Hempfield Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XXIII
Landscaping and Buffering
§ 87-154 Purpose.
It is the intent and purpose of this article to provide for landscaping of lots and screening and buffering between uses of different density and intensity. Plantings soften the appearance of the built environment and help reduce off-site impacts such as noise, dust, and light spillage. Vegetation promotes important environmental goals by controlling erosion, absorbing rainwater and decreasing the heat island effect caused by large expanses of unbroken pavement. Buffering between incompatible land uses helps protect property values and residents' quality of life.
§ 87-155 General landscaping requirements.
A.
All areas of lots not occupied by buildings, structures or parking shall be landscaped and maintained in grass or other vegetative ground cover.
B.
Planting specifications.
(1)
Planting shall be classified under the following categories and shall meet the following requirements:
Table 15 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Planting Specifications | |||
Type | Minimum Height at Planting | Average Height at Maturity | |
Evergreen shrub | 18 inches | 36 inches | |
Evergreen tree | 5 feet | 15 feet | |
Understory tree | 5 feet | 15 feet | |
Small canopy tree | 8 feet | 30 feet | |
Large canopy tree | 10 feet | 50 feet | |
(2)
Evergreen trees shall be measured from the top of the root ball to the top of the plant.
(3)
Shrubs shall be measured by the average height and spread of each individual plant.
(4)
Planting mounds shall not exceed a 3:1 slope.
(5)
All required landscaping shall be maintained. Trees shall be pruned no more than necessary to maintain the health of the tree. Dead and dying plants shall be replaced by the developer or property owner no later than the subsequent planting season.
(6)
Any subdivision or land development that is to be undertaken in phases shall submit a comprehensive landscaping plan for the entire development. Empty lots to be developed at a later phase shall be seeded or planted with a suitable ground cover to prevent erosion.
§ 87-156 Street trees.
A.
All subdivisions and land developments of five acres or more (except single-family residential) shall provide street trees as specified in this section.
B.
Street trees shall be planted outside the right-of-way line.
C.
The following street trees shall be required along the frontage of the lot measured at the right-of-way line or edge of pavement:
(1)
One small canopy tree for every 25 linear feet; and
(2)
Where the number of linear feet required for street trees does not divide evenly into the linear feet of lot frontage, an additional street tree shall be required where the remainder exceeds 50% of the linear feet required for the next tree. [Example: lot has 150 feet of frontage. Developer is planting canopy trees. 3 trees x 40 feet = 120 feet. Remainder = 30 feet. Therefore since 30>50% of 40, an additional canopy tree shall be planted.]
§ 87-157 Screen plantings.
A commercial or industrial development situated across a street from any residential development or a multifamily development situated across a street from a single-family development shall be screened from the street as follows:
A.
A minimum ten-foot-wide landscaped area shall be installed along the entire frontage of the street; and
B.
At least one evergreen tree or one small canopy tree plus three evergreen shrubs shall be planted for every 25 linear feet of frontage within the landscaped area. Screen plantings shall be planted in groupings of similar plant types to encourage better survival.
C.
Screen plantings shall be arranged so as not to interfere with the clear sight triangle.
§ 87-158 Parking area landscaping.
A.
Perimeter buffer.
(1)
Side and rear buffer areas screening adjacent land uses shall be provided in accordance with the buffering requirements of this article.
(2)
Any parking area that is adjacent to a street or public right-of-way shall provide a minimum ten-foot-wide landscaped buffer between the parking area and the right-of-way line. The buffer shall be planted with trees in accordance with the street tree requirements of this article. All other areas of the buffer shall be landscaped with grass, ground cover plants or shrubs; provided, however, that no such plantings shall interfere with the clear sight triangle of driveways, access drives or adjacent streets.
(3)
In any perimeter buffer, trees and shrubs shall be planted a minimum of four feet from the edge of the parking area paving to protect them against damage from vehicles.
B.
Interior landscaping.
(1)
For any new parking area containing 20 to 60 parking spaces, interior landscaping shall be provided as follows:
(a)
No more than 20 parking spaces shall be provided in an unbroken row.
(b)
Each 10 parking spaces shall require an interior planting island.
(c)
Terminal islands shall be installed at both ends of each row of parking.
(d)
Terminal and internal landscape islands shall be a minimum of 10 feet wide with a total minimum area of 160 square feet of landscape area. They shall be curbed so as to protect the plantings.
(e)
A minimum of one small canopy tree for every five parking spaces shall be required. The remainder of the required landscaped area shall be landscaped with shrubs or ground cover not to exceed two feet in height.
(f)
Where an existing parking area is altered or expanded and the new lot will contain 20 to 60 parking spaces, interior landscaping shall be provided in accordance with this subsection for the entire parking area and not merely to the extent of its alteration or expansion.
(2)
For any new parking area containing more than 60 parking spaces, interior landscaping shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of this subsection and as illustrated in the following illustration:
Parking Lot Interior Landscaping  |
(a)
Every second parking module shall include a fifteen-foot-wide planted median strip for its entire length. Every 2,250 square feet of median shall be planted with seven small canopy trees. The median strip may also include a pedestrian walkway which shall be designed so as not to prevent healthy tree growth.
(b)
Within each planting module, no more than 15 parking spaces shall be provided in an unbroken row.
(c)
Each 15 parking spaces shall also require an interior planting island 15 feet wide and extending the length of the adjacent parking spaces. Each shall be planted with one small canopy tree. Where parking is provided in double-loaded rows, interior planting islands should be connected to create an island containing two trees.
(d)
Terminal islands shall be installed at both ends of each row of parking. Each terminal island shall be 15 feet wide, extend the length of the adjacent parking space, and include one small canopy tree. Where parking is provided in double-loaded rows, terminal islands shall be connected to create an island containing two trees.
(e)
Terminal and internal landscape islands shall be curbed so as to protect the plantings.
(f)
The remainder of the required landscaped area shall be landscaped with shrubs or ground cover not to exceed two feet in height.
(g)
Where an existing parking area is altered or expanded and the new lot will contain more than 60 parking spaces, interior landscaping shall be provided in accordance with this subsection for the entire parking area and not merely to the extent of its alteration or expansion.
§ 87-159 Buffering requirements.
A.
Buffer area types.
(1)
The following types of buffers shall be used:
Table 16 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Buffer Types | |||
Buffer Area Classification | Depth (feet) | Plantings (per 100 linear feet) | |
A | 10 | 16 units | |
B | 20 | 23 units | |
C | 30 | 33 units | |
D | 50 | 44 units | |
(2)
Units in the previous table shall be computed by assigning the following values to each planting to be installed in the buffer area:
Table 17 | ||
|---|---|---|
Units Per Planting Type | ||
Type of Planting | Units | |
1 large canopy tree | 3 | |
1 small canopy or understory tree | 2 | |
1 evergreen tree | 2 | |
5 evergreen shrubs | 1 | |
(3)
Buffers shall be planted with a combination of three or more planting types specified in the table above.
(4)
Buffer Areas A and B shall be planted with a minimum of 30% evergreen plantings. Buffer Areas C and D shall be planted with a minimum of 60% evergreens. Whenever the number of evergreen plantings calculated equals a fractional number, the number shall be rounded up to the next whole number.
(5)
Buffer area plantings shall be planted in groupings of similar plant types to encourage better survival.
(6)
Existing trees and shrubs may be credited toward meeting the units of buffer area planting required herein; provided, however, that the height and mix of types of plantings are met. In the event the existing trees and shrubs do not satisfy the buffer requirements, the applicant shall use new plantings in combination with the existing plantings to satisfy the buffer requirements.
B.
Buffering requirements. For any subdivision or land development (excluding single-family subdivisions of less than five lots), adjacent land uses shall be buffered as required by this subsection. The type of buffer area required shall correspond to the degree of incompatibility or difference in use between adjacent land uses as established in Table 18.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Table 18 is included as an attachment to this chapter.
§ 87-160 Slope stabilization standards.
A.
For all disturbed slope areas (as permitted under the Natural Resource Protection Overlay requirements of Article XVIII), permanent sodding or seeding shall be required within 14 days of completion of grading operations, unless those activities are completed between November 1 and April 1. In such case, the required sodding or seeding must occur within two weeks of April 1. Seeding shall use natural field grasses, shrubs and or trees and avoid invasive species such as crown vetch.
B.
The following standards shall apply to all subdivisions and land developments containing five acres or more:
(1)
In addition to sodding or seeding, all proposed and/or disturbed slopes that exceed a grade of four to one or 25% shall be vegetated as follows:
(2)
Whenever the number of slope plantings calculated per acre equals a fractional number, the number shall be rounded up to the next whole number.
(3)
The landscaping plan shall specify plantings that are suitable for slope stabilization.
§ 87-161 Contents of landscape plan.
A.
A landscape plan shall be required for subdivisions and land developments and shall be prepared and sealed by a landscape architect registered in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
B.
As part of the preliminary land development plan submittal, the landscape plan shall identify:
(1)
All required plantings and any additional plantings in excess of minimum requirements (trees, shrubs, ground covers, etc.) shall be drawn to scale based on the plant's average mature spread.
(2)
The height and width of any proposed mounds shall be identified. The plan shall contain typical sections for proposed mounds.
(3)
All existing trees or vegetation to be preserved shall be accurately identified and located in the plan, and the means of protecting them during construction shall be specified.
(4)
The location and description of all landscape improvements such as walls, fences, site furnishings, lights, paving and the like.
C.
In addition to the requirements for the preliminary land development plan, the landscape plan submitted with the final land development plan shall include:
(1)
A plant list identifying botanical and common names, quantity, size (at time of planting), condition and spacing of all proposed plants.
(2)
Planting details and notes to ensure proper installation.
(3)
A maintenance plan specifying how plantings shall be maintained in a healthy condition and kept free from litter and debris.