All vehicular use areas shall include landscaping, both within
the interior of the vehicular use area and around its perimeter (see
Figure 72-55.2, Vehicular Use Area Landscaping).
Figure 72-55.2. Vehicular Use Area Landscaping
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A. Interior landscaping standards. All parking lots with containing
more than 12 parking spaces in a row shall provide and maintain landscaped
planting areas within the interior of the parking lot in accordance
with the standards in this subsection. These standards shall not apply
to parking structures, or vehicle display areas.
(1)
Planting area size. Each planting area shall contain sufficient
area, in accordance with ANSI Standard A300 Part 6, to accommodate
the root growth of the plant material used. The size of the planting
area, size of plant material at maturity, and placement of plant material
shall allow for a two-and-one-half-foot bumper overhang from the face
of the curb.
(2)
Design. Unless altered through an Alternative Landscape Plan (see §
72-55.7), interior planting areas shall be designed in accordance with the following standards:
(a)
Islands shall be located at the end of parking bays and have
a minimum size of 180 square feet for single-loaded parking bays,
and a minimum size of 360 square feet for double-loaded bays.
(b)
Off-street surface parking areas with 200 or more parking spaces
shall be organized into a series of smaller modules visually separated
by landscaped islands that are located at least every six parking
bays and are at least nine feet wide.
(c)
Landscaped planting areas shall be distributed throughout the
parking area for the purpose of heat abatement.
(d)
No parking space shall be separated from the trunk of a shade
or canopy tree by more than 50 feet. Perimeter vehicular use area
landscaping or other required landscaping may be used to meet this
requirement.
(e)
Where an existing easement prohibits compliance with these standards, an applicant may propose an alternative landscape plan in accordance with §
72-55.7, Alternative landscape plan.
(3)
Planting rate. Each interior planting island shall contain trees
at the minimum rate of two aggregate caliper inches (ACI) of canopy
tree for every 180 square feet of island area, except for locations
directly under overhead utilities, where 1.5 ACI of understory trees
may be substituted for each required canopy tree.
(4)
Protection of planting areas. All planting areas shall be protected
from vehicle damage by the installation of curbing, wheel stops, or
other comparable methods. This standard shall not prohibit the use
of planting areas as stormwater management devices.
B. Perimeter landscaping strips. Where a vehicular use area abuts a
street right-of-way, vacant land, or any other development (except
another parking lot), perimeter landscaping strips shall be provided
and maintained between the vehicle use area and the abutting right-of-way
or property line in accordance with the following standards.
(1)
Continuous visual screen. Perimeter landscaping for vehicular
use areas shall form a continuous visual screen with a minimum height
of 36 inches above grade, excluding required sight clearances at driveways
and near intersections.
(2)
Protection of landscaping strip. The perimeter landscaping strip
shall be protected from vehicular damage by the installation of curbing,
wheel stops, extra width in the landscaping strip, or other comparably
effective method approved by the Development Administrator.
(3)
Location. Perimeter landscaping strips shall be located on the
property, and shall be placed to assure visibility and safety of pedestrians
on the public street, as well as those within the vehicular use area.
(4)
Minimum width. The minimum width of a perimeter landscaping
strip serving a vehicular use area shall be eight feet.
(5)
Required materials.
(a)
Evergreen shrubs shall be used to form the continuous visual
screen in the perimeter landscaping strip.
(b)
In addition to the evergreen shrub requirements, each perimeter
landscaping strip shall include at least eight aggregate caliper inches
(ACI) of canopy trees per 100 linear feet of landscaping strip. Understory
trees may be used beneath overhead utilities.
(6)
Credit towards perimeter buffer requirements. Perimeter landscape strips associated with a vehicular use area may be credited towards perimeter buffer standards (see §
72-55.4), provided the minimum applicable buffer standards of this section are met, and provided the vehicular use area landscaping is within the area occupied by the perimeter landscape buffer.
(7)
Adjacent to off-street surface parking on other lots. Where two or more off-street surface parking lots are located adjacent to one another, but upon different lots, no perimeter landscaping strip shall be required between the two parking lots. Nothing in this section shall be construed to waive the requirement for perimeter landscape buffers in §
72-55.4.
The owner of a lot on which any required landscaping has been
installed shall be responsible for the maintenance of all landscape
areas not in the public right-of-way, and for continuing compliance
with applicable landscaping requirements. Required landscaping shall
be maintained in accordance with the approved landscape plan or alternative
landscape plan for a development and shall present a healthy and orderly
appearance free from refuse and debris. All trees and plantings shown
on an approved landscape plan or alternative landscape plan shall
be replaced if it dies, is seriously damaged, or removed.
A. Damage due to natural occurrence. In the event that any required
landscaping, including any physical element thereof (such as fencing
or berms) is severely damaged due to an unusual weather occurrence
or natural catastrophe, or other natural occurrence such as damage
by wild or domestic animals, the required landscaping shall be replanted
and replaced to the extent necessary to return the property to compliance
with the approved landscape plan or alternative landscape plan. The
owner shall have one growing season to comply. The Zoning Administrator
shall consider the type and location of the required landscaping as
well as the propensity for natural revegetation in making a determination
on the extent of replanting requirements.
B. Protection during operations. Trees and other plantings that are
the subject of an approved landscape plan or alternative landscape
plan shall be protected from unnecessary damage during all facility
and site maintenance operations. Plants shall be maintained in a way
that does not obstruct sight distances at roadway and drive intersections,
obstruct traffic signs or devices, or interfere with the use of sidewalks
or pedestrian trails.
C. Maintain shape. All required trees (whether canopy or understory) shown on an approved landscape plan or alternative landscape plan shall be maintained in their characteristic natural shape, and shall not be severely pruned, sheared, topped, or shaped as shrubs. Trees (including, but not limited to crape myrtles) that have been severely pruned, sheared, topped, shaped as shrubs, such that they no longer serve the intended buffering or screening function, shall be considered as damaged vegetation in need of replacement in accordance with §
72-55.8A, Damage due to natural occurrence, and shall be replaced within one growing season.
D. Natural death. The natural death of existing trees and plantings
within a required landscape will not trigger a requirement for replanting
or replacement unless the loss of such trees and plantings results
in a required landscape area that no longer complies with the requirements
of this § 72-55.