the HC Zone and the administrative mechanisms used
to implement those provisions will be reviewed annually to ensure
that the objectives of the Comprehensive Plan are being achieved.
A.
The Highway Corridor (HC) Zone shall include all lands within 500
feet of on each side of the following rights-of-way:
A.
All development plan applications for development located in the
Highway Corridor (HC) Zone shall satisfy the standards of the HC Zone.
C.
Uses prohibited in the underlying zone are also prohibited in the
overlay zone.
D.
The following development activities are exempt from following HC
Zone requirements:
A.
Guidelines. The compatible relationship of architecture and site
design related to development within the HC Zone is of critical importance
to the successful implementation of this article. The intent of design
review is not to stifle innovation in architectural design, but to
reduce incompatible and adverse impacts on the visual experience of
the roadway. To accomplish this, the following general guidelines
shall be used when reviewing proposed development within the HC Zone:
(1)
Proposed development shall avoid excessive or unsightly grading,
indiscriminate earthmoving or clearing of property and removal of
trees and vegetation that could cause disruption of natural watercourses
or disfigure natural land forms.
(2)
Proposed development shall be located and configured in a visually
harmonious manner with the terrain and vegetation of the parcel and
surrounding parcels. To the extent practicable, scenic views from
the principal arterial, existing structures or the natural environment
shall not be impeded by proposed development. Structures shall not
dominate, by excessive or inappropriate height or mass, any existing
development, adjacent building or natural landscape.
(3)
The architectural design of structures and their materials and
colors shall be visually harmonious with the overall appearance, history
and cultural heritage of the County, with natural land forms and existing
vegetation and with other development plans already approved by the
County. Specific consideration shall be given to compatibility with
adjacent properties where such projects demonstrate the County's character.
The following shall be the specific guidelines used to meet the general
guidelines established above:
(a)
Large work area doors or open bays shall not open toward or
face the principal arterial road.
(b)
Heating, ventilating and air-conditioning equipment, duct work,
air compressors and other fixed operating machinery shall be either
screened from view or located so that such items are not visible from
the principal arterial road. Large trash receptacles, dumpsters, utility
meters, aboveground tanks, satellite dishes, antennas, etc., shall
be similarly treated.
(c)
Manufactured homes and office-type manufactured units shall
be screened from view from the principal arterial road and equipped
with skirting on all sides.
(d)
No temporary structures are permitted except those used in conjunction
with and during construction projects.
(e)
Fencing along the principal arterial road right-of-way shall be permitted for security reasons, and such fencing shall be screened by a ten-foot landscape strip consistent with Buffer Yard C (see Article XXIII).
[Amended 12-7-1993 by Ord. No. 93-100; 11-21-1994 by Ord. No.
94-100]
(f)
Long monotonous facade designs, including but not limited to
those characterized by unrelieved repetition of shape or form or by
unbroken extension of line, shall be avoided.
(g)
In general, natural wood, brick or other materials with similar
texture and appearance are appropriate to County character. Reflective
surfaces are generally not acceptable.
(h)
The colors of paints and stains should nature-blend with generally
no more than three colors per building. Semitransparent stains are
recommended for application on natural wood finishes.
(i)
Signs shall be compatible with architectural features of the
associated building.
(j)
Architectural lighting shall be recessed under roof overhangs
or generated from concealed-source, low-level light fixtures.
B.
Following project completion, all appearance features required by
the County or shown on approved plans shall be maintained in good
condition by all subsequent owners of the property. Changes beyond
the owner's control shall be restored by the owner, unless otherwise
provided. Changes proposed by the owner shall require approval by
the Zoning Officer.
Refer to Article XVIII for the standards applicable in the HC Zone.
Refer to Figure X-1 and to Article XXIII for the standards applicable in the HC Zone. Figure X-1, Road Corridor Buffer Yards and Building Setback Requirements, delineates the buffer yard types and building setbacks (in feet) required in particular zones along the higher classifications of roads.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Figure X-1 is included as an attachment to this chapter.
The intent of the minimum road buffer is to leave the naturally occurring buffer vegetation intact for its softening effect. This buffer may be enhanced or created, where such vegetation is insufficient or nonexistent, with trees and shrubs of a variety of species appropriate to County character. If the minimum buffer already has trees of protected size and type as noted in this article, their preservation is required. Where masses of native shrubs are present, their preservation with minimum disturbance is strongly encouraged. While complete screening of a project is not required, sufficient plant material shall be installed to accomplish the softening effect required in this article. Road buffers shall be exempt from the shrub layer required in Article XXIII. In order to maintain the screening effect, existing vegetation shall not be limbed-up from the ground based on best management practices. However, if understory planting is planned, existing vegetation may be limbed-up to a height that will provide adequate sunlight to those plants. Minimum height and caliper of new trees shall be consistent with provisions of the tree protection requirements in Appendix E.[1] Minimum height of new shrubs used to create the minimum
visual buffer shall be three feet.
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix E is included as an attachment to this chapter.
Exemptions, whether partial or total, from the buffer provisions
may be granted if it can be sufficiently demonstrated that such buffer
will have a deleterious visual effect upon an existing situation or
that, through the preservation of an existing tree stand or other
unique natural vegetative resource, particular effort on the part
of an applicant in protecting the existing natural environment warrants
the relaxation of buffer requirements. The following outlines those
anticipated situations where the buffer requirement may be relaxed
or removed:
A.
Protection of existing visual environment. Buffer requirements may
be relaxed or removed in the following cases where the characteristics
of the existing visual environment would be detracted from by the
provision of a required buffer or level of buffer:
(1)
Views and vistas of existing buildings which exhibit a high
degree of aesthetic value serving to heighten the visual experience,
serve as important points of spatial identification, contain value
as important historical resources.
(2)
Views and vistas of existing natural landscape/topographical
features of a particular locale which correspond to certain high points
affording panoramic views, views to historic settlement clusters,
views of water, valleys and other elements of the physical landscape.
(3)
Views and vistas to existing recreational/open space areas,
whether natural or man-made, which serve to contribute to the overall
visual environment; uses such as golf courses, state or local parks,
equestrian centers, cemeteries.
(4)
Views and vistas to which give the observer an awareness of
a location's inherent character related to views of farmland, pastures,
water activities, such as docks or other maritime activities specific
to the area.
B.
Protection of proposed visual environment. Buffer requirements may
be relaxed or removed in the following cases where a proposed development
intended to further enhance or protect the existing visual environment
would be visually affected by the required buffer:
(1)
A proposed development which by virtue of the characteristics
of its structures indicates innovation of design, a unique relationship
with the site, represents a focal point, establishes a particular
identifying element for the locale.
(2)
A proposed development which exhibits innovative or unique uses
of site landscaping or which combines in the use of the site open
recreational areas such as described above.
C.
Retention of existing natural attributes of the site. In this case,
significant steps must be taken by an applicant to preserve significant
tree stands, topographic characteristics, even in the event that such
elements are in locations where they are not wholly visible. The intent
is to provide incentives to retain the features of the existing natural
environment rather than encourage its destruction and then to remedy
the situation with new plantings.
D.
Management of existing and proposed resources. In order to encourage
management programs for visual natural resources, so that the continuation
of such resource is assured, buffer requirements may be reduced or
waived.
E.
Where a development activity occurs on an individual single-family
residential lot existing at the adoption of this chapter, buffer requirements
may be reduced or waived.
F.
In the case of a minor subdivision where the Planning Commission
has determined that the lot size and configuration will not negatively
impact on the road corridor, buffer requirements may be reduced or
waived.
A.
No existing vegetation of any type, size or origin shall be altered
or removed unless it satisfies the tree protection requirements of
this chapter.
B.
Within the minimum visual buffer, there shall be no development,
clearing, grading or construction activity, with the following exceptions:
(1)
Roadway and/or driveway access to the portion of the site not
in the minimum visual buffer, provided that it is approximately perpendicular
to the accessed road.
(2)
Provision for water, sanitary sewer, storm drainage, electrical,
telephone, natural gas and cable service lines, provided that they
are approximately perpendicular to the right-of-way. In the event
that utilities must be installed approximately parallel to the road
right-of-way, an equal amount of buffer may be required to substitute
for the area of vegetation removal. Permission for easement and right-of-way
disturbance and clearing for such services shall be more favorably
considered when such activity is consolidated with vehicular access
routes.
(3)
Pedestrian and bicycle paths designed to provide continuous
connection along the road corridor, provided that they can be constructed
without materially reducing the screening and visual softening capacity
of the vegetation buffer.
(4)
Lighting fixtures only for approved signs or if, for safety
reasons, they cannot be placed outside the buffer, and then only when
electric utility lines serving these fixtures and necessary easements
can be established and constructed without reducing the screening
and visual softening capacity of the vegetation buffer.
(6)
Clear sight distances at the permitted entrances and exits to any development as needed to provide for reasonable traffic safety, in accordance with accepted traffic engineering practices and as contained in § 297-28 of Article II and Appendix B, Specifications on Driveway Entrances.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix B is included as an attachment to this chapter.
