The landscape standards are designed to improve the appearance and design quality of Kamas City, encourage a more attractive environment along city streets, improve the city's quality of life, buffer potentially incompatible land uses from one another, improve the functionality and quality of site planning, improve storm water management, and increase the value of properties within the city. The landscape and screening provisions are further intended to expedite development approval by including predictable, uniform standards for landscaping that apply equitably to all developments and to provide for effective administration and enforcement, assuring that landscaping is properly installed and maintained.

(Ord. 2015-04, 11/10/2015)

The provisions of this section shall apply to all new development within the General Commercial, Heavy Commercial, Manufacturing, Entry Corridor Commercial, and Multi-family Residential zones on each lot or site upon application for a building permit, except for the following:

1.

Single-family residential development.

2.

Reconstruction or replacement of a lawfully existing use or structure following a casualty loss.

3.

Remodeling or improvements to existing uses or structures that do not substantially change the location of structures, parking, or other site improvements.

(Ord. 2015-04, 11/10/2015)

All applications for land development covered by this ordinance must submit a landscape plan that must be approved through the Kamas City Planning Commission before the development may proceed. The landscape plan is kept on file by the planning department and becomes part of the permanent record for the site. The landscape plan must contain information complete enough to demonstrate the design of landscaping and associated features. The plan shall contain the following information at a minimum:

1.

Overall site plan, indicating the location of major site features, structures, parking, site circulation, public streets and rights-of-way, pedestrian circulation, site amenities, and other features.

2.

Existing plant materials, including location, size, species, and condition, and indication whether existing materials will remain or be removed.

3.

Planting plan, including location of all materials, size, and scientific and common name of each material. The planting plan includes the location and type of all ground covers, including non-living materials, and all other landscape features and structures.

4.

Location and design of all screening elements required by this ordinance.

5.

Grading plan showing berms, landforms, and stormwater management facilities.

6.

A development obligation statement that establishes the responsibility of the developer to install landscaping and irrigation according to these regulations.

7.

A maintenance obligation statement, signed by the applicant, defining responsibility for ongoing maintenance of specific areas, including public rights-of-way, private on-site improvements, and stormwater management facilities.

(Ord. 2015-04, 11/10/2015)

All landscaping shown on the approved landscape plan shall be installed within 12 months of the effective date of the certificate of occupancy. The developer will submit surety by performance bond, cash bond, or other security approved in writing by the city attorney satisfactory to Kamas City in the amount of 110 percent of the value of a bona fide contract to install the landscaping and screening. Such contract shall be submitted to the city along with the surety at the time of application for the certificate of occupancy. The developer or owner shall grant the city express written permission to enter upon the site to cause the installation of required landscaping and screening if this has not been completed within 12 months of the effective date of the certificate of occupancy.

Upon completion of the approved landscaping and screening, the developer/owner of any development will be refunded 20 percent of the security submitted. The remaining balance of the value of all landscaping and screening will remain in force for a period of 24 months from the date of completion. The bond shall be released if at the end of 24 months, the city finds that all required landscaping is properly installed, maintained, and living.

(Ord. 2015-04, 11/10/2015)

1.

Application screening is required between adjacent zoning districts when one or more of the following conditions in the more intensive zoning district is directly visible from and/or faces either the boundary of the less intensive zoning district or public right-of-way:

a.

Outdoor storage areas or storage tanks, unless otherwise screened.

b.

Loading docks, refuse or trash collection points or dumpsters, and other service areas.

c.

Major machinery or areas housing a manufacturing process.

d.

Outdoor major on-site traffic circulation areas or truck and/or trailer parking.

e.

Sources of glare, noise, or other environmental effects.

f.

Bailing or stockpiling of cardboard or other shipping or packaging materials.

2.

Screen design. A screen of at least six feet in height, including walls, fences, berming, or landscaping shall be provided that prevents direct visibility of the conditions listed in this section from less intensive uses or public streets. The screen may include the following; a wood, brick, stone, masonry, stucco, concrete composite fence or wall at least six feet in height. Property owners will be responsible for the maintenance of all screening material.

3.

Screening shall not adversely affect surface water drainage.

4.

The finished side of any fence or wall providing screening shall always be oriented toward the public street or adjacent property.

(Ord. 2015-04, 11/10/2015)

1.

Each parking lot shall provide a minimum landscaped buffer of ten feet along any street property line.

2.

Any parking facility which abuts property in a residential district shall provide a fence, wall or landscape screen not less than six feet in height for the length of the common boundary.

3.

Landscaping or screening installed in any required landscaped area shall not obstruct the view from the off-street parking facility to any driveway approach, street, alley, or sidewalk.

4.

Each parking area of over 3,000 square feet shall provide interior landscaped area equal to no less than five percent of the total paved area of the parking facility. No more than 20 spaces may be provided in a single row of parking without an intervening planting bed or island. Licensed automobile dealerships do not require interior landscaping. The planning commission may apply a maximum of 15 percent of landscaping and/or aesthetic treatment with specific findings for each project.

5.

No landscaping or other materials that attain a height of more than four feet shall be planted within the site vision triangle.

When an area provides parking spaces for more than 15 cars, a minimum of five percent of the total area of the parking lot shall be used for landscaping and/or aesthetic treatment.

Approval of the plan is required by the planning commission.

(Ord. 2015-04, 11/10/2015)

For specific landscaping requirements in each zoning district, see the respective chapters of this land use ordinance.

(Ord. 2015-04, 11/10/2015)