The purpose of this division is to establish minimum standards for landscaping in the city in order to enhance property values, improve the appearance of the city, and enhance the community’s ecological, environmental and aesthetic qualities.

The review of all site plans pursuant to this division shall include the consideration of the plan applicant’s efforts in coordinating a variety of plant material with the physical features of the property.

The standards contained in this division are minimum standards.

As used in this division, the following words or terms shall have the meanings herein provided.

The provisions of this division shall be administered and enforced by the zoning administrator (in this division called the administrator). Administrative fees shall be as prescribed in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code.

No permits for the use or improvement of property within the scope of this division shall be issued or development contracts executed by the city until a landscape plan conforming to provisions of this division has been submitted and approved by the city. (1) A plan shall be submitted and approved at the time of submission of a preliminary plat or application for plat revision. (2) If the property is already finally platted, the plan shall be submitted and approved before the issuance of any building permit on the property. (3) With approval of the planning and zoning commission, plan submission may be deferred prior to development, but in any event, a plan shall be submitted and approved prior to the removal from the property of any protected tree, as herein defined. The city shall review a submitted site plan and respond to the applicant within thirty (30) days after submission. If not approved, the response will include written, specific comments setting forth the changes to the plan necessary to conform to this division.

Prior to issuance of an initial certificate of occupancy for any building or structure, or, in the case of a residential lot for which no certificate of occupancy is otherwise required, prior to the approval of the property for utility service, all screening and landscaping shall be in place in accordance with the approved landscape plan. If an initial certificate of occupancy is sought at a season of the year in which the administrator determines that it would be impractical to plant trees, shrubs or grass, or to lay turf, a conditional occupancy certificate may be issued, notwithstanding the fact that the landscaping required by the landscape plan has not been completed, if the applicant shall escrow with the city a sum of money, in cash, reasonably sufficient, in the opinion of the administrator, to pay all of the costs of implementation of the plan as of the commencement of the planting season next following the date of escrow.

Date, scale, north point and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the property owner and the person preparing the plan.

The location of existing boundary lines and dimensions of the lot, the zoning classification of the lot and of adjacent properties; and, a vicinity map.

Project name, address and lot and block description of all property in the project.

An inventory and location of all trees of 6" and greater caliper. Trees shall be identified by size and species and classification as canopy or ornamental tree.

An inventory and location of all trees proposed for removal and the reasons for removal, together with a plan for tree replacement and preservation conforming to section 14.02.483 hereof.

An inventory of protected trees and how they will be protected from damage during construction on the property.

The location of all plants and landscaping material to be used including paving, benches, screens, fountains, statues and other landscape features.

Size, species, quantity and spacing of all plant materials to be used.

A general layout and description of irrigation, sprinkler or water systems, including placement of water sources as designed by a licensed irrigator.

Description of maintenance provisions for the landscape plan.

Planting and irrigation specifications as part of the landscape plan.

A general grading and drainage plan.

Projected date of completion.

All ground surfaces not used for buildings, sidewalks, roadways or other impermeable surfaces shall be covered with live grass, turf, shrubbery, trees, ground cover, flowering plants or appropriate mulching.

Shrubs not less than eighteen (18) inches in height or five (5) gallons in container size shall be planted on-site, one shrub for each five (5) lineal feet of the public street right-of-way located adjacent to the property.

Landscaping shall include the retention or planting of one (1) three (3) inch caliper tree per each fifty (50) feet of street frontage which may be credited toward satisfying the requirement of trees in parking lot perimeter areas contained in section 14.02.479(1)(B) hereof. Planting locations on the street frontage will be at the applicant’s discretion.

Minimum spacing of required plants shall be based upon 75% of the expected width of the plant at maturity.

Plant materials used in conformance with the provisions of this division shall conform to the standards of the American Standard for Nursery Stock, or equal thereto. Grass seed, sod and other material shall be clean and reasonably free of weeds and noxious pests and insects.

Appendix A is a list of recommended landscape plant material. The applicant may use other plant material not listed if it is determined to be an appropriate and functional element of the landscape plan. Plant materials recommended by the Texas Extension Service, Tarrant County office, shall be deemed appropriate under this division.

The following is a list of plant materials which shall not be incorporated in a landscape plan:

For each one (1) square foot of area that is landscaped in the public street right-of-way, one (1) square foot of landscape credit will be applied to the overall landscaping requirement.

For each one (1) square foot of area that is landscaped with flowering seasonal color, two (2) square feet of landscape credit will be applied to the overall landscaping requirement.

In addition to the required shrub planting, for each newly planted shrub 18" in height or contained in a five (5) gallon container, which is maintained in a living and growing condition fifteen (15) square feet of landscape credit will be applied to the overall landscape requirement.

In addition to the required tree planting, for each newly planted or acceptable existing tree of at least three (3) inches in trunk diameter, measured twelve (12) inches above grade, which is maintained in a living and growing condition, one hundred (100) square feet of landscape credit will be applied to the overall landscape requirement. Planting of two (2) ornamental trees of eight (8) feet height shall receive the same landscape credit as one (1) three (3) inch caliper tree.

In addition to the required tree planting, for each newly planted or acceptable existing tree of at least six (6) inches in trunk diameter, measured twelve (12) inches above grade, which is maintained in a living and growing condition, two hundred fifty (250) square feet of landscape credit will be applied to the overall landscape requirement. Each additional one (1) inch diameter of tree over six (6) inches shall receive twenty (20) square feet of landscape credit.

All landscaping shall be permanently maintained and shall include an underground irrigation system installed by a licensed irrigator and meeting all applicable requirements of the city.

Irrigation systems may be buried on public street rights-of-way. The city or any franchised utility will not be responsible for damage to any landscaping material or equipment while performing repairs or maintenance to its systems. However, landscaped rights-of-way shall be irrigated.

Landscaped areas shall be kept free of trash, litter, weeds and other such material or plants not a part of the landscaping.

All plant materials shall be maintained in a healthy and growing condition as is appropriate for the season of the year.

Plant materials which die shall be replaced with plant material of similar variety and size within a six (6) month period.

Off-street parking and vehicular use areas shall be screened from all abutting properties and/or public rights-of-way with a thirty (30) inch high screen, hedge, berm or other durable landscape barrier. Perimeter landscape areas shall be protected from vehicle encroachment by six (6) inch concrete curbs and shall conform to the following criteria and standards:

For any development in commercial districts, and those institutional uses including churches, schools and governmental facilities in all zoning districts which abut districts zoned residential, there shall be a minimum twenty (20) foot wide green belt of “live plant material of the evergreen variety” which is expected to grow to six (6) feet in height at maturity, a minimum of three (3) feet in height at the time of installation and planted on five (5) foot centers, for the entire distance along which the development abuts the residential district. Where a fire lane is required, the green belt may be reduced to five (5) feet, as illustrated in exhibit C to this division. Shrub centers shall be offset from the line of the abutting district a distance of not less than fifty percent of the mature width of the shrub.

These requirements are in addition to requirements for screening devices required by sections 14.02.125 and 14.02.171(c)(4) of this article.

The owner shall provide a landscape plan to the city for approval in accordance with provisions of section 14.02.475, addressing landscaping of existing open areas and parking facilities. The standards of this division shall be applied to the extent that existing physical layouts and improvements will permit without making major modification thereto.

Landscape work shall be completed in accordance with the approved plan. The administrator will inspect completed work and upon approval shall issue a conditional certificate of occupancy noting the effective compliance with landscape standards. The certificate shall remain valid as long as landscaping is protected and maintained in accordance with provisions of this division.

Before any live protected tree can be removed, cut down or destroyed, a tree removal permit must be obtained from the city. It shall be unlawful for any person to remove, cut down or destroy any protected tree without first having obtained a tree removal permit therefor. Each protected tree removed without a permit shall constitute a separate violation of this section. The city shall prescribe the form and content of the permit and the application therefor.

Tree points shall be determined when there are protected trees to be destroyed or removed. One point shall be equal to one caliper inch. Fractions shall be rounded upward to the nearest one-half inch. Compliance with this section shall exist when the number of tree points earned through tree replacement or retention equals or exceeds the number of tree points lost for trees removed or destroyed, subject to the following requirements:

Any newly planted replacement tree that dies shall be replaced with a new tree meeting the same requirements as were applicable to the tree being replaced. The new tree shall be planted within six months of notice from the city requiring such replacement.

A permit for removal of a tree suffering damage or disease may be issued by the city if, in the reasonable judgment of the city’s code enforcement official, the failure to remove the tree would create a health or safety hazard.

With reference to a single-family residence, the provisions of this section 14.02.483 shall be deemed satisfied if the property complies with all applicable tree replacement requirements 90 days after the residence has been approved by the city for utility service; provided, that subsection (4) of this section shall remain effective for one year following the planting of any replacement tree.