A.
Open space/greenbelt. Open space shall be provided for City residents in the form of parks and greenbelts, consistent with regulatory and policy directives of the City. Where parks and green belts illustrated on the Land Use Plan pass through a proposed residential subdivision, land, in lieu of cash, shall be provided according to the adopted Land/Cash Ordinance, as may be amended from time to time. The City has determined that the dedication of land in these areas is essential for implementing the continuous greenbelt and open space system adopted as part of the City's Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
B.
Purpose. The purpose of the open space/greenbelt is:
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(1)
To establish natural limits of growth around the City.
(2)
To visually set Maroa apart from adjacent communities and/or the rural environment.
(3)
To preserve existing natural resources and protect critical stormwater drainage corridors.
(4)
To provide conveniently located recreational amenities and facilities for residents of Maroa.
C.
Greenbelts.
(1)
Where a greenbelt illustrated on Maroa's Comprehensive Land Use Plan passes through a proposed subdivision, a minimum width of 100 feet shall be set aside for this amenity. The 100-foot minimum width shall be increased to incorporate floodplain, steep slopes, wetlands, high-quality native plant communities, major stands of trees, riparian zones and/or other significant natural features that may exist within or adjacent to these areas. The location and extent of a greenbelt shall be determined at the time of preliminary plan and/or plat.
(2)
For the purpose of this chapter, these natural features shall include:
(a)
Floodplains: 100-year floodplain, as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
(b)
Steep slopes: those land areas with slopes that equal or exceed 35% or 2.85:1.
(c)
Wetlands: as defined through the currently applicable criteria established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
(d)
Major stands of trees: mature woodlands, such as stands of oak/hickory forest, and floodplain forests, such as mature cottonwood, silver maple, sycamore, hackberry, etc.
(e)
Riparian zone: natural vegetation along the edge of a stream that modulates temperature; provides nutrient input into the stream system; provides a buffer that intercepts surface runoff, filtering out sediments and pollutants; provides erosion control through soil stabilization; and serves as habitat and migration corridors for wildlife which utilizes the stream for food and drink.
(3)
The greenbelt shall be recorded with the final plan and/or plat of subdivision as open space to be maintained as such in perpetuity.
(4)
At the time of final platting, an easement, not less than 15 feet wide, shall also be recorded to accommodate future development of a recreation path within the greenbelt. Said path shall be eight feet wide and installed at such time as the City determines appropriate. Unless otherwise approved by the City Council, the path shall consist of crushed limestone and shall be engineered to avoid erosion.
(5)
Two-inch-caliper native trees shall be planted along the perimeter of the greenbelt to define its limits. Tree plantings may be waived by the Planning and Zoning Board and City Council during review of a final plan or plat if the greenbelt is wooded or includes natural features that may be inconsistent with required tree plantings. Where required:
(6)
Native grasses, wild flowers or other native vegetation shall be installed where necessary to stabilize slopes within the greenbelt, in lieu of lawn or other traditional ground cover.
D.
Parks. The exact location of boundaries and park land shall be determined as part of the preliminary plan or plat.
E.
Submittal. Unless otherwise waived by the Planning and Zoning Board and City Council, the following shall be submitted for staff review at the time of preliminary plat or plan to determine the existence, location and extent of wetlands, floodplains, native prairie, major stands of trees, steep slopes and other natural features that may fall within the greenbelt depicted on the Land Use Plan:
(1)
Items listed below shall be included on a site plan, at a scale not less than one inch equals 50 feet:
(a)
Location of FEMA floodplain.
(b)
Existing contours at two-foot intervals.
(c)
Existing and proposed drainage system, including all discharge points, collection, conveyance and storage facilities.
(d)
Proposed contours, at two-foot intervals.
(e)
Drainage features, stormwater management facilities, floodplains and wetland boundaries.
(f)
Boundaries of predominate soil types.
(g)
Locations, species and size of trees six inches or greater in caliper, if any.
(h)
Delineation of riparian zone, if any, and location, species and size of trees, six inches or greater in caliper, that exist within the zone.
(i)
Delineation of high-quality native plant communities, if any, and a copy of the Natural Area Rating Index for the plant communities.
(2)
Where wetlands exist within or adjacent to the greenbelt, a wetlands delineation report shall be submitted which includes:
(a)
A map showing the exact location of wetlands within the development boundaries.
(b)
An aerial photograph delineating wetlands, development and watershed boundaries.
(c)
Army Corps of Engineers data sheets with representative color photographs.
(d)
Written description of the wetlands, including a professional assessment of functional values.
(3)
Protective covenants shall be submitted for the greenbelt or park, which identify:
F.
Screen plantings.
(1)
Where a proposed residential subdivision abuts a more intensive land use, landscape screening shall be provided. Such screening may be accomplished through the provision of landscaped berms, a compact hedge, fence, wall, or a combination of these methods, as approved by the City during the preliminary and final plan and/or plat review process.
(2)
Required screening shall be a minimum of five feet in height at installation.
(3)
The placement of a screen shall not impair the safety of pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
(4)
Screening shall maintain a year-round opacity of not less than 75%.
(5)
Where screening is required, a landscape plan, prepared by a licensed landscape architect, shall be submitted with the preliminary and final plan and/or plat of subdivision and shall show: