This article is designed to accomplish the following objectives:
A. 
To provide a suitable boundary or buffer between residential uses and districts and nearby nonresidential uses.
B. 
To define the street edge and provide visual connection between nonresidential uses of different architectural styles.
C. 
To separate different and otherwise incompatible land uses from each other in order to partially or completely reduce potential nuisances, such as dirt, dust, litter, noise, glare from motor vehicle headlights, intrusion from artificial light (including ambient glare) or view of signs, unsightly buildings or parking lots.
D. 
To provide visual relief and a source of shade in parking lots and other areas and protection from wind in open areas.
E. 
To preserve or improve the visual and environmental character of Chelmsford, as generally viewed from residential or publicly accessible locations.
F. 
To offer property owners protection against diminution of property values due to adjacent nonresidential use.
G. 
To minimize runoff through green infrastructure and low impact design (LID).
[Added 10-18-2021 ATM by Art. 26]
The requirements of this article shall apply to any nonresidential use and to multifamily dwellings. The requirements set forth in this article may be reduced by special permit issued by the Planning Board upon a finding that such reduction will not detract from the objectives of this article.
[Amended 10-21-1999 ATM by Art. 29; 10-23-2025 ATM by Art. 20]
Property lines with residential uses or districts shall be screened from nonresidential uses by means of plantings or maintenance of trees of a species common to the area and appropriate for screening, spaced to minimize visual intrusion, and providing an opaque year-round visual buffer between uses. Such plantings shall be provided and maintained by the owner of the property used for nonresidential purposes. The buffer area may contain walks, sewerage and wells, but no part of any building, structure or paved space intended for or used as a parking area may be located within the buffer area. Planted buffer areas along property lines with residential districts or uses shall be of the following minimum depth in each district:
District
Distance
(feet)
RM
20
CA
10
CB
30
CLBT
30
CC
30
CD
10
IA
40
IS
40
RMH
30
CX
30
P
10
OS
10
A. 
Parking areas with more than 10 spaces shall contain 150 square feet of planted area for every 1,000 square feet of pavement related to parking spaces and aisles. Such planted areas shall be appropriately situated within the parking area and contain an appropriate mix of shade trees and other plants.
B. 
Parking lots, loading areas, storage areas, refuse storage and disposal areas and service areas shall be screened from view, to the extent feasible, from all public ways and from adjacent properties by the use of planted areas, berms, natural contours, fences or a combination of the above.
C. 
Buffer strips between parking lots and rear or side lot lines shall meet the following specifications:
Number of Spaces in Lot
Depth of Buffer Strip
(feet)
Up to 10
10
11 to 24
10, plus 1 foot for each space in excess of 10 spaces
25 or more
25
[Amended 10-21-1999 ATM by Art. 29; 10-23-2025 ATM by Art. 21]
With the exception of the CBLT, CC and CD Districts, a landscaped buffer area, except for approved accessways, at least 20 feet in width as measured from the layout of the roadway providing frontage shall be established. In the CA and P Districts the required landscaped buffer area shall be 10 feet. The buffer area shall be planted with grass, medium-height shrubs and shade trees. Shade trees shall be planted at least every 35 feet along the road frontage.
Planted areas shall contain an appropriate mix of the following types of plants. Plant species shall be appropriate to proposed use, siting, soils and other environmental conditions. Where the Planning Board determines that the planting of trees is impractical, the permit applicant may substitute shrubbery for trees.
A. 
Shrubs and hedges shall be at least 2.5 feet in height at the time of planting and have a spread of at least 18 inches.
B. 
Grass is preferable to mulch where practical.
C. 
Existing trees with a caliper of six inches or more shall be preserved wherever feasible.
D. 
Deciduous trees shall be at least two inches in caliper as measured six inches above the root ball at time of planting. Deciduous trees shall be expected to reach a height of 20 feet within 10 years after planting.
[Amended 4-25-2005 ATM by Art. 24]
E. 
Evergreens shall be a minimum of eight feet in height at the time of planting and shall be spaced five feet on center when planted in a single row. When planted in a double row, each row of evergreens shall be spaced 10 feet on center. These minimum standards may be reduced by the Planning Board, subject to the recommendation of an arborist, landscape architect, or other competent individual. Areas planted in conformance with this subsection shall, at the time of planting, be deemed to comply with the opacity requirement of § 195-43.
[Amended 4-25-2005 ATM by Art. 24]
The Planning Board may require a landscaping plan as part of the overall site plan for the premises. Such landscaping plan shall be at a scale sufficient to determine compliance with the specifications set forth in this article.
The owner of the property used for nonresidential purposes shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair and replacement of all landscaping materials installed in accordance with this article. All plant materials required by this chapter shall be maintained in a healthy condition. Dead limbs, refuse and debris shall be promptly removed. Dead plantings shall be replaced with new live plantings at the earliest appropriate season. Bark mulch and nonplant ground surface materials shall be maintained so as to control weed growth.