Coventry City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XVII
Landscaping
§ 255-1700 Purpose.
The purpose of this article is to protect the health, safety, morals and welfare of the public by ensuring that there are properly vegetated and maintained landscaped buffers between potentially incompatible land uses in order to minimize and mitigate the potential impacts of noise, lighting, stormwater runoff, and air pollution. These regulations will also serve to enhance and preserve the rural and visual character of Coventry by promoting high-quality development projects. Minimum standards are established for the installation and maintenance of vegetative and standard landscaping.
§ 255-1710 Applicability.
This article applies to all new nonresidential and multifamily residential projects. Expansions of any nonresidential or multifamily residential project which exceed 10% of the existing gross floor area or 5,000 square feet, whichever is less, shall comply with these regulations. Projects which are fully permitted as of the effective date of this chapter shall be exempt.
§ 255-1720 Plan submittal requirements.
A.
A landscape plan shall be submitted for all projects delineated in § 255-1710 in conjunction with any other submittals required for a special use permit, development plan review, or building permit.
B.
For new projects or expansions exceeding 10,000 square feet of nonresidential development or more than six multifamily dwelling units, the landscape plan shall be prepared by a registered landscape architect, whose seal shall appear on the plan.
C.
A landscape plan shall be deemed complete when it contains the following:
(1)
A description of the site;
(2)
Proposed project and parking site plan;
(3)
Location, general type, and quality of existing vegetation, including trees;
(4)
Existing vegetation to be preserved;
(5)
Mitigation measures employed for protecting existing vegetation during construction and a sediment control plan;
(6)
Locations and labels for all proposed plants;
(7)
Plant lists or schedules with the botanical and common name, quantity, and spacing and size of all proposed landscape material at the time of plantings;
(8)
Location and description of other landscape improvements, such as earth berms, walls, fences, screens, sculptures, fountains, street furniture, lights, and courts or paved areas; and
(9)
Planting and installation details as necessary to ensure conformance with this article.
§ 255-1730 Minimum landscaped buffer.
A.
Table 17-1 sets forth the minimum landscaped buffer by feet in width for different land uses. Existing woodlands which meet these minimum sizes may substitute for landscaping if these buffers exceed the minimum yard requirements set forth in Tables 6-2 through 6-6 (§ 255-610).
Table 17-1 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minimum Landscaped Buffer (in feet) Adjacent Use | ||||||
Proposed Use | Single-family House (feet) | Two-family House (feet) | Multifamily Dwelling (feet) | Commercial (feet) | Office (feet) | Industrial (feet) |
Single-family home | None | None | 10 | 20 | 20 | 40 |
Two-family home | None | None | 10 | 20 | 20 | 40 |
Multifamily dwelling | 10 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 20 | 40 |
Commercial use | 20 | 20 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 20 |
Business park | 50 | 50 | 50 | None | None | None |
Office | 40 | 40 | 40 | 10 | 10 | 20 |
Industrial | 50 | 50 | 50 | 40 | 40 | 30 |
Note: Perimeters of land development projects shall comply with Table 14.1. |
B.
Residential developments shall provide a buffer to minimize and mitigate the visual and noise impacts of any collector street or arterial. This buffer may be provided as:
C.
The buffer between a residential development and a collector street or arterial shall be at least 40 feet in width and shall contain an adequate mixture of shade, ornamental and evergreen trees, and shrubs to screen the residences from the street.
§ 255-1740 Landscape standards and specification.
A.
The following standards and specifications shall apply for minimum plant measurements, installation techniques and maintenance:
(1)
The landscape contractor shall furnish and install and/or dig, ball, burlap, and transplant all plant materials listed on the plant schedule. Bare-root is typically not permitted for any tree.
(2)
Plant materials shall conform to the requirements described in the latest edition of American Standard for Nursery Stock, published by the American Association of Nurserymen. Plants shall be nursery grown.
(3)
Plants shall conform to the measurements specified in the plant schedule.
(a)
Caliper measurements shall be taken six inches above grade for trees under four inches in diameter and 12 inches above grade for trees four inches in diameter and larger.
(b)
Minimum branching height for all shade trees shall be six feet.
(c)
Minimum size for shade trees shall be between 2 1/2 and three inches in diameter, and 12 feet to 14 feet in height.
(d)
Minimum size for evergreen trees shall be between six feet to eight feet in height.
(e)
Minimum size for shrubs shall be three feet in height.
(4)
A professional horticulturist/nurseryman shall be consulted to determine the proper time to move and install plant material so that stress to the plant is minimized. Planting of deciduous material may be continued during winter months provided there is no frost in the ground and frost-free topsoil planting mixtures are used.
(5)
A landscape contractor shall excavate all plant pits, vine pits, hedge trenches, and shrub beds as follows:
(a)
All pits shall be generally circular in outline, with vertical sides. The tree pit shall be deep enough to allow 1/8 of the ball to be above the existing grade. Plants shall rest on undisturbed existing soil or well-compacted backfill. On every side, the tree pit must be a minimum of nine inches larger than the ball of the tree.
(b)
If areas are designated as shrub beds or hedge trenches, they shall be cultivated to at least 18 inches in depth. Areas designated for ground covers and vines shall be cultivated to at least 12 inches in depth.
(6)
Each tree, shrub, or vine shall be pruned in an appropriate manner, in accordance with accepted standard practice.
(7)
All trenches and shrub beds shall be edged and cultivated to the lines shown on the drawing. The areas around isolated plants shall be edged and cultivated to the full diameter of the pit. Sod that has been removed and stacked shall be used to trim the edges of all excavated areas to the neat lines of the plant pit saucers, the edges of shrub areas, hedge trenches, and vine pockets.
(8)
After cultivation, all plant materials shall be mulched with a layer between two inches and three inches deep of tan bark, peat moss, or another material over the entire area of the bed, or saucer.
(9)
Earthen berms shall only be used in conjunction with vegetative planting.
B.
Existing trees and woodlands shall be preserved to the greatest extent possible. Factors to be considered shall include the size, age, condition, habitat, or historical significance of the tree. Trees to be preserved shall be selected early in the project planning process prior to establishing the site layout. Site grading shall be minimized in those areas to prevent damage to the preserved trees. Efforts shall be undertaken to protect the trees during construction.
C.
Vegetation in floodplains, steep slopes, and wetlands areas shall remain undisturbed to the greatest extent possible. Any alteration of these areas shall be in conformance with applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
D.
Landscape plans shall provide for a mix of evergreen, ornamental, shade trees, and shrubs to provide adequate visual and noise buffer between adjacent land uses. Fences, berms, and other structural features may also be used to provide an adequate buffering between the land uses.
(1)
Shrubs shall form a continuous visual screen of at least three feet in height at the time of planting.
(2)
Berms shall be at least 2 1/2 feet high and shall have a minimum two to one side slope.
(3)
Every 35 linear feet of landscaping shall contain one shade tree and five shrubs. Two ornamental or two evergreen trees may substitute for one shade tree.
E.
Perimeter landscapes shall be provided to separate commercial, office, and industrial uses from the street. At least a ten-foot strip shall be landscaped with trees, shrubs, fences, berms or other means deemed acceptable by the Commission.
F.
Preservation of existing large trees can be used to reduce new plantings required by this article and the Commission. Existing woodlands can also provide buffers that conform with § 255-1730A.
§ 255-1750 Parking lots.
A.
When a parking lot is located adjacent to a public street, alternatives should be considered to reduce the visual impact of the parking lot. Some alternatives are:
(1)
Landscape setbacks. Provide at least a ten-foot-wide landscaped area exclusive of that required for sidewalks or utility easements between the street and the parking lot, to be planted with shade or ornamental trees, and at least a three-foot-high evergreen hedge, wall, or fence.
(2)
Grade changes. In cases where substantial grading is necessary and results in a parking lot lower in elevation than the surrounding or adjacent right-of-way, the resulting embankment should be planted with low shrubs and shade or ornamental trees. A minimum of 10 feet of landscaping should be provided between the street and the parking lot.
(3)
Landscape berms. Where feasible, create a berm at least 2 1/2 feet high with slopes not to exceed three to one for planting lawn, ground cover, or shrubs.
(4)
Existing woodlands. In cases where quality woodland exists, preserve existing trees between the parking lot and the right-of-way. Provide additional evergreen shrubs if needed to achieve an effective visual buffer. The vegetation should be preserved.
B.
Along the perimeter of the parking lot, to reduce its visual impact:
(1)
Provide a landscape strip around the perimeter of the lot, to be planted with shade trees and low shrubs in compliance with § 255-1730A. Provide a minimum of one shade tree per every 40 feet of lot perimeter. Additional shade trees may be necessary to effectively shade/screen the parking lot.
(2)
In cases where quality woodland exists, preserve it to provide the minimum buffers set forth in § 255-1730A. Provide additional shrubs if needed.
C.
Provide a minimum of 5% interior landscaping for the purpose of planting shade trees. The following alternatives should be considered:
(1)
Provide a continuous landscape strip between every four rows of parking. This should be a minimum of eight feet in width to accommodate a low hedge and shade trees.
(2)
Create large planting islands (over 600 square feet) to be located through the lot and planted with shade trees, low shrubs, and/or ground cover. These should preferably be located at the ends of parking rows.
(3)
Provide planting islands (a minimum of nine feet wide) between every 10 to 15 spaces to avoid long rows of parked cars. Each of these planting islands should provide at least one shade tree having a clear trunk height of at least six feet.
D.
Within the interior of the parking lot, landscaping should be used to delineate vehicular and pedestrian circulation patterns. Clear and legible signs, different color and texture paving materials, raised areas, and other techniques should be used to further direct the flow of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic within the lot. Mechanical equipment, trash, and loading areas shall be screened by walls, fences, or landscaping.
§ 255-1760 Maintenance of landscaped buffers.
A.
To ensure the implementation and long-term maintenance of landscaping plans and requirements, the Commission may require one or more of the following: