Grantsville City Zoning Code

The landscaping and buffering requirements specified in this Chapter are intended to foster aesthetically pleasing development which will protect and preserve the appearance, character, health, safety, and welfare of the community. These regulations are intended to increase the compatibility of adjacent uses and, in doing so, minimize the harmful impacts of noise, dust and other debris, motor vehicle headlight glare or other artificial light intrusions, and other objectionable activities or impacts conducted or created by an adjoining or nearby use, thereby fostering compatibility among different land uses. These regulations are also intended to preserve, enhance and expand the urban forest and promote the prudent use of water and energy resources.

Whenever the submission and approval of a landscape plan is required by this Ordinance, such landscape plan shall be an integral part of any application for a building permit and occupancy permit. No permit shall be issued without City approval of a landscape plan as required herein. Failure to implement the approved landscape plan shall be cause for revocation of the occupancy permit. However, the requirements of this Chapter may be modified by the Community Development Director, Zoning Administrator, or their designee, on a case by case basis, in response to input from the City Police Department regarding the effects of required landscaping on crime prevention.

(1) Definitions (a) Parkway; Parkway means the portion of the public right-of-way located between the back of curb and the sidewalk, or between the curb and the property line where no sidewalk exists, intended for landscaping, street trees, or utilities. (b) Park Strip; Park Strip means the linear landscaped area within the parkway, typically located between the curb and sidewalk, designed for street trees, turf, groundcover, or other approved plantings. (c) Median; Median means the raised or flush landscaped or hardscaped area located between opposing travel lanes within a public or private street right-of-way, intended to provide visual separation, traffic control, and support approved landscaping or streetscape features. (2) Enforcement of Landscaping in Parkways, Park Strips, and Medians (a) Responsibility for Installation and Maintenance; The property owner, subdivider, or developer is responsible for installing and maintaining all required landscaping within any parkway, park strip, or median adjacent to or associated with the lot, in accordance with the approved landscape plan and City standards. (3) Prohibited Activities; No person shall remove, damage, alter, or fail to maintain landscaping within a parkway, park strip, or median required by an approved landscape plan. Parking, storing vehicles, or placing materials within these areas is prohibited unless expressly authorized by the City. (4) Failure to Maintain. (a) Failure to install or maintain required landscaping within a parkway, park strip, or median constitutes a violation of this Ordinance and may result in: (i) issuance of a notice of violation; (ii) withholding or revocation of a certificate of occupancy; (iii) correction by the City with costs billed to the responsible party; or (iv) any other enforcement action authorized by this Code. (5) City Authority to Modify Requirements; The Community Development Director, Zoning Administrator, or their designee may modify landscaping requirements within a parkway, park strip, or median. (6) Restoration After Damage; Any damage to landscaping within a parkway, park strip, or median caused by construction, parking, utility work, or other activity shall be repaired or replaced by the responsible party within the timeframe specified by the City.

(1) A landscape plan shall be required for any change in use, building additions or increases in occupancy. Such a landscape plan shall be drawn in conformance with the requirements specified in this chapter. Landscape plans must be approved by the Community Development Director, Zoning Administrator, or their designee prior to issuance of a building permit. Landscape plans for planned unit developments or conditional uses, or other uses requiring site plan approval shall be reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission.

(2) Unless specifically waived by the Community Development Director, Zoning Administrator, or their designee, all landscape plans submitted for approval shall contain the following information:

(a) The location and dimensions of all existing and proposed structures, property lines, easements, parking lots and drives, roadways and rights-of-way, sidewalks, bicycle paths, ground signs, refuge disposal and recycling areas, bicycle parking areas, fences, freestanding electrical equipment, tot lots and other recreational facilities, and other freestanding structural features as determined necessary by the Community Development Director, Zoning Administrator, or their designee ;

(b) The location, quantity, size and name, both botanical and common names, of all proposed woody plant materials;

(c) The location, quantity, size (where applicable) and name, both botanical and common names, of all proposed herbaceous plant material including ground cover, annuals/perennials and turf;

(d) The location, quantity, size and name, both botanical common names, of all existing plant materials, including trees and other material in the parkway, and indicating plant material to be retained and removed;

(e) The location of existing buildings, structures and plant materials on adjacent property within 20 feet of the site, as determined necessary by the Community Development Director, Zoning Administrator, or their designee;

(f) Existing and proposed grading of the site indicating contours at two foot intervals. Proposed berming shall be indicated using one-foot contour intervals;

(g) Elevations of all fences and retaining walls proposed for location on the site;

(h) Elevations, cross-sections and other details as determined necessary by the Community Development Director, Zoning Administrator, or their designee.

(i) Water efficient irrigation system (separate plan required); and

(j) Summary data indicating the area of the site in the following conditions:

i. Total area and percentage of the site in landscape area;

ii. Total area and percentage of the site in domestic turf grasses; and

iii. Total area and percentage of the site in drought tolerant plant species.

(1) Planting materials used in conformance with the provisions of this Chapter shall be of good quality, of a species normally grown in Northern Utah, and capable of withstanding the extremes of individual site microclimates. Size and density of plant material, both at the time of planting and at maturity, are additional criteria which shall be considered when selecting plant materials. The use of drought tolerant plant material is preferred.

(2) All landscaping materials shall be installed in accordance with the current planning procedures established by the American Association of Nurserymen. The installation of all plant material required by this Chapter may be delayed until the next optimal planting season, as determined by the Community Development Director, Zoning Administrator, or their designee. The owner of the premises shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of all landscaping materials and barriers, including refuse disposal areas, as may be required by the provisions of this Chapter. All landscaping materials shall be maintained in good condition so as to present a healthy, neat and orderly appearance, and plant material not in this condition shall be replaced when necessary and shall be kept free of refuse and debris. Fences, wall and hedges shall be maintained in good repair. Irrigation systems shall be maintained in good operating condition to promote the conservation of water.

(1) The intent of these requirements is to maintain the appearance of parkways, protect the users of parkways, expand landscape design flexibility, accommodate drought tolerant design options and improve environmental conditions. The following requirements shall apply to all lots abutting parkways, the ground area within the street right-of-way situated between the back of curb (or edge of pavement) and the sidewalk.

(2) All parkways shall be landscaped in conformance with the provisions of this Section. In general, this will involve improving the ground surface of the parkway with turf or other plant material, or hard surface treatments where permitted. Parkway trees shall be required and meet the following specifications:

(a) Parkway trees shall be provided at the equivalent of not more than 30 feet apart in the right-of-way adjacent to the parcel;

(b) Parkway trees may be clustered or spaced linearly in the right-of-way as determined appropriate by the Zoning Administrator;

(c) Parkway trees shall have a minimum trunk size of two and one-half inches in caliper;

(d) A variety of compatible species should be included in the planting plan for a specific site or development. The selecting of a tree species shall be reviewed and approved by the Community Development Director, Zoning Administrator, or their designee; and

(e) The Community Development Director, Zoning Administrator, or their designee may waive or otherwise modify the requirements of this Section to better achieve the intent of this Section and address site specific conditions. This could also include requiring the planting of parkway trees on the lot adjacent to the right-of-way if adequate space is not available in the parkway.

(3) Permitted and Prohibited Materials in Parkways To ensure pedestrian safety, proper storm drainage, and aesthetic quality, parkway materials referenced in Table 9-1 are regulated as follows: Permitted Hardscape Materials The following materials are permitted within the parkway, provided they are installed and maintained according to the standards below: (a) Decorative Rock: Rock, crushed gravel, or cobble is permitted if it is 1.5 inches or larger in diameter (sized to prevent material from washing into the storm drain system). All rock must be contained behind the curb or a concrete mow strip to prevent migration into the roadway or sidewalk. (b) Pavers and Flagstone: Brick, concrete pavers, or natural stone may be used. To ensure the health of street trees, pavers must be installed on a permeable base or spaced to allow water infiltration. (c) Concrete Strips (Carriageways): Concrete strips are permitted to provide step-out access from the curb to the sidewalk. Strips shall not exceed 24 inches in width and must be spaced at 25 feet to allow for adequate tree irrigation. Prohibited Materials The following materials remain prohibited for the reasons stated below: Asphalt: Prohibited due to inconsistency with City urban design and rapid deterioration compared to concrete. (a) Material smaller than 1 inch (Pea Gravel/Sand): Prohibited as it is easily displaced into the roadway, creating slip hazards for pedestrians/cyclists and clogging storm drains. (b) Bark or Wood Chips: Prohibited due to low density; materials float during storm events and obstruct drainage infrastructure. (c) horn-bearing plants: Prohibited to prevent injury to pedestrians and cyclists. (d) Visual Obstructions: Ground cover and shrubs that exceed 18 inches in height at maturity are prohibited to preserve sight lines for vehicles and pedestrians. (e) Concrete: Concrete, including poured-in-place concrete and pre-cast concrete panels is prohibited where its installation would obstruct required landscaping, interfere with stormwater infiltration, increase runoff into the public right-of-way, or conflict with the City’s adopted streetscape and parkway design standards. (4) Street Trees The developer or property owner is responsible for the planting and irrigation of street trees as required by Table 9-1. Hardscape installations must include a tree well with a minimum diameter of 36 inches (or equivalent square footage) around the trunk to allow for growth and water access. (5) Utility Clearance (Water Meters) To ensure access for maintenance and meter reading, no concrete, pavers, or permanent hardscape may be poured or installed within two (2) feet of any water meter, fire hydrant, or utility box. This clearance area must be covered with removable material, such as decorative rock, to allow City crews unobstructed access to the infrastructure.

(1) Purpose; This section establishes drought-tolerant, low-maintenance landscaping standards for parkways and medians to conserve water, enhance streetscape quality, and ensure long-term plant survivability in Grantsville’s climate. (2) Shade Trees (a) City-Approved Shade Trees (Preferred Species) The following tree species are approved and strongly encouraged for use in parkways and medians due to their adaptability, canopy structure, and drought tolerance: (i) Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) (ii) Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) — male cultivars only (iii) White Oak (Quercus alba) (b) The following species may be considered on a case-by-case basis subject to staff approval and site conditions: (i) Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) (ii) Thornless Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. interims) (iii) Kentucky Coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioicous) (iv) Autumn Blaze Maple (Acer × freeman ‘Autumn Blaze’) (v) Chanticleer Pear (Pyrus caller Yana ‘Chanticleer’) (3) Shrubs Deciduous Shrubs; The following deciduous shrubs are permitted: (a) Silver Sagebrush (Artemisia cana) (b) Yellow Rabbitbrush (Chrysanthemums viscidiflorus) (c) Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa) (d) Western Sand cherry (Prunus besseyi) (4) Evergreen Shrubs The following evergreen shrubs are permitted. (a) Blue Chip Juniper is expressly prohibited: (b) Medora Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Medora’) (c) Dwarf Mogo Pine (Pinus mugo var. pumila) (5) Ornamental Grasses The following ornamental grasses are permitted: (a) Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’) (b) Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca ‘Blue Elijah’) (c) ‘Heavy metal’ Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy metal’) (d) Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans ‘Sioux Blue’) (6) Perennials The following perennial species are permitted: (a) Licorice Hyssop (Agastache rupestris) (b) Red Torch Lily (Kniphofia ‘Stark’s Early Hybrids’) (7) General Landscaping Requirements Permitted and not Permitted (a) Turf grass is prohibited within medians. (b) Turf grass is permitted within parkways only where slopes do not exceed fifty percent (50%). (c) Evergreen groundcovers and shrubs shall not exceed eighteen (18) inches in mature height. (d) Thorn-bearing shrubs or groundcovers are prohibited. (e) Drip irrigation systems are required for all plant materials. (f) Trees are permitted in both medians and parkways. Street trees shall be planted within one growing season from the date the certificate of occupancy was issued. The developer in a subdivision or P.U.D., is responsible for the planting of street trees. (g) Bark, Mulch, Gravel, and concrete, is permitted in parkways. (h) Impervious materials are permitted in medians.(Brick pavers, Concrete) (i) Flowers are permitted. Flower bed not to exceed 24" in height at maturity. (j) Driveway and Walkways (carriage to street) are permitted. (k) Irrigation is required for plant materials. (l) Prohibited Materials - Large rock exceeding 1-½” inch, asphalt, concrete, thorny bearing plants, ground cover and shrubs exceeding 18” inches in height.

(1) These standards apply to all properties in the City that have street curb and/or gutter. Owners of property on streets that do not have curb and gutter, and vacant lot owners do not have to maintain landscaping within the public right-of-way. However, these properties shall not maintain rocks, gravel, bark, or other similar materials within the public right-of-way. In addition, vacant property owners shall maintain native grasses and weeds to a maximum height of six (6) inches. (a) Turf is permitted on slope grades up to fifty percent. Turf is not recommended on slopes greater than fifty percent. (b) Ground covers are defined as any perennial evergreen plant material species that cover one hundred percent of the ground all year. Perennial is defined as a plant having a life span of more than two years. Evergreen is defined as a plant having foliage that remains on the plan throughout the year. Ground covers shall not exceed 18 inches in height at maturity. Flowers as permitted above are an exception to this definition and shall not exceed 36 inches in height at maturity. Thorn bearing ground covers are prohibited. (c) A limited variety of shrubs are available that will not exceed 18 inches in height at maturity. Thorn bearing shrubs are prohibited. (d) Flowers shall not include thorn bearing species. (e) Irrigation shall be provided to adequately maintain all plant materials in parkway areas. Irrigation may include a permanent "in-ground" system or manual hose and sprinkler application. (f) Retaining walls, fences, steps, and other similar structural encroachments shall be prohibited unless they are specifically approved through the City. A retaining wall is defined as a wall designed to resist the lateral displacement of soil or other material.

(1) Purpose; This section establishes drought-tolerant, low-maintenance landscaping standards for parkways and medians to conserve water, enhance streetscape quality, and ensure long-term plant survivability in Grantsville’s climate. (2) Shade Trees (a) City-Approved Shade Trees (Preferred Species) The following tree species are approved and strongly encouraged for use in parkways and medians due to their adaptability, canopy structure, and drought tolerance: (i) Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) (ii) Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) — male cultivars only (iii) White Oak (Quercus alba) (b) The following species may be considered on a case-by-case basis subject to staff approval and site conditions: (i) Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) (ii) Thornless Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. interims) (iii) Kentucky Coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioicous) (iv) Autumn Blaze Maple (Acer × freeman ‘Autumn Blaze’) (v) Chanticleer Pear (Pyrus caller Yana ‘Chanticleer’) (3) Shrubs Deciduous Shrubs; The following deciduous shrubs are permitted: (a) Silver Sagebrush (Artemisia cana) (b) Yellow Rabbitbrush (Chrysanthemums viscidiflorus) (c) Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa) (d) Western Sand cherry (Prunus besseyi) (4) Evergreen Shrubs The following evergreen shrubs are permitted. (a) Blue Chip Juniper is expressly prohibited: (b) Medora Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Medora’) (c) Dwarf Mogo Pine (Pinus mugo var. pumila) (5) Ornamental Grasses The following ornamental grasses are permitted: (a) Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’) (b) Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca ‘Blue Elijah’) (c) ‘Heavy metal’ Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy metal’) (d) Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans ‘Sioux Blue’) (6) Perennials The following perennial species are permitted: (a) Licorice Hyssop (Agastache rupestris) (b) Red Torch Lily (Kniphofia ‘Stark’s Early Hybrids’) (7) General Landscaping Requirements Permitted and not Permitted (a) Turf grass is prohibited within medians. (b) Turf grass is permitted within parkways only where slopes do not exceed fifty percent (50%). (c) Evergreen groundcovers and shrubs shall not exceed eighteen (18) inches in mature height. (d) Thorn-bearing shrubs or groundcovers are prohibited. (e) Drip irrigation systems are required for all plant materials. (f) Trees are permitted in both medians and parkways. Street trees shall be planted within one growing season from the date the certificate of occupancy was issued. The developer in a subdivision or P.U.D., is responsible for the planting of street trees. (g) Bark, Mulch, Gravel, and concrete, is permitted in parkways. (h) Impervious materials are permitted in medians.(Brick pavers, Concrete) (i) Flowers are permitted. Flower bed not to exceed 24" in height at maturity. (j) Driveway and Walkways (carriage to street) are permitted. (k) Irrigation is required for plant materials. (l) Prohibited Materials - Large rock exceeding 1-½” inch, asphalt, concrete, thorny bearing plants, ground cover and shrubs exceeding 18” inches in height.

(1) These standards apply to all properties in the City that have street curb and/or gutter. Owners of property on streets that do not have curb and gutter, and vacant lot owners do not have to maintain landscaping within the public right-of-way. However, these properties shall maintain rocks, gravel, bark, or other similar materials within the public right-of-way. In addition, vacant property owners shall maintain native grasses and weeds to a maximum height of six (6) inches. (a) Turf is permitted on slope grades up to fifty percent. Turf is not recommended on slopes greater than fifty percent. (b) Ground covers are defined as any perennial evergreen plant material species that cover one hundred percent of the ground all year. Perennial is defined as a plant having a life span of more than two years. Evergreen is defined as a plant having foliage that remains on the plan throughout the year. Ground covers shall not exceed 18 inches in height at maturity. Flowers as permitted above are an exception to this definition and shall not exceed 36 inches in height at maturity. Thorn bearing ground covers are prohibited. (c) A limited variety of shrubs are available that will not exceed 18 inches in height at maturity. Thorn bearing shrubs are prohibited. (d) Flowers shall not include thorn bearing species. (e) Irrigation shall be provided to adequately maintain all plant materials in parkway areas. Irrigation may include a permanent "in-ground" system or manual hose and sprinkler application. (f) Retaining walls, fences, steps, and other similar structural encroachments shall be prohibited unless they are specifically approved through the City. A retaining wall is defined as a wall designed to resist the lateral displacement of soil or other material.