Landscaping is a type of open space permanently devoted and maintained for the installation of and growing of trees, shrubbery, groundcovers, other plants and decorative features to the land.
The purpose of landscaping is to improve the appearance of vehicular use areas and development abutting public rights-of-way; to enhance environmental and visual characteristics, to promote the greening of development, and the reduction of noise pollution, stormwater runoff, air pollution, and artificial light glare, and to safeguard property values, protect public and private investments, and promote high-quality development.
No proposed commercial, institutional, industrial or other nonresidential use, single-family subdivision, planned residential community, townhouse or multifamily development or subdivision, manufactured home park, or condominium development shall hereafter be granted preliminary or site plan approval nor shall any repermitting of building permits or occupancy permits for an existing building or structure be granted unless landscaping is provided in accordance with the provisions of this article. No existing building, structure, or vehicular use area shall be enlarged or expanded unless the minimum landscaping required by the provisions of this article is provided throughout the building site. Individual, single-family residential lots of record, properly recorded prior to the adoption of this chapter shall be exempt from the requirements of this article.
A landscaping plan shall be required and submitted as part of a site plan or subdivision plan for any proposal requiring a plan in accordance with § 276-20. The plan shall:
A. 
Be drawn to scale, including dimensions and distances;
B. 
Designate by name and location the plant materials to be installed or preserved in accordance with this article; and including existing wood lines and individual trees of six inches or more in diameter;
C. 
Identify and describe the location and characteristics of all other landscape materials to be used;
D. 
Include a table indicating the plant species to be used and the number to be installed;
E. 
Identify the planting method to be used to install the plant materials.
Required landscaping shall be provided as follows:
A. 
Along the outer perimeter of a lot or parcel, where required by the buffer area provisions of this article to buffer and separate different land uses. The amount specified shall be as prescribed by Article I, Bufferyards.
B. 
Within the interior of any lot or parcel, peninsula or island-type landscaped areas shall be provided for any parking area containing 20 or more parking spaces. Landscaped areas shall be located in such a manner as to divide and break up the expanse of paving and at strategic points to guide travel flow and direction. Elsewhere, landscaped areas shall be designed to soften and complement the building site and separate the building from the vehicular surface area. Trees shall be provided within interior parking areas of 20 spaces or more at a ratio of one tree for each 10 parking spaces. Trees shall be provided within interior parking islands and along the perimeter of the parking lot.
C. 
Collector drives within parking lots shall be separated from parking aisles by landscaped islands.
D. 
Landscaping materials may consist of ornamental landscaping, shrubs, and trees and shall be designed and maintained for safe pedestrian access.
E. 
Interior lot landscaping in addition to parking area and buffer areas, shall be provided in the following amounts:
Use
Percentage of Parcel
Institutional
15%
Industrial/Wholesale/Storage
10%
Office
15%
Commercial/Retail/Service
15%
Single-family residential
10%
Multifamily residential
10%
Manufactured home parks
10%
F. 
Landscaping shall also be provided along exterior building walls and structures to separate, with greenery, the building from parking facilities.
A. 
All landscaped areas in or adjacent to parking areas shall be protected from vehicular damage by a raised concrete curb or an equivalent barrier of six inches in height. The barrier need not be continuous to allow for drainage.
B. 
Landscaped areas must be at least 25 square feet in size.
C. 
Parking lots that abut the public right-of-way shall be designed with a planting strip a minimum of 10 feet wide between the parking areas and the right-of-way line, and providing a minimum of one shade or evergreen tree and 10 shrubs per 35 linear feet.
D. 
Parking lots that abut the public right-of-way of U.S. Route 113 shall be designed with a planting strip a minimum of 25 feet wide between the parking areas and the right-of-way line. The planting areas shall provide a minimum of two shade or evergreen trees and 30 shrubs per 50 feet of linear feet. The use of berms, low walls, and raised planters not to exceed three feet in height shall be encouraged.
A. 
Every development shall retain all existing trees 18 inches diameter at breast height (dbh) or larger (hereinafter "mature trees") in all areas except building footprints, streets or roadways and infrastructure areas. A tree preservation plan shall be required and submitted as part of a site plan or subdivision plan for any proposal requiring a plan in accordance with this article. No proposed commercial, institutional, industrial or other nonresidential use, single-family subdivision, planned residential community, townhouse or multifamily development or subdivision, manufactured home park, or condominium development shall hereafter be granted preliminary or site plan approval nor shall any repermitting of building permits or occupancy permits for an existing building or structure be granted unless tree preservation is provided in accordance with the provisions of this article. No existing building, structure, or vehicular use area shall be enlarged or expanded unless tree preservation required by the provisions of this article is provided throughout the building site. Individual single-family residential lots of record, properly recorded prior to the adoption of this chapter, shall be exempt from the requirements of this section. All reasonable efforts shall be made to incorporate such mature trees into the design of the development project. Should it not be practical to retain all mature trees, a mitigation plan approved by the Town must be provided prior to final plan approval.
B. 
No excavation or subsurface disturbance may be undertaken within the drip line of any retained tree 18 inches dbh or more, and no impervious surface may be located within 12 1/2, measured from the center of the trunk, of any tree 18 inches dbh or more. A drip line is a perimeter formed by the points farthest away from the trunk of a tree where precipitation falling from the branches of that tree lands on the ground.
C. 
Clearing of or the removal of trees greater than three inches dbh from a tract of land is prohibited except under the following conditions:
(1) 
Clearing of a lot or parcel is necessary to make those certain site improvements as authorized by an approved application for a subdivision, site plan, or by the issuance of a building or demolition permit. The proposed clearing shall only be permitted for an area that is the minimum area necessary for the construction of infrastructure and the preparation of the buildable area for each individual lot or structure.
(2) 
Where an approved application for subdivision, site plan, or a building or demolition permit is not required, the proposed clearing may only be for an area that is the minimum necessary for the proposed use or activity. Plans for such clearing must be in accordance with the provisions of this section and must be submitted and approved by the Building Official prior to commencement of construction.
The maintenance of required landscaped areas shall be the responsibility of the property owner, homeowners' association or condominium council. All such areas shall be properly maintained so as to assure their survival and aesthetic value, and shall be provided with irrigation or a readily available water supply. Failure to monitor such areas is a violation of this article.