[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Narberth 8-10-1998 by Ord. No. 854. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
It is the intent of the Narberth Borough Council that these landscape regulations shall be applied to any of the following circumstances:
(1) 
Where a landowner proposes the improvement of one lot or two or more contiguous lots, tracts or parcels of land for any purpose involving:
(a) 
A group of two or more residential or nonresidential buildings, whether proposed initially or cumulatively, or a single nonresidential building on a lot or lots regardless of the number of occupants or tenure; or
(b) 
The division or allocation of land or space, whether initially, or cumulatively, between or among two or more existing or prospective occupants by means of, or for the purpose of streets, common areas, leaseholds, condominiums, building groups or other features.
(2) 
A subdivision of land.
B. 
Where the Zoning Board, in reviewing any application pending before it, deems it appropriate to impose landscape requirements in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community and/or adjacent parcels, the national standards set forth herein and the regulations of this chapter may be used as guidelines for said landscape requirements.
C. 
Where the Borough, in reviewing any building application pending before it, deems it appropriate to impose landscape regulations in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community and/or adjacent parcels, the national standards set forth herein and the regulations of this chapter may be used as guidelines for said landscape requirements.
A. 
Plan required. As required above, all submissions shall be accompanied by a landscape plan which shall be prepared to identify existing plant material on the property in excess of three-inch caliper and shall identify the name, species and location of new plant material to be installed as a part of the plan and to demonstrate compliance with the landscape regulations contained herein. It is recommended but not required that a registered landscape architect, or certified arborist or horticulturist, prepare landscape plans submitted for Borough approval.
(1) 
At a minimum, a landscape plan shall consist of the following information to be shown:
(a) 
Plan scale, date, North arrow, and location map with zoning district designations for the site and adjacent properties.
(b) 
Location of all existing and proposed buildings and structures.
(c) 
Location of all existing and proposed roads, parking, service areas, and other paved areas.
(d) 
Location of all outside storage and trash receptacle areas.
(e) 
Sidewalks, berms, fences, walls, freestanding signs, and site lighting.
(f) 
Existing and proposed underground and aboveground utilities, such as site lighting, transformers, hydrants, manholes, valve boxes.
(g) 
All existing and proposed contours at two-foot intervals to determine the relationship of planting and grading, areas with slopes in excess of 3:1 shall be highlighted on the plan.
(h) 
Existing mature trees, woodland, and tree masses to remain.
(i) 
Existing mature trees, woodland, and tree masses to be removed.
(j) 
Location of all proposed landscaping, including required street trees, stormwater basin landscaping, parking lot landscaping, property line buffer, and site element screen landscaping.
(k) 
A planting schedule listing the scientific and common name, size, quantity and root condition of all proposed plant material.
(l) 
A schedule showing all landscape requirements and plantings proposed for each category.
(m) 
Planting details, including method of protecting existing vegetation, and landscape planting methods.
(n) 
Information in the form of notes or specifications concerning seeding, sodding, groundcover, mulching, and the like, etc.
(o) 
A detailed cost estimate shall be submitted with the public improvement escrow, showing the value of all proposed landscaping, including all labor, materials, and guarantee.
B. 
Preservation of existing vegetation.
(1) 
Preservation of existing vegetation. Each mature tree, tree mass, or woodland on the site shall be designated "to remain" or "to be removed" in accordance with the following criteria:
(a) 
All submissions as required above shall be laid out in such a manner so as to minimize the removal of healthy trees and large shrubs on the site. Special consideration shall be given to major specimen trees.
(b) 
In the event the removal of trees shall exceed 25% of the total caliper inches of all healthy trees present on site before construction, then replacement trees equal to total caliper inches in excess of 25% of those trees removed shall be provided on site or on another site approved by Borough Council. See credit provisions in § 348-2F(5)(c) herein.
(c) 
Removal of existing vegetation shall be minimized. Location of proposed improvements, clearing and grading, and excavations shall be designed so as to reduce the loss of mature trees, tree masses, woodlands, and large shrubs.
(d) 
Healthy trees or tree masses which are considered "to remain" shall meet the following criteria:
[1] 
The outermost branches of the tree(s) shall be at least five feet from any proposed buildings, structures, paving, parking, or utilities.
[2] 
The outermost branches of the tree(s) are at least five feet from the proposed changes in grade or drainage, such as excavations, mounding, or improvements greater than one-foot vertical elevation.
[3] 
Trees shall be located outside of any required sight triangles.
(2) 
Protection of existing vegetation. Existing vegetation designated "to remain" as part of the landscape plan shall be identified in the field prior to any clearing and shall be physically protected throughout the construction process. A temporary physical barrier, such as a snow fence, shall be erected a minimum of one foot outside the drip line of all individual trees, tree masses, woodlands, or large shrubs prior to clearing or construction on the property. Details for protective measures shall be identified on the landscape plan.
C. 
Parking lot landscaping. All parking lots having 10 or more stalls shall be landscaped according to the following regulations:
(1) 
One planting island shall be provided for every 20 parking stalls. There shall be no more than 20 contiguous parking stalls in a row without a planting island.
(2) 
The ends of all parking rows shall be divided from drives by planting islands.
(3) 
Planting islands shall be a minimum of nine feet in width by 18 feet in length, shall be underlain by a soil and shall be protected by curbing or bollards and each island shall contain at least one shade tree.
(4) 
The placement of light standards shall be coordinated with the landscape plan to avoid a conflict with the effectiveness of illumination.
(5) 
Plant materials shall comply with the requirements contained herein regarding the type and quality of plant material utilized.
D. 
Street trees.
(1) 
Street trees shall be required along all existing streets, along all proposed streets, and along major access driveways that serve developments either having five or more residential dwelling units or two or more nonresidential properties or uses.
(2) 
The street tree requirement may be waived by Council where existing vegetation is considered sufficient.
(3) 
Street trees shall be located between the ultimate right-of-way line and the building setback line in accordance with the following standards:
(a) 
Trees shall be planted a minimum of eight feet behind an existing sidewalk or in the case where sidewalks do not exist 15 feet from the curbline of a street or driveway.
(b) 
Trees shall be planted at a ratio of at least one tree per 40 linear feet of frontage or fraction thereof. Trees shall be distributed along the entire frontage of the property, although they need not be evenly spaced.
(c) 
Plant materials shall comply with the requirements contained herein regarding the type and quality of plant material utilized.
E. 
Buffers.
(1) 
Screen buffer. A buffer area of the required height and width as designated in Chapter 500, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Narberth.
(a) 
The required plant material shall be distributed over the entire length and width of the buffer yard.
(b) 
Buffer plant material may be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically, provided the plant material shall be spaced to provide optimum growing conditions for each plant and shall implement the requirements of a screen type buffer as indicated below.
[1] 
Option 1. Double row of evergreen trees having a minimum height of seven feet at planting shall be placed 10 feet on center and offset 10 feet to provide a minimum continuous screen at a period of five years following installation.
[2] 
Option 2. Opaque fence with ornamental trees and shrubs at the minimum height of seven feet with plantings at the minimum rate of three shrubs with a minimum height of 2 1/2 feet at height of planting and two ornamental trees having a minimum height of eight feet at time of planting for each 10 linear feet of proposed fence, arranged formally or informally along both sides of the fence.
[3] 
Option 3. Architectural extension of the building (such as wing wall) with a minimum height of seven feet and shall be consistent in building materials and style with the main building.
[4] 
Option 4. An evergreen hedge such as arborvitae or privet with a minimum height at planting of seven feet, planted three feet on center maximum, which may be permitted to grow informally or a sheared hedge.
(2) 
Softening buffer. An area comprised of natural or man-made material consisting of a mix of evergreen, ornamental (flowering), and deciduous plant material as follows:
(a) 
Option 1. A two- or three-foot-high continuous curvilinear berm with ornamental trees at the rate of one tree for every 20 feet, clustered or arranged informally. The maximum slope of the berm shall be 3:1.
(b) 
Option 2. A low brick or stone wall being at least 50% opaque, having a height of no less than four feet with ornamental or deciduous tree planting at the rate of one tree for every 20 feet of length of wall.
(c) 
Option 3. A buffer without berm or wall shall consist of a minimum of five large deciduous trees, five flowering trees, and three evergreen trees per 100 feet of buffer length.
(3) 
Existing healthy trees, shrubs, or woodlands may substitute for all or part of the required plant material at the discretion of Borough Council. The minimum quantities and/or visual effect resulting from the existing vegetation shall be equal to or exceed that of the required buffer.
(4) 
The applicant may propose to use an alternative screen type or changes in plant materials or designs which fulfill the intent of this section, provided approval is received from Borough Council.
(5) 
Plant materials shall comply with the requirements contained herein regarding the type and quality of plant material utilized.
F. 
All plant materials and planting practices shall be in accordance with the American Standard for Nursery Stock by the American Association of Nurserymen.
(1) 
Street trees and other required plant material shall be planted prior to the issuance of a use and occupancy permit. In lieu of planting due to seasonal constraints, the locations of street trees will be staked and the developer will be required to submit to the Borough a memorandum signed by the purchaser at the time of settlement. This memorandum will indicate that the purchaser understands and acknowledges that the stakes indicate the locations of street trees to be planted and that the trees will be planted by the developer.
(2) 
Caliper size of trees shall be measured six inches above ground elevation.
(3) 
All branches for street trees shall be pruned to a clearance height of seven feet above the ground.
(4) 
Waivers for existing vegetation. In cases where natural features existing on the site duplicate or essentially duplicate the planting requirements of this section, these requirements may be waived or amended by Borough Council.
(5) 
Preservation of existing plants.
(a) 
All submissions as required above shall be laid out in such a manner so as to preserve the healthy trees and shrubs on the site whenever possible.
(b) 
During the construction of any site, trees and shrubs, as defined herein, shall be protected by snow fencing to ensure that there is no encroachment within the area of their dripline by changing grade, trenching, stockpiling of building materials or topsoil or the compaction of the soil and roots by any motor vehicle unless the following regulations are met:
[1] 
The area of dripline of any tree or group of trees may be encroached up to a maximum of 1/3 of the total area of the dripline, provided that an equivalent proportion of the canopy is removed by pruning by a trained arborist.
(c) 
The foregoing requirements for street trees and buffers shall, whenever possible, be met by preserving existing trees, and to that end the number of trees required may be reduced by a credit for approved preserved trees computed as follows:
Caliper Size of Trunk of Approved Preserved Tree*
(inches)
Number of Trees Credited
36 or greater
6
30 to 35
5
26 to 29
4
20 to 25
3
13 to 19
2
8 to 12
1
*
Note: Diameter measured at a height of six inches above the natural grade.
(6) 
Trees and shrubs required by this chapter shall be maintained in a continuous healthful condition. Plant material in a dead, dying or disfigured condition shall be immediately replaced in a manner originally required by this chapter.
G. 
Recommended plant material list. This list shall be on file with the Borough Secretary and may be amended from time to time by the Borough. Substitutions to the recommended list shall require approval by the Borough Shade Tree Commission.
H. 
Site element screens. Exterior elements, such as dumpsters, trash or recycling areas, service and loading docks, outdoor sales yard and vehicle storage areas shall be provided with visual screen elements consistent with a screen buffer within all zoning districts within Narberth Borough.
I. 
Community assets and park areas. Subdivisions and land developments which are not able to save and protect existing and healthy trees shall be required to place additional trees within the yard areas of the subject property or may be transferred to public lands upon approval of Borough Council.
(1) 
Trees shall be replaced at the ratio of one caliper inch of new tree for every existing caliper inch of trees which cannot be saved during the development process.
J. 
Cost estimate. A detailed cost estimate shall be submitted to the Borough for the preparation of the land development agreement. This estimate shall show the value of all proposed landscaping. Unit costs for plant material shall include costs for materials, labor, guaranty and maintenance for one year following the date of installation.
K. 
Performance bond.
(1) 
No zoning permit shall be issued unless a performance bond or other surety approved by the Borough Solicitor in the amount of 115% of the total cost of replacing, purchasing, planting, and maintaining required plant material has been filed with the Borough. Such surety shall be in an amount equal to the cost of purchasing, planting, maintaining and replacing all vegetative materials for a period of one year as stated above in Subsection J, Cost estimate.
(2) 
This condition may be satisfied through a land development agreement with sufficient and appropriate financial guaranties.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this chapter shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary offense and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, plus court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Borough in the enforcement proceedings. Upon judgment against any person by summary conviction, or by proceedings by summons on default of the payment of the fine or penalty imposed and the costs, the defendant may be sentenced and committed to the county correctional facility for a period not exceeding 30 days. Each day that such violation exists shall constitute a separate offense, and each section of this chapter that is violated shall also constitute a separate offense. In addition to or in lieu of enforcement under this section, the Borough may enforce this chapter in equity in the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County.