Except as otherwise provided in this Article, the Landscaping requirements in this Article shall apply to a Lot for which a building permit is required under this ordinance.

The Landscaping requirements shall not apply when a building permit is obtained solely for the alteration of the interior of a Building or the facade of a Building that does not change the location of an exterior wall.

A Landscaping plan shall be submitted to the City prior to the time an application for a building permit is filed if the Lot is used or will be used as a Multiple-Family Dwelling or for a Nonresidential use. If a site plan is required to be approved the landscape plan will be reviewed and acted upon at the same time.

Landscape Plans shall contain the following information:

The Administrative Officer may allow or require minor deviations from the requirements of this Article if a literal application of a requirement would, because of unusual circumstances not common to other lots in the area, not achieve the intent of the regulation or cause an absurd result.

Where improvements are proposed to a developed lot that was developed prior to the Effective Date of this ordinance and does not meet the requirements of this ordinance, the City Council may approve as a special use a Landscaping plan with deviations from the requirements of this Article or impose alternative requirements that serve the purpose and intent of this Article, if the requirements of this Article cannot be reasonably complied with because of the existing developed conditions.

Except as otherwise provided in this ordinance, all Landscaping requirements of this Article, including the requirements of an approved Landscaping plan, shall be satisfied before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued. If weather conditions, scheduling delays or similar conditions delay compliance then the City Administrator may grant a temporary Certificate of Occupancy for a period not to exceed one hundred and eighty (180) days if the owner of the Lot enters into an agreement with the City to comply with the Landscaping requirements within a specified time not to exceed one hundred and eighty (180) days.

The following standard notations apply to commercial and multifamily developments that require a landscape plan to be approved and must be noted on the landscape plan.

Landscaped areas shall have a minimum dimension of four (4) feet;

Each required tree shall be planted in a landscaped area of at least thirty-six (36) square feet with a minimum dimension of six (6) feet.

Large Canopy trees that are required by this Ordinance shall be common to this area of Texas, have a minimum caliper size of two and one-half (2-1/2) inches when measured twelve (12) inches above ground level immediately after planting, shall have an average mature crown spread of at least fifteen (15) feet in diameter and shall have a single trunk limbed up to six (6) feet.

Two (2) Small Ornamental trees may be substituted for one (1) Large Canopy tree, not to exceed twenty-five (50) [sic] percent of the required large trees.

Shrubs and Hedges. Evergreen screening plants shall be at least eighteen inches (18") high at time of planting and shall be a type and species on the recommended plant list that will attain a minimum height of three feet (3') within eighteen (18) months of planting and will form a continuous hedge. Sporadic breaks in the hedge row may be approved to achieve unique designs.

Solid sod or seed-blankets must be used to provide coverage and soil stabilization in any area subject to erosion. In areas not subject to erosion, if grass seed is used, then annual rye grass seed shall be sown with the permanent seed for immediate effect and protection until coverage is achieved.

Indigenous and drought resistant plant materials are encouraged, but in all cases an irrigation system shall be installed except for single-family and two-family dwellings.

If a Lot is used for a Single-Family Dwelling or Two-Family Dwelling then all portions of the ground that have been disturbed and which are not covered by a building, driveway, parking lot, or other permanent improvement shall be Landscaped. (Landscape is defined as any live plant material such as trees, shrubs, ground cover, grass, stone, aggregate or other landscape features. Undisturbed areas left in their natural state are not required to be Landscaped.)

Landscaping must include a minimum of one Large Canopy Tree (Caliper of two and one-half (2-1/2) inches). Two Small Ornamental Trees may be planted in substitution for the Large Canopy Tree. Trees must be from the Recommended Plant Material List. However, any existing native tree on a lot can fill the tree requirement.

All required landscaping must be planted prior to request for final building inspection of the dwelling unit, unless an extension is granted by the City Administrator. Automatic irrigation is not required.

The Landscaped area in the Front Yard shall contain at least one Large Canopy Tree for each forty (40) linear feet of width or part thereof, measured along the Front Lot Line. The trees may be grouped. Two (2) Small Ornamental Trees may be used to replace one (1) Large Canopy Tree (not to exceed 50% of the required trees on site).

A Front Yard shall have a minimum ten (10) foot wide Landscaped area between all portions of any Parking Lot and the property line adjacent to a street. The Landscaped area shall have a continuous hedge of a height between three (3) feet and four (4) feet to screen the Parking Lot from the Street. If the parking lot is located 50 feet or more from the street right-of-way line, no shrubs will be required unless needed for a headlight screen.

A Side Yard or Rear Yard that abuts a Lot in a Residential District shall have a minimum ten (10) foot wide Landscaped area between all portions of any Parking Lot or Loading Area and the Side Lot Line or Rear Lot Line that abuts a Lot in a Residential District. The Landscaped area shall have a continuous hedge, fence, wall or berm of a height between four (4) feet and eight (8) feet to screen the Parking Lot or Loading Area from the abutting Lot in the Residential District. If a fence or wall is used to provide the screening, at least one shrub or vine shall be planted on the side of the fence or wall closest to the Lot Line for each ten (10) linear feet or part thereof, measured along the Lot Line. The plants should not be spaced evenly apart. The hedge, fence, wall or berm is not required if a comparable hedge, fence, wall or berm already exists on the adjoining Residential District Lot.

The applicant is also encouraged to plant a variety of ornamental trees and flowers in addition to the required plantings. Any permeable surface not occupied by trees, shrubs, plantings beds, signs or other permitted fixtures shall be planted with turf or other living ground cover.

There is no requirement for interior landscaping in a Parking Lot that has less than twenty (20) Parking Spaces.

A Parking Lot with twenty (20) to forty (40) Parking Spaces shall include at least one landscaped area.

A Parking Lot with more than forty (40) Parking Spaces shall include at least one additional Landscaped area for each twenty Parking Spaces or fraction thereof in excess of the first forty (40) Parking Spaces.

Each Landscaped area required by this Section shall be protected from vehicle intrusion by a curb. Two feet of the landscaped area may be counted as part of the required depth of an abutting Parking Space.

Each Landscaped area required by this Section shall contain not less than 162 square feet and shall have a minimum width of six feet when measured from the back of the curb. At least one shade tree shall be planted in each landscaped area. The remaining plants in the landscaped area shall not exceed three feet in height when mature.

An area used to hold a trash receptacle or refuse container with a capacity of more than thirty five (35) gallons shall be located in a Side Yard or Rear Yard but not in a Front Yard and shall be Screened from Public View by an opaque fence or wall of a uniform height of not less than six (6) feet nor more than eight (8) feet. No part of the opaque fence or wall shall be made out of a wire type fencing material.

Ground mounted or building mounted equipment to serve a Building, including mechanical equipment, utility meter banks, or heating and cooling equipment shall be Screened from Public View by Landscaping or an architectural treatment compatible with the Building architecture.

All rooftop equipment shall be Screened from Public View with an architectural treatment compatible with the Building architecture. The methods used to screen rooftop equipment may include the use of a pitched, parapet or mansard roof system.

Materials, products or equipment stored outside an enclosed Building, other than goods or merchandise on display for sale to the public, shall be Screened from Public View by an opaque fence or wall of a uniform height of not less than six (6) feet nor more than eight (8) feet. No part of the opaque fence or wall shall be made out of a wire type fencing material.

If existing trees or shrubs provide an effective and desirable screen or buffer then the Administrative Officer may require that the trees or shrubs be preserved, provided the preservation can be accomplished without undue interference with the development of the Lot. For each tree or shrub preserved, the owner shall receive a credit for a tree or shrub that is otherwise required to be planted under this ordinance if the preserved tree or shrub substantially serves the purpose of the requirement.

If the tree is a Protected Tree and it is not located in a building pad it must be preserved and protected during construction using Protective Fencing at its Critical Root Zone. Under special circumstances the preserved tree may be removed if approved through the landscape plan.

Plant Material: All required plant material, including required residential trees, shall be from the following list unless alternate plant materials are approved through the landscape plan.