The purpose of this division is to ensure a minimum of open
space and green area as an integral part of new development and to
protect the health and welfare of its citizens through the regulation
of landscaping of new residential, multifamily residential, commercial,
and industrial developments.
A. Landscaping enhances the environmental and visual character of the
community.
B. Green space requirements preserve and stabilize the area's ecological
balance by establishing a healthier environment.
C. Green areas help to mitigate the negative effects of air and noise
pollution by using plants as buffers, and slow and reduce stormwater
runoff.
D. Fencing and landscaping provides visual screening and buffering,
and screens between incompatible land uses.
E. Landscaping enhances parking lots.
F. Greenspace requirements can establish parks and other outdoor amenities
for the citizens of the City.
Landscaping and screening should be an integral part of a development.
This division is designed to promote high-quality developments to
protect property values and public investment in our community. Objectives
of this division include, but are not limited to, the following:
A. To moderate the effects of the sun, wind, and temperature changes;
B. To filter pollutants from the air and release oxygen;
C. To stabilize soil and prevent erosion;
D. To encourage preservation of desirable trees; and
E. To provide buffering between different uses and developments.
The requirements of this division shall apply to:
A. New developments: all new public, private, and institutional developments;
B. New parking lots or the expansion of existing parking lots in any
zone which increases the parking to 20 or more spaces, or to parking
lots with fewer than 20 spaces, when the Planning Commission deems
necessary for improved control and safety of pedestrians; and
C. Additions: all additions to existing buildings that trigger the large-scale
development standards.
Per the adopted street sections, street trees are required within
the green space between the road and sidewalk. Street trees are the
only required landscaping that may be planted in the right-of-way.
A. Purpose. Street trees provide a key piece of complete streets along
with sidewalks, trails, and appropriate pedestrian connections. They
help shape and define street corridors.
B. Minimum trees required. One large tree (species suitable for street
tree application) for every 50 linear feet of right-of-way frontage
is required. It is generally preferred that street trees be evenly
spaced, however, adjustments in spacing may be allowed when the street
is located in a residential subdivision, to accommodate driveways,
accommodate areas of on-street parking, or other similar situations.
Any adjustments to the number of street trees required shall be approved
by the Planning Commission.
The street frontage buffer is the planting area parallel to
the public street right-of-way.
A. Purpose. The landscaped street frontage buffer serves one primary
purpose: it provides an aesthetically pleasing transition from the
public right-of-way to private property.
B. Prohibitions. Parking, merchandise display, and off-street loading
are prohibited in the landscaped street frontage buffer. (Sidewalks
and driveways are allowed to cross the frontage buffer.)
C. Exemptions.
(1)
Single-family residential homes and residential duplexes where
only one residential structure is located on each lot are not required
to provide a landscaped street frontage buffer.
(2)
Commercial developments in B-1, Downtown Commercial Mixed-Use
areas are not required to provide a landscaped street frontage buffer.
D. Buffer options: commercial, institutional, and similar uses. The
site plan for any development, other than a development that is exempt,
shall show a landscaped street frontage buffer along all public rights-of-way.
The applicant may choose a combination of options below.
(1)
Ten-foot buffer strip; minimum 10 feet wide.
(a)
Minimum number of shrubs: five shrubs/small trees per 30 linear
feet of street frontage. A minimum of 50% of shrubs/small trees shall
be evergreen. Rather than equally spacing the required shrubs/small
trees, the City prefers they be placed as groups of plants.
(b)
Sight visibility must be maintained.
E. Buffer options: multifamily residential (does not include single-family,
duplex, triplex, and quadplex residential units). Multifamily residential
developments shall be required to have perimeter fencing for the entire
development.
(1)
A perimeter fence shall be provided between the development
and other uses in order to provide privacy and separation. This must
be approved with the development plan and shall conform to all fence
regulations.
(2)
Vehicular access. The perimeter fencing requirement does not
preclude the need for vehicular access to be provided for future connectivity.
(3)
A decorative nonopaque fence shall be required along public
streets that are classified as collectors or above. This shall consist
of a durable (not a wood privacy fence) material. Wrought iron fencing
is preferred. Additionally, this fence shall be planted with a minimum
of five small trees per 50 linear feet of street frontage within a
minimum ten-foot buffer strip. All plant material shall be evergreen.
Rather than equally spacing the required shrubs/small trees, the City
prefers they be placed as groups of plants.
(4)
Different phases of the same development are not required to
be separated.
(5)
Sight visibility must be maintained.
F. Buffer options: industrial. The site plan for any development, other
than a development that is exempt, shall show a landscaped street
frontage buffer along all public rights-of-way. The applicant may
choose a combination of options below.
(1)
Ten-foot buffer strip; minimum 10 feet wide.
(a)
Minimum number of shrubs or small trees: five shrubs or five
small trees per 50 linear feet of street frontage. A minimum of 50%
of shrubs or small trees shall be evergreen. Rather than equally spacing
the required shrubs/small trees, the City prefers they be placed as
groups of plants.
(b)
Sight visibility must be maintained.
(2)
Earth berm.
(a)
Minimum height: 2 1/2 feet higher than the finished elevation
of the parking lot.
(b)
Minimum number of shrubs or small trees: three shrubs or three
small trees per 50 linear feet of street frontage. A minimum of 50%
of shrubs/small trees shall be evergreen. Rather than equally spacing
the required shrubs/small trees, the City prefers they be placed as
groups of plants.
(c)
Sight visibility must be maintained.
Perimeter landscaping is a peripheral planting strip along rear
and side lot lines that separates properties.
A. Purpose. Perimeter landscaping:
(2)
Prevents two adjacent lots from becoming one large expanse of
pavement;
(3)
Provides protection for residential uses and other marginally
compatible uses;
(4)
Provides vegetation in densely developed areas; and
(5)
Enhances the appearance of individual properties.
B. Exemptions.
(1)
Single-family, duplex, triplex, and quadplex residential subdivisions
are not required to provide a landscaped perimeter buffer.
(2)
Commercial developments in B-1, Downtown Commercial Mixed-Use,
are not required to provide a landscaped perimeter buffer.
C. Requirements. The site plan for any development shall show perimeter
landscaping in addition to the landscaped street frontage buffer required.
(1)
Width. A five-foot landscaped strip is required along the side
and rear lot lines of a development.
(2)
Minimum number of trees. One large tree or two small trees per
every 50 feet (of lot line not adjacent to a right-of-way).
(3)
Ground cover. All perimeter landscaped areas not dedicated to
preservation of existing vegetation shall be landscaped with ground
cover.
(a)
Living materials such as grass/other vegetation shall make up
60% of the ground cover for the perimeter landscaping.
(b)
Nonliving material shall be organic (mulch or other) and shall
make up the remainder of the ground cover.
(c)
Nonorganic material may be approved if the perimeter landscaping
area functions as a bioswale. Any adjustments shall be approved by
the Planning Commission.
D. Vehicular and pedestrian access. The perimeter landscaping requirement
does not preclude the need for vehicular or pedestrian access to be
provided between lots. Both sidewalks and driveways may cross this
area when needed.
E. Adjacent properties. The five-foot perimeter strip is required for
each development regardless of if one is already in place from an
adjacent, developed lot.
F. Pavement. No pavement may extend within five feet of the property
line on any lot unless it is included with an ingress/egress location.
G. Special standards: commercial/institutional and industrial. When
located adjacent to a residential use, increased landscaping standards
shall be applied to reduce noise and light glare and to ensure residents'
privacy.
(1)
Width. A fifteen-foot landscaped strip is required along the
side and rear lot lines of a development.
(2)
Physical barrier. A physical barrier shall be required that
shall be a minimum of six feet in height and may consist of wood or
masonry fencing, rock or brick walls, berms, or a combination of these
methods.
(a)
Trees and shrubs shall be placed in front of the barrier (on
the developing side) to reduce parking lot noise.
(b)
Trees and shrubs planted shall provide 60% coverage of the physical
barrier within two years.
(c)
At least 50% of the trees and shrubs shall be evergreen.
H. Tree preservation. Existing healthy trees (as detailed in § 5.3.13)
may be included as a portion of the landscaped screening.
I. If a large buffer is retained, these standards may be reduced based
on expected reduction of impact. A plan for the protection and retention
of existing trees throughout the construction process shall be submitted
and approved by the City for reduction to be considered. The Planning
Commission shall approve any reduction.
J. Building height. No structure shall exceed 35 feet in height within
50 feet from the lot line of triggering property as detailed in § 5.3.11G.
K. Screening standards. Decorative walls, vegetative screening, fencing,
or earthen berms shall be provided to completely screen off-street
parking areas, mechanical equipment, storage areas, and refuse collection
areas from view of triggering property as detailed in § 5.3.11G.
L. Site design standards. The following additional site design standards
shall apply to development that is subject to the compatibility standards
of this division:
(1)
No swimming pool, tennis court, ball field, or playground area
(except those that are accessory to a single-family dwelling unit)
shall be permitted within 30 feet of the lot line of triggering property
as detailed in § 5.3.11G.
(2)
Dumpsters and refuse receptacles shall be located a minimum
of 25 feet from the lot line of triggering property as detailed in
§ 5.3.11G.
(3)
Exterior lighting shall be designed and located to minimize
light spilling onto surrounding property.
Whenever possible, existing trees, especially those with an
eight-inch or greater DBH (diameter at breast height), should be preserved.
Established trees with existing canopy benefit the City and enhance
the quality of life for citizens.
A. Healthy trees.
(1)
No tree preservation credits will be allowed for any dead tree,
any tree in poor health, or any tree subjected to grade alterations.
Trees shall be a minimum four-inch caliper to be counted towards tree
preservation.
(2)
Protection during construction. Trees for which credit is given
shall be protected during construction from:
(a)
Mechanical injuries to root, trunk, and branches;
(b)
Injuries by chemical poisoning;
(c)
Injuries by excavation; and
B. Credit options. If an applicant is preserving trees, he may use the
existing trees as credit either toward a reduction in parking requirements
or in a reduction of the number of trees required, as described below
and as approved by the Planning Commission.
C. Reduction of parking requirements. To allow an existing or new development
to preserve trees within or adjacent to a parking lot, the number
or required off-street parking spaces may be reduced as described
below:
(1)
Total diameter of all preserved trees from four inches to 7.9
inches allows the reduction of one required parking space;
(2)
Total diameter of all preserved trees from eight inches to 22.9
inches allows the reduction of two required parking spaces;
(3)
Total diameter of all preserved trees from 23 inches to 29.9
inches allows the reduction of three required parking spaces; and
(4)
Total diameter of all preserved trees 30 inches and larger allows
the reduction of four required parking spaces.
D. Reduction of required trees.
(1)
Not to include a reduction of required street trees.
(2)
Not to include a reduction of trees intended as a buffer for
a residential use, or a marginally compatible use, unless the protected
trees are existing within a preserved buffer area.
(3)
Preservation and protection of existing trees on the lot may
be credited toward the tree planting requirements. Credit for preserved
trees shall be permitted at the following rates:
(a)
Total diameter of the preserved tree from four inches to 7.9
inches allows the reduction of one required large tree;
(b)
Total diameter of the preserved tree from eight inches to 22.9
inches allows the reduction of two required large trees;
(c)
Total diameter of the preserved tree from 23 inches to 29.9
inches allows the reduction of three required large trees; and
(d)
Total diameter of the preserved tree 30 inches or greater allows
the reduction of four required large trees.
E. Additional development. If a natural area is left undeveloped in
order to fulfill these credit options that is then to be developed,
all credits will be revoked; the developer is responsible for adding
trees to replace those for which credit was given.
Trees, shrubs, fences, walls, and other landscape features (which
includes screening) depicted on plans approved by the City shall be
considered as elements of the project in the same manner as parking,
building materials, and other details of the plan are considered elements.
The landowner or successors in interest, or agents, if any, shall
be jointly and severally responsible for the following:
A. Regular maintenance of all landscaping in good condition, and in
a way that presents a healthy, neat, and orderly appearance. All landscaping
shall be maintained free from disease, pests, weeds, and litter. This
maintenance shall include weeding, watering, fertilizing, pruning,
mowing, edging, mulching, or other maintenance, as needed and in accordance
with acceptable horticultural practices;
B. The repair or replacement of required landscape structures (for example,
fences and walls) to a structurally sound condition;
C. The regular maintenance, repair, or replacement, where necessary,
of any landscaping required by this division; and
D. Continuous maintenance of the site; three-year guarantee. Guarantee
from the developer that all plant materials will be warranted for
a period of three years from the time of installation. If any material
should fail to survive during that period, it would be replaced during
the appropriate planting season.