As set forth in this article, buffer
yards are required to:
B.
Procedure. To determine the type of buffer
yard required on a lot or between two lots or between a lot and a street, the
following procedure shall be used:
(1)
Identify whether any portion or lot line of the site constitutes a zoning district boundary
(If it does, determine the zoning on both sides of the property.);
(2)
Determine whether the adjoining lot is vacant or developed;
(3)
Classify any street adjacent to the proposed use as an arterial, collector, local, or other street; and
A.
Proposed use adjacent to vacant lot. When a proposed use adjoins a vacant lot for which a buffer yard is required
by the presence of a zoning boundary, the proposed use shall provide 1/2 of the required buffer.
B.
Second use to develop.
(1)
The second use to develop shall,
at the time it develops, provide all additional plant material and/or
land necessary to provide the total required buffer yard.
(2)
If the adjoining use had developed
prior to April 9, 1987, without a buffer yard, the
second use is responsible for installing the total
required buffer yard.
C.
Existing plant material. Existing plant material and/or
land located on the first developed lot that meets the requirements of this Chapter 18:1 may be counted as contributing to the total required buffer yard.
D.
Adjacent lots. All or a portion of
a required buffer yard may be provided on an adjacent lot, provided that both property owners execute a recordable instrument to that effect, which shall be reviewed
and approved by the Planning Director.
A.
General buffer yard and street buffer
requirements. The letters in the tables below establish buffer
yard requirements and standards along adjacent zoning districts and streets, unless otherwise set forth in Subsections B through E of this section. For example, a B buffer yard is
described in the Table of Buffer Yard Standards as being 15 feet wide and containing two plant units, as described in § 18:1-70, per 150 linear feet.
[Amended 9-7-2004 by Ord. No. 04-25]
|
District Boundary Buffers
[Amended 1-24-2012 by Ord. No. 11-17] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Developing Property Zoning District
|
Adjacent Zoning District
| ||||||
|
AG, CS
|
E
|
SE, SR, NC
|
UR,VC, GVC, GNC, SHVC
|
SC
|
SI, UC, TC, SIBE
|
LIHS
| |
|
AG, CS
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
E
|
A
|
--
|
B
|
C
|
D
|
E
|
E
|
|
SR, SE
|
--
|
A
|
--
|
A
|
D
|
E
|
E
|
|
UR, VC, GVC, GNC, SHVC
|
B
|
C
|
B
|
--
|
C
|
D
|
D
|
|
SC
|
D
|
D
|
D
|
C
|
--
|
A
|
A
|
|
SI, UC, SIBE, GGMC
|
D
|
E
|
E
|
D
|
A
|
--
|
--
|
|
LIHS
|
L
|
L
|
L
|
L
|
L
|
L
|
--
|
|
NC
|
B
|
B
|
--
|
B
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
|
Street Buffers
[Amended 1-18-2005 by Ord. No. 04-47; 1-24-2012 by Ord. No.
11-17] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Developing Property Zoning District
|
Arterial Street
|
Collector Street
|
Local Residential Street
|
Other Street
|
|
AG
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
CS
|
S
|
A
|
--
|
--
|
|
E, SE, SR
|
D
|
C
|
S
|
S
|
|
UR
|
D
|
C
|
C
|
C
|
|
VC, GVC, GNC, SHVC
|
B
|
S
|
B
|
S
|
|
SC
|
B
|
S
|
B
|
S
|
|
SI, SIBE
|
D
|
C
|
E
|
S
|
|
UC, TC, GGMC
|
B
|
B
|
D
|
S
|
|
LIHS
|
L
|
L
|
L
|
L
|
|
NC
|
C
|
C
|
C
|
C
|
|
Table of Buffer Yard Standards
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Buffer Yard
|
Number of Plant Units
(per 150 linear feet)
|
Buffer Yard Width
(feet)
|
|
A
|
1
|
15
|
|
B
|
2
|
15
|
|
C
|
3
|
20
|
|
D
|
4
|
20
|
|
E
|
5
|
20
|
|
S
|
2
|
10 from edge of street right-of-way
|
|
L
|
8
|
40
|
B.
Exception; property line not exactly 150 feet. In
cases where the property line requiring a buffer is less than 150
feet in length, a minimum of one plant unit is required. For property
lines requiring a buffer that is more than 150 feet in length, but
not an even multiple of 150 feet, the required amount of plant units
shall be calculated and determined by the Planning Director.
C.
Exception; commercial or industrial use. In cases where a commercial or industrial use is
proposed adjacent to a residentially zoned property with an existing residential use, the Planning Commission may require earthen berms and/or opaque or semiopaque fencing in
addition to the required plant units.
D.
Cluster subdivisions. In cases where
a cluster residential development is proposed in
any zoning district outside of the growth areas,
the developing property shall provide a vegetative buffer of native
species along the perimeter property line a minimum of 30 feet in
width consisting of a mixture of canopy trees, canopy treewhips, and mature plant material
of significant density to provide immediate bufferind capacity in
the vicinity of the proposed development to provide
additional protection for the existing and continuing agricultural uses on adjacent properties. The buffer will occur regardless of the presence or absence of required district boundary. The buffers may be used in conjunction with meeting requirements of Chapter 18:2, Forest Conservation. The Planning Director or the Planning Commission, as appropriate (for the type of subdivision approval), may modify the requirements of this
section if strict compliance would not be likely to protect adjacent
agricultural lands from nuisance claims or complaints.
[Amended 10-9-2012 by Ord. No. 12-09]
E.
Buffer design. Notwithstanding the other provisions
of this section, the design of a required buffer shall ensure that
neighboring properties and public rights-of-way are adequately screened
from adverse external effects of proposed adjacent uses.
