Reference: § 320-214B(2)(g); Table 320-507-1. (Table 320-507-1 is included in § 320-507.)
The purpose of this article is to enhance the appearance of
Greenville by improving the quality of landscaping, buffering and
screening at commercial and industrial properties. Criteria and standards
are provided to ensure building sites and off-street parking areas
are sufficiently landscaped to protect and preserve the appearance,
character, and value of surrounding properties and public rights-of-way,
thereby promoting the general welfare, safety and aesthetic quality
of Greenville.
A.
The provisions of this article shall apply to developments allowed
as a permitted use, requiring site plan approval or a special exception
use in the OS, NC, GC, INST, IND, AD (where permitted by the Federal
Aviation Administration) and R3 Districts and any developments allowed
as a special exception considered a commercial/industrial/business
use in the AGD-FP, AGD, RR, R1, R2, and R4 Districts. Landscaping
shall also be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and 2020 Sub
Area Plan.
B.
Any development occurring on vacant land shall be in full compliance
with the provisions of this article.
C.
Existing occupied developments that do not conform to the provisions
of this article may be continued until such time as a site plan is
required by this chapter. Where a building, parking or other site
improvement is proposed, landscaping requirements in this article
shall apply to those areas on the property; if the remaining areas
of the property not proposed for improvements are nonconforming, they
may continue as legal nonconforming, but it is recommended they be
brought into conformance as much as possible. Flexibility on relief
shall be allowed on a case-by-case basis, as approved by the Planning
Commission, as the standards set in this article may not be able to
be applied due to existing physical or environmental constraints.
It is the intent to meet the standards in this article where practical.
A landscape plan is required in conjunction with § 320-214, Site plans, of this chapter and must be approved before installation of improvements, issuance of an erosion control/stormwater permit and issuance of a building permit.
Landscape plans submitted for review shall be drawn to an appropriate
scale and shall include at a minimum the following information:
A.
The name and address of the owner/developer and name of the landscape
architect/designer.
B.
Date of plan preparation, date and description of all plan revisions,
name of project or development, scale of plan, and North marker.
C.
The location of all lot lines, locations of all existing and proposed
easements and rights-of-way, and elevation, topography, and cross-section
details as determined necessary by Greenville.
D.
The location of all existing and proposed structures, parking and
loading areas, parking spaces (numbered), driveways, sidewalks, ground
signs, refuse disposal areas, fences, freestanding electrical and
other utility equipment, easements, and other site improvement features
as determined necessary by Greenville.
E.
The location and contours at one-foot intervals of all proposed berms.
F.
The location, caliper size, and species (common and botanical name)
of all existing plant material on the site and designation of intended
treatment (save, relocate, remove).
G.
The location, caliper size at planting and species (common and botanical
name) of all proposed plant materials, and location and description
of all ground cover and turf grasses.
H.
A schedule of all new plants proposed for planting, and existing
plants to be preserved, including size (caliper, height, container
size, etc.), condition (bare-root, balled-and-burlapped, container-grown,
or preexisting), planned installation date, and common and botanical
names (genus, species, and variety).
I.
A schedule itemizing the total square foot area of all green space
proposed on the lot, the total square foot area of off-street parking,
the number of off-street parking spaces, the number and square foot
area of each interior island and peninsula.
Landscaping required under this article shall be of the following
types as specified below (reference: Diagram 320-635-1):
A.
Lot line and street tree landscaping. A minimum twenty-foot front
strip extending along the lot adjacent to all road rights-of-way,
plus a minimum ten-foot strip along all other lot lines, shall be
landscaped as described below.
(1)
Lot line landscape strips shall be planted with a minimum of
one shade tree at fifty-foot centers ("shade trees" shall be defined
as any tree with a mature height of 30 feet or greater), excluding
driveway openings and vision triangles.
(2)
Street trees. In addition to lot-line landscaping, street trees
shall be planted within the right-of-way along curbed public and private
streets, including parking lot connections, circulation drives, and
loading areas; and shall be located six feet to seven feet behind
the curb (except as determined unfeasible by Greenville or if prohibited
by County or State Departments of Transportation).
(3)
Where it is deemed appropriate or desirable to construct a berm
in the lot line landscape strip in order to restrict view and/or to
absorb noise, Greenville may require this option for a landscape plan.
The slope of the berm shall be minimally planted with a variety of
conifer species spaced 20 feet on center.
(4)
Mulch or other acceptable organic material shall be placed around
the base of all plant material and maintained on a regular basis;
rock, stone, gravel and similar materials shall be prohibited.
B.
Foundation plantings. Landscaping is required for all building foundations
in order to provide visual breaks in the mass of the building.
(1)
Such foundation landscaping shall be placed along 30% of the
building's total perimeter, predominately near and along customer
facades and entrances facing public streets.
(2)
One ornamental tree ("ornamental" shall be defined as any tree
having a mature height less than 30 feet), and a variety of five shrubs/annuals/perennials/ground
cover or a combination thereof shall be planted for every 25 linear
feet of building foundation planter area.
(3)
Mulch or other acceptable organic material shall be placed around
the base of all plant material and maintained on a regular basis;
rock, stone, gravel and similar materials shall be prohibited.
C.
Curbed planting islands or peninsulas shall be provided in off-street
parking areas, as described below.
(1)
Parking spaces must be separated by a planting island or peninsula
at the rate of one island/peninsula for each row of 12 consecutive
parking spaces for single-row configurations, or for each 24 consecutive
parking spaces in double-row configurations.
(2)
Each island or peninsula shall be at least 360 square feet in
area for single-row configurations and 720 square feet in area for
double-row configurations.
(3)
One shade tree shall be planted in each island or peninsula
for single-row configurations, and two shade trees shall be planted
in each island or peninsula for double-row configurations.
(4)
Islands and peninsulas shall be placed at the ends of parking
rows or along designated pedestrian circulation areas.
(5)
Alternatives.
(a)
Planted boulevards within interior off-street parking areas
may be considered as an alternative to islands and peninsulas and
shall be a minimum of eight feet wide and shall relocate the required
shade trees from the islands/peninsulas to the boulevard.
(b)
Parking spaces along the perimeter of the off-street parking
areas may plant the required tree on the backside of the parking space
every 12 spaces instead of installing an island or peninsula.
(6)
Mulch or other acceptable organic material shall be placed around
the base of all plant material and maintained on a regular basis;
rock, stone, gravel and similar materials shall be prohibited.
D.
Buffer yard landscaping. Any commercial, industrial or other nonresidential
use adjacent to a residential use or zoning district shall provide
a landscaped buffer yard along the full length of the affected side
to afford protection to the residential uses from the glare of lights,
from visual encroachment, and from the transmission of noise. Required
buffer yards shall be landscaped as described below. Combinations
of trees, shrubs, berms, and fences shall create screening, which
is at least 50% impervious at planting to sight.
(1)
Buffer yards required for commercial/nonresidential uses zoned
NC, GC, INST, AD, and R3 shall be a minimum 10 feet wide and shall
be planted with a variety of conifer species spaced 20 feet on center
and a minimum of one shade tree at fifty-foot centers. ("Shade trees"
shall be defined as any tree with a mature height of 30 feet or greater.)
(2)
Buffer yards required for industrial/nonresidential uses zoned
IND shall be a minimum 25 feet wide and shall be planted with a double
row of a variety of conifer species spaced 20 feet on center and a
minimum of one shade tree at fifty-foot centers. ("Shade trees" shall
be defined as any tree with a mature height of 30 feet or greater.)
(3)
Buffer yards required for commercial/industrial/nonresidential
uses zoned AGD-FP, AGD, OS, RR, R1, R2, and R4 shall be a minimum
10 feet wide and shall be planted with a variety of conifer species
spaced 20 feet on center and a minimum of one shade tree at fifty-foot
centers. ("Shade trees" shall be defined as any tree with a mature
height of 30 feet or greater.)
(4)
As an alternative to these buffer yard landscaping requirements,
a six-foot-high sight-tight fence may be constructed near the lot
line, except chain-link fences with or without privacy slats shall
be prohibited, with the remainder of the required buffer yard planted
with a minimum of one shade tree at fifty-foot centers. ("Shade trees"
shall be defined as any tree with a mature height of 30 feet or greater.)
The required trees shall be located between the lot line and the fence.
(5)
The required buffer yard shall be a green space where no portion
of a building, parking, and driving, loading, or storage area may
be located.
(6)
Mulch or other acceptable organic material shall be placed around
the base of all plant material and maintained on a regular basis;
rock, stone, gravel and similar materials shall be prohibited.
E.
Screening requirements. The intent of these requirements is to provide
a visual screen around service equipment, outdoor storage, shipping
and receiving docks, and trash collections areas contained within
commercial, industrial, and nonresidential properties. Reference:
§ 320-504FF(2)(b).
(1)
At the time of installation or planting, screening materials
of a variety of conifer plantings must be at least 50% impervious
at planting to sight and be sufficiently high and long to accomplish
the desired blockage of view year round. These plantings shall be
located adjacent to the area being screened.
(a)
As an alternative to the landscaping requirements, a six-foot-high
sight-tight fence may be constructed near the lot line (chain-link
fences with or without privacy slats shall be prohibited.), with the
remainder of the required strip planted with a minimum of one shade
tree at fifty-foot centers. ("Shade trees" shall be defined as any
tree with a mature height of 30 feet or greater.) The required strip
shall be a green space where no portion of a building, parking, and
driving, loading, or storage area may be located.
(2)
Trash collection areas. All exterior storage in refuse disposal
areas, trash collection dumpsters, and trash pads on commercial, industrial,
and nonresidential properties shall be located and oriented to be
as inconspicuous as possible. They shall be screened from view to
all adjacent properties; all adjacent road rights-of-way; and, if
located within commercial developments, from view to on-site entrance
drives and parking areas. Screening materials may consist of the following:
(3)
Berms. Berms are allowed and encouraged when combined with landscaping; See § 320-508A for requirements.
(4)
Mulch or other acceptable organic material shall be placed around
the base of all plant material and maintained on a regular basis;
rock, stone, gravel and similar materials shall be prohibited.
F.
Easements. Landscaping/fences/walls are not allowed within easements.
If an easement exists or is required and screening is required where
the easement is, screening shall still be required but shall be designed/located
to comply with the regulations outside of the easement. Landscaping/fences/walls
may be allowed within easements on a case-by-case basis as long as
they will not conflict with the purpose of the easement.
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Diagram 320-635-1
Landscape Plan
Reference: § 320-635.
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[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
Plant materials provided in conformance with the requirements
of this article shall be equal to or better in quality than the standards
of the AmericanHort. The minimum sizes of plant materials that shall
satisfy the requirements of this article are as follows:
A.
To meet unique site design conditions or to overcome obstructions,
conflicts, or other factors, the following planting substitutions
may be approved as described below.
B.
While plant materials should generally be distributed proportionately
on the lot in accordance with the standards of this article, alterations
and variations in the planting pattern may be approved, on a case-by-case
basis, to maximize the effectiveness of the installed landscaping.
C.
Flexibility on relief may be provided in meeting the landscape standards
in cases where quantity and location of planting material would be
difficult to install due to site/environmental or life/safety reasons,
including restrictions within vision triangles, or unique land uses
being proposed for development. In these cases, required plant material
shall be relocated elsewhere on the site. The Planning Commission
shall review and may approve a reduction in plant quantity due to
the circumstances listed above if there is not room on-site to relocate
the required plant material. If a reduction is approved, the Planning
Commission shall require a fee in lieu, based on the market rate of
the plant material being reduced, to be used for landscaping within
the public right-of-way or on public property.
See § 320-214D for requirements.
The owner of the lot on which landscaping has been provided
shall be responsible for protecting and maintaining all plant materials
and landscape areas as approved on the landscape plan in a healthy
and growing condition and shall be responsible for keeping them free
from refuse, debris, and weeds. Dead or diseased plant materials shall
be replaced during the next appropriate planting period.
Owners of lots within an Airport Overlay Zone should be aware
of height restrictions set by Outagamie County when planting trees.
