Franklin Township Gloucester County
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XII
Buffers
§ 253-102 Buffer strips required.
All lots or part of lots in the following districts, which are improved with a commercial or industrial use and whose side or rear lines are adjacent to a residential district or a pre-existing, nonconforming residential use, shall be screened from such residential district or use by landscaped buffer strips or other such screening along said side or rear lines as may be approved by the Planning Board:
§ 253-103 General buffer strip regulations.
A.
Within the required buffer areas, a solid and continuous landscape screen shall be planted and maintained. Said landscaping shall consist of massed evergreen and shrubs or a combination of evergreens, shrubs and deciduous trees. Deciduous trees shall have at least a two-inch caliper at planting. Size of evergreens and shrubs shall be allowed to vary depending on setting and type of shrub. Only nursery-grown plant materials shall be acceptable; and all trees, shrubs and ground covers shall be planted according to acceptable horticultural standards. The buffer is to be planted so as to continually restrict a clear view beyond said buffer strip, provided that such planted strip shall be located within the buffer strip furthest from the adjacent residential district. The portion of any naturally forested buffer strip that does not need to be cleared to establish a "solid and continuous landscape screen" should be left undisturbed.
B.
Arrangement of plantings in buffers shall provide maximum protection to adjacent properties and avoid damage to existing plant material. Possible arrangements include planting in parallel, serpentine, or broken rows. If planted berms are used, the minimum top width shall be four feet, and the maximum side slope shall be 2:1.
C.
The plant species selected should be hardy for the particular climatic zone in which the development is located (Zone 6b) and appropriate in terms of function and size. In the event that any of the plantings in accordance with the above requirements do not live, they shall be replaced within six months.
D.
The required height of the planted strip shall be measured in relation to the elevation of the edge of the adjacent area to be screened. In such cases as the ground elevation of the location at which the screen is to be planted is less than the elevation of the edge of the adjacent area, the required height of the screen shall be increased in an amount equal to the said difference in elevation, and in such cases that the ground elevation of the location at which the screen is to be planted is greater than that at the edge of the adjacent area, the required height of the screen may be reduced in an amount equal to said difference in elevation, provided that in no case shall the required height be reduced more than two feet.
E.
The entire buffer strip shall be graded and planted with grass seed or sod and such other shrubbery or trees. The entire area shall be attractively maintained and kept clean of all debris and rubbish by the person responsible for providing such buffer strip. No buildings, structures, storage of materials, signs or parking shall be permitted within the buffer area. The sole use shall be to provide vegetation or fencing as screening.
F.
The site plan or subdivision plat will not be signed until such time as the landscaping requirements, buffer strips and/or other approved dividers, as required by this chapter and as approved by the Planning Board, are either actually installed in full compliance herewith, or, in the event that the season is not appropriate, a performance guarantee is required as per § 253-41.
G.
In required buffer areas where a natural planter strip is considered by the Planning Board to be impracticable or inappropriate, an opaque fence may be substituted in whole or in part for a natural buffer, provided that its specifications are approved by the Planning Board.
H.
A buffer strip shall consist of additional landscaped area over and above that otherwise required by this chapter and shall be maintained by the owner required to provide such buffer area.
I.
The location and height of buffer strip planting may be adjusted if the same will impede vehicular traffic safety.
J.
No buffer strip planting will be required if the natural growth within the required buffer strip will adequately screen the residential district from adjacent commercial and industrial districts.
K.
No buffer strip will be required if the improved commercial or industrial district is screened from the adjacent residential district by flood districts, a stream, a lake, a wooded conservation area or combinations thereof with a total width of not less than that required by the commercial or industrial use.
L.
No signs shall be located in buffer strips.
M.
Buffer strips between residential and:
(1)
Neighborhood Commercial, Highway Commercial, Malaga Village, and Franklinville Village Districts shall be a minimum of 50 feet up to 150 feet in width.
(2)
Light manufacturing and Interchange Commercial Districts shall be a minimum of 100 feet up to 300 feet in width, depending on the uses and characteristics of the area.
(3)
For pre-existing, nonconforming residential uses, the buffer width shall be a minimum of 25 feet up to 50 feet maximum, depending on the proposed use.