Intent. The intent of this article is to provide requirements as it relates to landscaping and screening within the City. By providing minimum landscaping and screening requirements, the City can continue to provide high quality of life for residents and business owners, while also achieving high quality building and site design. The City is committed to promoting sustainable development practices in conjunction with preservation of existing resources and residential neighborhoods. Further, it is the intent of this article to:

Scope of application. No site plan shall be approved unless the applicable approving body (e.g., Planning Commission, Zoning Administrator, or City Administrator) determines it shows landscaping consistent with the requirements of this article. A building permit shall not be issued until the required landscape plan is submitted and approved. A certificate of occupancy shall not be issued unless provisions set forth in this article have been met, or adequate justification for postponing landscaping requirements, such as the time of year, shall be provided and approved by the City Administrator, or their designee.

Exceptions. The requirements in this article shall not apply to single-family, two-family, three-family, or four-family dwellings, unless otherwise specified.

Applicability. All new uses and changes of use in the City shall require compliance with the following minimum landscaping requirements.

General requirements. Where landscaping is required, all applicable properties in the City shall be landscaped and shall meet the following minimum general requirements:

Maintenance. Maintenance shall include all reasonable and regular irrigation, weeding, fertilizing, and pruning. Plant materials which show signs of insect pests, diseases and/or damage shall be appropriately treated. All site plans in the City shall include a maintenance schedule described in the required landscaping plan.

Design creativity. Creativity in landscape design is encouraged. Accordingly, required trees and shrubs may be planted at uniform intervals, at random, or in groupings, depending on the designer's desired visual effect and, equally important, the intent of the City to coordinate landscaping on adjoining properties.

Tree replacement standards. The City hereby requires tree replacement for new development and changes of use. Tree replacement activities shall comply with the following standards:

Native species. The City encourages and promotes plant species native to the State of Michigan for all required landscaping. These are listed in the Michigan State University Native Plants and Ecosystem Services Southern Lower Peninsula Regional Plant List.

Planning Commission review. The City Planning Commission may approve a deviated landscaping standard or condition, if it is determined that the intent of this article is met. The Planning Commission shall also have the authority to require additional landscaping, above the minimum requirements as described by this article, provided that sufficient justification is warranted for such additional landscaping required, such as a proposed land use with high nuisance potential (e.g., heavy industrial, auto-oriented land uses, outdoor storage areas, etc.).

Applicability. The following requirements shall be considered the minimum required for all new uses and changes of use within any zoning district in the City.

Existing landscaping. To prevent the removal of existing mature trees and other landscaping elements, existing landscaping and other vegetation may be used to count toward the minimum landscaping requirements as described in this article. Existing landscaping shall be preserved to the highest extent possible and shall be clearly noted on a required landscaping plan.

Summary of requirements. The following table includes a summary of the general site landscaping and buffering requirements for all new uses and changes of use in the City.

Definition.

Applicability. Interior lot landscaping shall be required for all lots within the City with an area of one acre or larger, within any zoning district.

Location. Interior lot landscaping may be located on the side, front, or rear yard.

Calculation. The amount of required interior lot landscaping shall be calculated by using the following:

Minimum requirements. Minimum interior lot landscaping standards include:

Species permitted. Interior lot landscaping shall consist of any species that are not specified on the prohibited species listed in § 450-1509 and meet all the location requirements of this section.

Definition.

Location. Street trees may be planted in the right-of-way between the property line and the street. Alternatively, street trees may be planted outside the right-of-way on private property, adjacent to the road. The location of street trees shall be approved by the City Department of Public Works.

Calculation. The number of required street trees shall be calculated by utilizing the entire length of road frontage (linear feet), excluding the width of driveway(s) and sidewalks.

Species permitted. Street trees in the City shall comply with the following standards:

Definition.

Calculations. Required frontage landscaping shall be located entirely on private property within a planting strip adjacent to the road right-of-way. For the purposes of computing length of road frontage, openings for driveways and sidewalks shall not be counted.

Location. Landscaping adjacent to roads shall not interfere with line-of-sight distances for vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic. Required frontage landscaping shall be located on private property, adjacent to the right-of-way.

Minimum requirements. Other frontage landscaping shall comply with the following minimum requirement:

Species permitted. Other landscaping adjacent to roads shall not consist of prohibited plant species listed in § 450-1509.

Definition.

Minimum requirements. Parking lot islands shall be required for every 20 parking spaces within a singular parking lot. This requirement is inclusionary of shared parking lots within the City. Parking lot islands shall also comply with the following requirements:

Species permitted. Parking lot landscaping may be comprised of trees, perennials, shrubs, or other applicable vegetation. Prohibited species listed in § 450-1509 shall not be permitted.

Applicability. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, all premises used for business or any other commercial purpose shall be screened from abutting residential land uses and districts. All industrial uses, abutting any zoning district or land use, shall include natural buffers along each side and rear property line that comply with this section.

General requirements. Natural buffer screening shall be any of the following and shall apply to side yard and rear yards:

Minimum screening requirements. Screening shall comply with the following minimum requirements. Screening may be denser than the minimum requirements below:

Species permitted. Natural buffer screening shall not consist of any prohibited species listed in § 450-1509.

Prohibited species. The following table includes a list of prohibited plant species in the City. Under no circumstances shall these plant species be utilized in any landscaping plan or site plan. The Planning Commission shall not have the authority to waive these requirements.