Providing for quality and consistency in the design of landscaping and screening;

Providing for the separation of incompatible types of land use; and

Providing for the conservation of existing trees and the planting of new trees in conjunction with the development of land.

North point and scale not to exceed one (1) inch equals one hundred (100) feet;

The location and size of all utilities on the site;

The location of all existing and proposed parking areas and sidewalks and other paved surfaces;

The location of all existing and proposed buildings and structures;

The limits of any required tree conservation area;

The limits of each required buffer or landscape strip;

The location and mature size of all landscape materials proposed to meet the requirements of this Article, drawn to scale and a planting schedule indicating plant names, quantities and size at planting;

The location of all existing tree masses to be retained; and

The location and general description of each structure proposed to meet buffering requirements.

The extent of the development site;

Tree masses where clearing will occur;

Tree masses that will be retained in heavily wooded areas which will not be disturbed, the plan may show only the boundaries of each stand of trees;

Locations of proposed on-site underground utility lines;

Locations of other on- and off-site utility lines, indicating areas where trees cannot be planted because of interference with:

Limits of land disturbance, clearing, grading and trenching;

Limits of tree conservation areas, showing trees to be maintained and planted, specifying type and size;

Planting schedule, if applicable;

Delineation of tree conservation area that maintains at least thirty percent (30%) of tree canopy in riparian buffer areas; and

The method of demarcation and protection of significant trees and tree conservation areas from damage, including damage caused by soil compaction or contamination, prior to commencement of, and during, land disturbance.

The extent of the development site;

Limits of land disturbance, clearing, grading and trenching;

All significant trees to be removed and all other trees ten (10) inch caliper or larger to be removed;

Grade changes or other work adjacent to a significant tree or any other tree ten (10) inch caliper or larger that would affect it adversely, with drawings or descriptions as to how the grade, drainage and aeration will be maintained around the tree;

Trees that will be required on the lot when it is developed, calculated by subtracting one-third (1/3) of the lot area as assumed building area; and

Removal of significant trees and other trees ten (10) inch caliper or larger shall be permitted only in conjunction with an approved preliminary tree conservation plan, an approved grading plan and actual grading of building pads (i.e., not simply to clear the lot).

Medium shrubs, eighteen (18) to twenty-four (24) inch balled and burlapped or two (2) gallon container.

Large shrubs, twenty-four (24) to thirty (30) inch balled and burlapped or five (5) gallon container.

Ground cover, two and one-half (2½) inch peat pot.

Deciduous trees shall be a minimum of two and one-half (2.5) inch caliper, measured at a point six (6) inches above the ground or top of the root ball, at planting.

Evergreen trees shall be a minimum height of six (6) feet at planting.

Evergreen trees shall be at least five (5) feet in height.

Deciduous trees shall be a minimum of a one and one-half (1.5) inch caliper.

Trees shall be free from mechanical injuries, insect infestations and disease.

Trees shall be protected from injury to roots, trunks and branches during grading and construction. Protective fencing, tree wells or retaining walls shall be utilized, where necessary, to ensure tree vigor upon completion of construction.

Shrubs that meet acceptable sizes, per Section 400.4600(A), and are free from injury and disease may be counted toward the requirements of this Article.

The specific location, given surrounding land uses and the type of screening used on nearby properties; and

The specific topography, soil, existing vegetation and other factors that may influence the effectiveness of a plant material.

(Reserved)

One (1) tree shall be planted for each fifty (50) feet of street frontage, public or private, within the landscaped setback abutting the street frontage with respect to development in the "PM" District. In all other districts, one (1) tree shall be planted for every seventy-five (75) feet of such street frontage. These trees may be clustered or arranged within the setback, if approved as part of the landscape plan. The street trees must be within the closest twenty (20) foot wide strip (outside of the right-of-way) along the street frontage, except where the building setback is less than twenty (20) feet.

In commercial and industrial districts, any parking or loading area visible from a street shall be separated from the street right-of way with a landscape strip at least twenty (20) feet wide.

One (1) shrub shall be provided for each twenty (20) feet of street frontage or portion thereof within the landscaped setback abutting this frontage. These shrubs may be clustered or arranged within the setback.

There should be no more than four hundred (400) feet between clusters.

In addition to street frontage requirements, the minimum open yard area landscaping requirements shall be two (2) shrubs per five thousand (5,000) square feet of total lot area (except for tracts of land for which this Article imposes no yard requirements and permits one hundred percent (100%) coverage of the lot by buildings), excluding building footprint area. For schools and churches/places of worship, large sports/play fields and other areas specifically open to the public for use, i.e., tennis courts, paved play areas, paved parking lots, etc., shall be excluded in the calculation of this requirement.

All portions of the site not covered with paving or buildings may be landscaped or left in a natural state in accordance with an approved landscape plan. Provision shall be made for open areas not planted with materials to be covered with vegetative growth. Ground cover may be utilized on all slopes in excess of 3:1.

In addition to the trees required based upon street frontage, additional trees shall be required at a ratio of one (1) tree for every five thousand (5,000) square feet of lot area not covered by buildings/structures. For schools and churches/places of worship, large open sports/play fields may be excluded in the calculation of lot area. The remaining open space shall be applied to the ratio for tree planting as stated herein.

When a site has existing trees that will remain, those trees may be identified and substituted for the open yard area as required by this Section.

Retaining walls or earthen berms constructed as part of an overall landscape design;

Pedestrian-oriented facilities, such as sidewalks and bus stops;

Underground utilities;

Driveways required for access to the property; or

Signs otherwise permitted by this Article.

Landscape islands, strips or other planting areas shall be located within the parking lot and shall constitute at least five percent (5%) of the entire area devoted to parking spaces, aisles and driveways. Every four (4) aisles of parking shall include a landscape island of at least ten (10) feet in width.

As a minimum, a landscaping island shall be located at the end of every parking bay between the last parking space and an adjacent travel aisle or driveway. The island shall be no less than nine (9) feet wide for at least one-half (½) the length of the adjacent parking space. The island shall be planted in trees, shrubs, grass or ground cover, except for those areas that are mulched.

Tree planting areas shall be no less than nine (9) feet in width. No tree shall be located less than four (4) feet from the back of curb. All parking lot landscape islands, strips or other planting areas shall be curbed with minimum six (6) inch high curbs of the type required by this Article or other regulations for parking areas.

Planting requirements: See Section 400.4650 of this Article.

Screening to a height of two and one-half (2.5) feet must be provided along the edge of the parking lot or loading area closest to and parallel to the street. A driveway to the parking lot or loading area may interrupt the screening. Landscaping in accordance with Section 400.4760(3) Low Impact Screening shall be provided.

The street-side screening treatment may be located within the landscape strip required under this Article along the front yard of the property.

Berming and/or screening shall not encroach into the required sight triangle of streets or access drives.

Side lot line. Buffers required along any side lot line shall be no less than twenty (20) feet or as approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission. This buffer may be reduced to ten (10) feet when a non-residential use abuts another non-residential use.

Rear lot line. Buffers required along any rear lot line shall be no less than twenty (20) feet or as approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission. This buffer may be reduced to ten (10) feet when a non-residential use abuts another non-residential use.

Natural screen. Natural screen may contain deciduous or perennial vegetation, but shall contain evergreen shrubs and trees suitable to local growing conditions that will provide an opaque visual screen during all seasons of the year.

Structural screening. Structural screening shall meet the following criteria:

Examples of screening. The accompanying illustration provides examples of natural and structural screening. Typical screens are provided in the examples following Table 14.1 for low, medium and high impact screening.

High impact screening (H). A one hundred percent (100%) opaque screen between land uses that are dissimilar in character. When the proposed plan is considered to have a high impact on surrounding properties or the adjacent property is considered to have an adverse impact, both of the following shall be installed:

Medium impact screening (M). A seventy percent (70%) semi-opaque screen between land uses that are dissimilar in character. Semi-opaque screening should partially block views from adjoining land uses and create a separation between the adjoining land uses. For medium impact screening, either a landscape screen or fencing is required. A medium impact landscape screen must meet one (1) of the following screening options:

Low impact screening (L). An open screen between relatively similar land uses. Open screening shall provide an attractive separation between land uses. A low impact landscape screen must portray one (1) of the following screening options: