Natural topography and vegetation. The applicant shall use natural topography and vegetation, where possible. Large parking areas are not to be stripped of vegetation without requiring reseeding or replanting of all unpaved areas.

Saving of trees. Every attempt shall be made by the applicant to save existing trees even at the loss of parking spaces. Clumps of trees should be saved over single trees. Care should be taken by the approving authority to properly evaluate site clearing proposals, recognizing that wild trees often do not survive when their habitat is drastically altered. Where loss of trees is suggested, replacement should be required.

Slopes. Slopes in excess of 3:1 shall be avoided unless necessitated by unusual site limitations. All slopes shall be stabilized in a manner acceptable to the approving authority engineer.

Parking areas in front of buildings. Parking lots located in the front of buildings shall be landscaped to separate them from adjacent roadways.

Screened areas and buffers. Tall dense screens are required along nonpenetrable side lines, rear property lines and where commercial or industrial parking areas abut residences or residential zones. Evergreens such as but not limited to white pine, Austrian pine, Canadian hemlock, Servian spruce, arborvitae and upright yews may be used, provided that they meet specified height requirements.

Driveways. The areas adjacent to the driveways shall be planted with low plants or grass. Appropriate low plants include but are not limited to butterfly bush, Sargent juniper, inkberry, Japanese barberry or shrubbery cinquefoil.

Other required landscaped areas. Where a development plan indicates raised walkways between opposing rows of cars, areas at the end of bays or, where proposed or required by the approving authority, specific planting islands are indicated, these areas shall be landscaped. Planting strips may be as narrow as five feet, with a fifteen- to twenty-foot width most desirable. All should be raised and protected by permanent concrete curbing. The applicant shall landscape 5% to 10% of the parking areas provided.

Natural setting. In proposing a landscaping plan, an applicant shall take care, and the approving authority in reviewing shall require, that a natural setting consistent with prevailing community standards be preserved. Recognizing that a major community asset lies in the preservation of the natural condition of property, all efforts in the area of landscaping shall be exercised to provide consistent landscaping proposals with existing foliage.

Landscaping in parking and loading areas shall be shown on the landscaping plan. Trees shall be staggered and/or spaced so as not to interfere with driver vision, have branches no lower than six feet and be placed at the rate of at least one tree for every 20 parking spaces. All areas between the parking area and the building shall be landscaped with trees, shrubs and ground cover. Any plantings which do not live shall be replaced within two years or two growing seasons. A majority of the parking areas shall be obscured from streets by buildings, landscaped berms, natural ground elevations or plantings, singularly or in combination. All landscaping in parking and loading areas shall also meet the objectives of this landscaping section of this chapter.