Cottleville City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VII
Landscaping and Screening
Section 405.460 Purpose.
[Ord. No. 231 App. A §III A, 11-2-1995]
A.
The landscaping and screening regulations of this Article are intended to:
1.
Provide greenery to visually soften paved areas and buildings.
2.
Establish healthy environmental conditions by providing shade, air purification, oxygen regeneration, ground water recharge, stormwater runoff retardation and noise, glare and heat abatement
3.
Ensure that the local stock of native trees is replenished
4.
Buffer incompatible or potentially incompatible land uses and generally enhance the quality and appearance of development sites.
Section 405.465 Landscape Plans.
[Ord. No. 231 App. A §III B, 11-2-1995]
All plans submitted in support of a final development plan or building permit shall hereafter include a landscape plan prepared in a form established by the City Engineer and made available to the public.
Section 405.470 Street Trees.
[Ord. No. 231 App. A §III C, 11-2-1995; Ord. No. 1400 §30, 12-18-2014]
A.
The street tree planting requirements of this Article may be satisfied by planting medium and large deciduous shade trees as defined by Section 405.485 or by preserving existing trees. Credit shall be granted for preservation of existing deciduous shade trees that are at least two (2) inches in diameter, measured six (6) inches above grade. Credit shall be granted for preservation of existing ornamental and evergreen species that are at least six (6) feet in height. In order to receive tree preservation credits, all preserved trees shall be field located, healthy and free of injury.
1.
Residential districts. The following tree planting requirements shall apply to subdivisions in the "R-1A," "R-1B," "R-1C," "R-1D," "R-1E," "R-2," "SD/C-R1," "SD/C-R2" and "SD/C-R3" Districts. The standards do not apply to individual single-family and duplex dwellings.
a.
One (1) tree per fifty (50) feet of street frontage shall be required to be installed within the setback abutting said street frontage. On lots with less than fifty (50) feet of street frontage, one (1) tree shall be required. The required trees may be clustered or arranged within the setback; they need not be placed evenly at fifty-foot intervals.
b.
One (1) tree shall also be required to be planted for every two (2) multifamily dwelling units.
2.
Commercial districts. The following tree planting requirements shall apply to lots in the "C-1," "C-2," "C-3," "C-4," "C-5," "SD/C-C1," "SD/C-C2," "SD/C-C3 and "SD/C-C5" Districts.
a.
One (1) tree per forty (40) feet of street frontage shall be required to be installed within the setback abutting said street frontage. The required trees may be clustered or arranged within the setback; they need not be placed evenly at forty-foot intervals.
b.
One (1) tree shall also be required to be planted for every three thousand (3,000) square feet of open space.
3.
Industrial districts. The following tree planting requirements shall apply in the "I-1," "I-2" and "SD/C-I1" Districts.
a.
One (1) tree per forty (40) feet of street frontage shall be required to be installed within the setback abutting said street frontage. The required trees may be clustered or arranged within the setback; they need not be placed evenly at forty-foot intervals.
b.
One (1) tree shall also be required to be planted for every four thousand (4,000) square feet of open space.
4.
"SD/C-CC" College Campus Subdistrict. The following tree planting requirements shall apply in the "SD/C-CC" District.
a.
One (1) tree for every forty (40) feet or portion thereof of street frontage, public or private, shall be required within the landscape setback abutting said street frontage. Said trees may be clustered or arranged within the setback and need not be placed evenly at forty-foot intervals.
5.
"SD/C-PO" Park and Open Space Subdistrict. The following tree planting requirements shall apply in the "SD/C-PO" District.
a.
One (1) tree for every forty (40) feet or portion thereof of street frontage, public or private, shall be required within the landscape setback abutting said street frontage. Said trees may be clustered or arranged within the setback and need not be placed evenly at forty-foot intervals.
Section 405.475 Parking Area and Vehicular Use Area Landscaping.
[Ord. No. 231 App. A §III D, 11-2-1995]
A.
Applicability. The vehicular use area landscaping standards of this Article shall apply to all off-street parking and vehicular use areas, except vehicle sales and storage lots, multi-level parking structures and off-street parking lots having a paved area no wider than a double-loaded aisle no more than sixty-five (65) feet in width.
B.
Interior Landscaping. At least sixteen (16) square feet of landscaping shall be provided within the interior of parking lots for each off-street parking space in the parking lot. Landscaping and screening that is required along the perimeter of a parking lot shall not be considered as part of the interior landscaping requirement.
1.
Location. The landscaping and planting areas shall be reasonably dispersed throughout the interior of the parking lot.
2.
Design of planting areas. The interior dimensions of any planting area of planting median shall be sufficient to protect the landscape materials planted therein and to ensure proper growth. Any protected planting strip where trees are to be planted shall be a minimum of seven (7) feet wide and shall be protected from vehicle overhang.
3.
Plant materials. The primary landscape materials used in parking lots shall be trees which provide shade or are capable of providing shade at maturity. Shrubbery, hedges and other planting material may be used to complement the tree landscaping. Effective use of earth berms and existing topography is also encouraged as a component of the landscaping plan.
Section 405.480 Transition Strips.
[Ord. No. 231 App. A §III E, 11-2-1995; Ord. No. 1400 §31, 12-18-2014]
A.
Applicability. Transition strips shall be required on the site of development in the commercial, multi-family and industrial zoning districts when such development is located on sites that are adjacent to lots zoned "R-1A," "R-1B," "R-1C," "R-1D," "R-1E" or "SD/C-R1."
B.
Transition Strips And Setbacks. Transition strip requirements shall be in addition to required setbacks. In no case shall land area provided as part of a required setback be counted toward satisfying transition strip requirements.
C.
Standards.
2.
Screening.
a.
Vegetative screens. Transition strips shall be improved at the time the subject lot is improved and shall include a vegetative planting screen consisting of evergreen plants with a minimum height of six (6) feet as specified by the American Association of Nurserymen. Screening shall be of such density to obscure all visible evidence of the development from adjoining property.
b.
Structural screens. A six- to eight-foot-tall screen wall or fence may be required in addition to, or in lieu of, a planting screen when the Planning and Zoning Commission deems it necessary in order to adequately screen certain types of incompatible uses. Screening shall be provided to shield outdoor garbage and recycling areas from view of surrounding property. In all non-residential zoning districts, proposed screening shall be shown on site plans, along with the proposed location and type of garbage and recycling pickup areas.
c.
Sight triangle exception. No planting, berm, fence or wall shall be required that would violate the sight triangle standards of Section 405.200(D)(1)(c).
Section 405.483 Corner Visibility.
On corner lots, nothing shall be erected, placed, plated or allowed to grow in such a manner as to materially impede vision between a height of two (2) feet and eight (8) feet above curb grade within the triangular area formed by an imaginary line that follows street pavement edges and a line connecting them twenty-five (25) feet from their point of intersection. This sight triangle standard may be increased by the City Engineer when deemed necessary for traffic safety.
Section 405.485 Landscape Material Standards.
[Ord. No. 231 App. A §III F, 11-2-1995]
A.
The minimum requirements for plant and landscape materials shall be as set out in this Section.
1.
Medium and large deciduous shade trees. The minimum size of medium and large deciduous shade trees shall be two (2) inches, as measured six (6) inches above grade, as specified by the American Association of Nurserymen.
2.
Small deciduous or ornamental trees. The minimum size of small deciduous and ornamental trees shall be four (4) feet in height, as specified by the American Association of Nurserymen, with the exception of true dwarf species.
3.
Conifers. The minimum size of conifers shall be six (6) feet in height.
4.
Upright evergreen trees. The minimum size of upright evergreen trees shall be four (4) feet in height, as specified by the American Association of Nurserymen, except for true dwarf varieties.
5.
Shrubs (deciduous and conifer including spreader and globe tree forms). The minimum size of shrubs shall be determined by applicant.
6.
Ground cover (crowns, plugs, containers). Ground cover shall be adequate to provide fifty percent (50%) surface coverage after two (2) growing seasons.
7.
Grass seeding. Grass seeding shall be adequate to provide complete coverage within the first (1st) growing season.
8.
Sod. Sod shall be adequate to provide full coverage and soil stabilization.
Section 405.490 Installation, Maintenance and Replacement.
[Ord. No. 231 App. A §III G, 11-2-1995; Ord. No. 1400 §32, 12-18-2014]
A.
Installation Prior To Occupancy Permit. All landscape material, living and non-living, shall be healthy and in place prior to issuance of a final occupancy permit. A temporary certificate may be issued without the installation, provided deposit agreements under Chapter 410, Article VI, are entered into with the City ensuring the planting will take place when the proper season arrives.
B.
Maintenance. The trees, shrubs, fences, walls and other landscaping materials depicted on plans approved by the City shall be considered as elements of the project in the same manner as parking, building materials and other details are elements of the plan. The developer, the developer's successor and subsequent owners and their agents shall be responsible for continued maintenance of landscaping.
C.
Replacement. Plant material that exhibits evidence of insect pests, disease or damage shall be appropriately treated and dead plants promptly removed and replaced within the next planting season.
D.
Inspections. All landscaping shall be subject to periodic inspection by the Director of Public Works.
E.
Revocation Of Permits. In the event that landscaping is not installed, maintained and replaced as needed to comply with the approved landscape plan and the provisions of this Article, the owner and the owner's agent shall be considered in violation of the terms of the building or occupancy permit. The Director of Public Works is empowered to enforce the terms of this Article.