Pursuant to § 27-a of General City Law and Article 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law, the Planning Board is authorized to adopt rules pertaining to the incorporation of landscaping in any project requiring site plan approval.

It is the determination of the City of Glen Cove that landscaping is necessary to create more vibrant pedestrian-oriented sites and streetscapes as well as to provide noise and visual barriers between noncompatible land uses.

Minimum landscaping requirements for any use requiring site plan review are intended to provide a minimum standard only and may be waived or varied by the Planning Board where, due to special characteristics of the project site, the proposed use or building, or surrounding area, such changes are necessary to ensure overall compatibility with other zoning requirements, the City's Comprehensive Plan or general health, safety and welfare.

Landscape buffers of height and density adequate for screening should be provided between all nonresidential uses and lots in residential zones. Landscape buffers shall provide significant year-round screening of parking areas, utility areas, and areas of frequent public access. Screens should be designed to appear natural with a mixing of deciduous and multiple evergreen species. Single rows of densely planted single-species evergreens are generally discouraged.

Landscaping should be a mixture of evergreen and deciduous plantings which are of a species appropriate for the climate and intended environment.

Landscaping shall not interfere with required sight distances or otherwise impede the safe circulation of traffic.

Landscaping as shown on the approved site plan shall be maintained in a vigorous growing condition consistent with the intent of the planting. Where necessary to meet the intent of the approved site plan, dead plants shall be replaced with healthy new plants of size, type and quality comparable to those shown on the approved plan at the beginning of the next growing season. A note to such effect will be included on the site plan (see Subsection B(8).

Sites with a front setback of less than 10 feet but more than zero feet should provide flower boxes, raised planters, or other integrated planter areas which may or may not be attached to the building. Signage may be integrated into such planting areas.

Additional landscaped buffers may be required by the Planning Board if the proposed use is likely to create greater-than-normal noise, odors or other negative impacts which may be mitigated by such buffer area or if the project site borders an historic site, scenic view or sensitive environmental feature.

The following standard landscaping notes shall be included on all nonresidential site plans unless waived by the Planning Board:

Landscaped screening shall be provided in and around all parking facilities as necessary to shield headlights from shining onto adjacent streets.

Landscaping shall include at least one shade tree of not less than four inches caliper for each 14 parking spaces. Main traffic circulation aisles shall be emphasized with such shade trees.

Trees which are known to drop excess amounts of fruit, flowers or sap should not be planted in or around parking areas.

Where an off-street parking area contains more than 15 parking spaces, it shall contain raised landscaped islands. Raised and curbed landscaped islands shall be located at the ends of each parking bay, and separating adjacent rows of parking spaces at least every second parking bay, as determined necessary by the Planning Board to properly guide vehicle movement, to provide adequate space for plant growth and vehicle overhang, to provide adequate space for pedestrian circulation where appropriate and to otherwise provide for improved traffic circulation, pedestrian safety and aesthetics. Such raised landscaped islands and the plantings within them shall be designed and arranged so as to provide vertical definition to major traffic circulation aisles, entrances and exits, to prevent indiscriminate diagonal movement of vehicles and to provide cooling shade and relief from the visual impact, monotony and heat of large expanses of paved areas. As an alternative to raised and curbed landscaped islands, the applicant may provide at or below grade landscaped areas that are incorporated into a stormwater control plan, where the design of such areas precludes vehicular entry by providing guardrails or partial curbs. Nonlandscaped islands will be permitted where appropriate to allow for snow storage, pedestrian circulation or other such purposes.

Sidewalks at least three feet in width shall be installed along all internal drives and parking areas, and a grassed or landscaped verge at least eighteen inches wide shall be provided between curb and sidewalk.

Planters or other forms of landscaping shall be provided on the top level of all parking structures as well as at entrances and any other viable appropriate locations to soften the appearance of the structure.

To the extent possible, parking structures shall be incorporated into a site in a manner which prevents substantial public view by providing usable floor area on the periphery of the site and/or by planting substantial landscaping around the periphery of the parking structure.

Trees will be placed in grated tree wells of adequate size to protect the root structure.

Trees shall be no further apart than 35 feet.