Lancaster City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 1141
Landscaping
1141.01 PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Chapter is to improve the beautification of the City of Lancaster and enhance its aesthetics thereby increasing the quality of life for residents. It is further the intent of this Chapter to promote the reasonable preservation and replacement of valued trees and landscaping, to aid in the establishing of ecological balance by contributing to air purification, oxygen regeneration, ground water recharge, and stormwater runoff retardation, and to promote public health and safety through the reduction in noise, air, and visual pollution.
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)
1141.02 SITES AFFECTED.
(a) Individual One Dwelling Unit Lots Exempted. Individual one dwelling unit lots are exempt from the requirements of this Chapter following the transfer of ownership from a developer or builder to the homeowner except that one dwelling unit lot owners must maintain and replace street trees with trees on the approved tree list and must comply with vegetative cover requirements in Section 1141.03
(a).
(b) New Construction. No Zoning Clearance Permit shall be granted for any new construction of any building, structure or parking lot, unless the landscaping standards in Chapter 1141
are met.
(c) Redeveloped Sites. Landscaping for redeveloped sites shall comply with Section 1141.12.
Redeveloped for purposes of this section means the expansion of more than twenty-five percent (25%) of a building or parking lot or the alteration of more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the interior of the building.
(d) CBD Development Sites. Landscaping for sites located within the CBD shall comply with Section 1141.13.
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)
1141.03 MINIMUM STANDARDS.
(a) Grass (seed or sod), shrubs, trees, garden planting areas or other appropriate landscaping materials shall be planted in all exterior areas. Other groundcover, such as ivy, may be planted in exterior areas which are not occupied by required landscaping material or required for drainage.
(b) All trees required by these regulations, or other applicable standards, shall be live plants and meet the following minimum tree sizes at the time of planting:
Tree Type Minimum Size at Time of Planting
Deciduous Trees 2-inch caliper
Coniferous 5 feet in height
Shrubs and Hedges 3 feet in height
(c) All plants shall meet or exceed American Standards for nursery stock as set forth by the American Association of Nurserymen.
(d) Artificial plant materials shall be prohibited.
(e) All trees and landscaping shall be well maintained. Dead trees, shrubs and other landscaping material shall be promptly removed and, when required, shall be replaced within six (6) months.
(f) Landscaping shall be planted in a manner so that it does not extend beyond a property line at full growth.
(g) New trees installed under power lines shall be maintained so that there is a minimum overhead clearance of thirty (30) feet.
(h) Landscaping shall be planted and kept trimmed so that it complies with the Visibility at Intersection requirements in Section 1147.16.
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)
1141.04 PERMITTED AND PROHIBITED TREE SPECIES.
The City of Lancaster Tree Commission shall establish and adopt an Approved and Prohibited Tree Species list. This list may be amended from time to time by the Tree Commission. All trees required by this Chapter shall adhere to the then current Approved and Prohibited Tree Species list.
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)
1141.05 STREET TREES AND TREE LAWN.
(a) In all Zoning Districts, new sites shall plant and maintain street trees along public roadways in compliance with the following:
(1) The tree to be planted shall be listed on the Approved Tree Species List adopted by the Tree Commission.
(2) One (1) tree shall be provided for every forty (40) linear feet of frontage, or fraction thereof, along each public right-of-way.
(3) The minimum spacing between trees shall be forty (40) feet for large trees, thirty (30) feet for medium trees and twenty (20) feet for small trees.
(4) The minimum distance between the tree and the edge of the street shall be two and one-half (2.5) feet for a large tree, two (2) feet for a medium tree and one and one-half (1.5) feet for a small tree. In areas where a sidewalk exists or is proposed, the minimum distance between the tree trunk and both the edge of the street and the sidewalks shall be two (2) feet for a large tree, two (2) feet for a medium tree and one and one-half (1.5) feet for a small tree.
(5) The tree location shall be at least thirty (30) feet from street intersections, twenty (20) feet from fire hydrants or utility poles, and ten (10) feet from driveways.
(6) A small tree shall be used when planting under or within ten (10) lateral feet of overhead utility wires. A small or medium tree shall be used when planting within ten (10) to twenty (20) lateral feet of overhead utility wires.
(b) Required Tree Lawn. A minimum tree lawn shall be established for all new sites involving a new publicly dedicated right-of-way. The required tree lawn shall comply with the following requirements:
(1) The tree lawn along any new roadway shall be a minimum of nine (9) feet in width.
(2) No person shall reduce the width of a tree lawn without first procuring permission from the Tree Commission.
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)
1141.06 TREE PRESERVATION.
Reasonable and good faith efforts will be made to preserve existing trees. Consideration shall be given to laying out service roads, lots, structures, and parking areas to avoid the unnecessary destruction of wooded areas and individual trees. Additionally, standard tree preservation practices must be used to preserve and protect trees during all phases of construction, including the installation of snow fencing at the drip line.
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)
1141.07 PARKING LOT SCREENING.
(a) All parking lots within all Districts shall comply with the following parking lot screening requirements:
(1) Any surface parking areas adjacent to an existing or planned public right-of-way shall be screened from the respective right-of-way with a minimum of a thirty-six (36) inch continuous planting hedge and tree combination.
(2) In the CBD District, in lieu of continuous hedge planning, the use of a thirty-six (36) inch decorative wall with fence in conjunction with landscaping may be utilized to effectively screen the parking provided it complies with Chapter 1327
and receives approval of the Historic Lancaster Commission.
(3) The height of the required hedge or wall shall be measured from the elevation of the adjacent parking area.
(4) The City Planner or designee may waive the parking lot screening requirements when there is a natural separation of at least five (5) feet between the elevation of an existing road and the existing grade of the lot where the parking lot will be located for at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the property's frontage along the public right-of-way. This natural separation is deemed to be sufficient to effectively screen the parking from the public right-of-way.
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)
1141.08 LANDSCAPING IN PARKING LOT ISLANDS.
All parking islands required in Section 1143.05
(b) shall have a minimum of one (1) shade tree with a minimum of two (2) inch in caliper. The remaining area of the landscaped island shall be planted with grass or covered with stone.
Example: Parking island with stone material
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)
1141.09 RIGHT-OF-WAY SETBACK LANDSCAPING.
Right-of-way setback landscaping is required for all new sites abutting an arterial or collector road, except for those located within the TR, CBD and CN Districts. Throughout the setback area along an existing or planned public right-of-way, there shall be a minimum of four (4) trees per one hundred (100) linear feet. Trees may be deciduous, coniferous or a combination thereof. This requirement shall not apply in the areas of ingress and egress, or to existing trees which are undisturbed by the project.
Example: Setback Landscaping
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)
1141.10 BUFFER YARD REQUIREMENTS.
Buffer Yard and Screening Requirements. The following buffer yard and screening requirements apply as follows:
Min. # of trees per 50 lineal feet*** adjoining lot lines must include the following: | ||||||
District of Proposed Use | Abutting District | Yard | Buffer Yard Width (Feet)* | # of Large Trees (a) | # of Small Trees (b) | # of Shrubs (c) |
TR** | RE; R-LD; R-MD | Side or Rear | 10 | 2 | 3 | 17 |
CBD | RE; R-LD; R-MD; TR | Side or Rear | 20 | 3 | 5 | 25 |
CN | RE; R-LD; R-MD; TR | Side or Rear | 20 | 3 | 5 | 25 |
CG, SI | RE; R-LD; R-MD; TR | Side or Rear | 20 | 3 | 5 | 25 |
AM | RE; R-LD; R-MD; TR | Side or Rear | 45 | 4 | 10 | 33 |
AM | CBD, NB, GB, SI | Side or Rear | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Minimum Spacing Requirements
(a) Planted twenty-five (25) feet on center
(b) Planted (ten) 10 feet on center
(c) Planted three (3) feet on center
*A six (6) foot tall buffer fence may be utilized may take the place of shrubs. For purposes of this section, a Buffer Fence is a fence constructed of brick, stone, treated wood, painted rustproof metal, chain link with vinyl or metal screening inserts, vinyl, or other commercially produced synthetic fencing material so long as it is durable, uniform, and attractive. Opaque gates matching the type, height, etc. of the fence shall be provided for access. The use of chain link fencing or gates with mesh screening, tarps, and similar materials shall not be considered as Buffer Fence.
**These buffer requirements do not apply when a proposed one-unit dwelling in the TR District will about another one-unit dwelling.
***If adjoining lots have less than one hundred (100) lineal feet, utilize the spacing standards above to determine the number of plantings required on a prorated basis. For lots with more than one hundred (100) lineal feet, all units of one hundred (100) lineal feet must meet the buffer standard in the chart, and the fractional remainder will be determined using the minimum spacing requirements above.
Example shows AM adjacent to RE District:
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)
1141.11 SCREENING OF MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT - SERVICE AREA - STORAGE AREAS - TRASH CONTAINERS - LOADING ZONES.
(a) Mechanical Equipment. All external mechanical equipment in all Districts, except the RE; R-LD, R-MD, and one (1) or two (2) unit dwellings in the TR Districts, shall be screened from adjacent existing or planned public rights-of-way or when located adjacent to a District that permits one (1) unit residential dwellings. Said screening shall comply with one of the following requirements:
(1) A wall or fence that is a minimum of one (1) foot taller than the mechanical units to be screened. Said wall or fence must be constructed with the same or similar materials as those used on the principal building; or
(2) A landscape screen that consists of evergreen trees that are a minimum of one (1) foot taller than said mechanical units at the time of installation. The evergreen trees or shrubs shall be installed in linear fashion around all sides of the mechanical unit(s) and shall have a maximum spacing of twelve (12) linear feet between each tree.
(3) Rooftop mechanicals shall be screened by a parapet wall or other similar screening mechanism that extends a minimum of one (1) foot above said mechanical units.
(b) Service Areas, Production Areas, Storage Areas, Trash Containers, and Loading Zones. All production areas, service areas, storage areas, trash containers and loading zones for all uses in all Districts shall be located at the rear or the side of the building. They shall be effectively screened on all sides from all adjacent property lines, existing or planned public rights-of-way and private streets as follows:
(1) Production areas, service areas, and loading zones: Screening of such areas shall consist of either landscaping or a minimum six (6) foot wall accented with landscaping materials that extends the entire length of the production area, service area of loading zone. Screening consisting of walls shall utilize the same or similar materials as those used on the principal building. When landscaping is utilized in lieu of a wall, it shall consist of evergreen trees that are a minimum of six (6) in height at the time of installation and spaced a maximum of twelve (12) feet between each tree.
(2) Trash containers and storage areas: Trash containers and storage areas shall be screened on three (3) sides with a solid wall or fence that is a minimum of one (1) foot taller than the trash container or the material within the storage area to be screened. Said wall or fence must be constructed with the same or similar materials as those used on the principal building and must be accented with landscaping for the entire screening perimeter. So that the trash container or storage area can be accessed, a solid, decorative gate of the same height as the wall/fence shall be utilized as screening on the fourth side of said trash container or storage area.
(3) Accent landscaping, as utilized in this section, means shrubs planted no more than five (5) feet apart and adjacent to the entire perimeter of the fence or wall utilized to screen the production area, service area, loading zone, or trash storage area as required by this section.
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)
1141.12 LANDSCAPING FOR REDEVELOPED SITES.
The redevelopment of existing sites is key to furthering the City's goals of maintaining a healthy economy. Existing parking lots that do not comply with current screening and landscape standards present unique challenges. Imposing the same landscaping requirements to redeveloped sites as for new sites could become cost prohibitive and discourages the reinvestment into the community. The purpose of this section is to apply minimal landscaping requirements to enhance these existing properties. This section also promotes an urban tree canopy, assists with reducing the amount of impervious surfaces and fosters strong neighborhoods with successful commercial Districts.
This section applies only to sites where the property is being redeveloped. Redeveloped for purposes of this section means the expansion of more than twenty-five percent (25%) of a building or parking lot or the alteration of more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the interior or exterior of the building. Furthermore, existing buildings, structures or parking lots that are maintained in their existing lawfully existing condition upon the adoption of this Ordinance can continue as non-conforming use in accordance with Section 1153.05.
(a) When a site is redeveloped, it shall provide a minimum of one hundred (100) square feet of landscaping for every three thousand five hundred (3,500) square feet of parking lot area. These landscaped areas shall be clustered and placed strategically within the parking lot to provide visual curb appeal as approved by the City Planner or designee. Any decision of the City Planner or designee on visual curb appeal may be submitted to the Board of Zoning Appeals in accordance with Section 1157.07
.
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)
1141.13 LANDSCAPE - STREETSCAPE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CBD.
Historically, commercial buildings in the Central Business District are built to the setback, meaning that the buildings are constructed on or extremely close to the front lot line, leaving minimal area for significant landscaping or open space typically required for new development sites. In lieu of the landscaping requirements in Sections 1141.06
-1141.10
, The Landscaping - Streetscape Requirements for the CBD have been established to scale the landscaping to a traditional downtown setting and to create an attractive pedestrian streetscape. The following standards shall apply to all CBD sites, unless otherwise modified by the Historic Lancaster Commission when a site is located within the Historic Lancaster District.
(a) When a front setback is less than three (3) feet, no landscaping shall be required between the front building façade and the front lot line.
Example of clustered/offset shrubs
(b) When the front setback is between three (3) and ten (10) from the front property line, the front setback shall include one of the following:
(1) A minimum of two (2) shrubs for every twenty (20) lineal feet of building façade. These shrubs can be clustered/offset or planted in a continuous hedgerow; or
(2) An ornamental fence or a decorative wall not exceeding three (3) feet in height and extending for the entire length of the front building façade. Outdoor seating may be provided in this area. A break in the fence may be allowed in order to provide adequate pedestrian ingress/egress to the building.
(3) One planter box for every twenty (20) feet of front building façade. Each planter box shall have a minimum soil capacity of ten (10) gallons and shall be planted and maintained with all season plant material to ensure year-round curb appeal. All season plant material shall be defined as those plant materials listed on the Approved Decorative Planter List, as approved by the Lancaster Historic Commission. The Approved Decorative Planter List shall apply to all properties within the Central Business District including those outside of the Historic Lancaster District.
Example of continuous hedge row
(4) A combination of any of the three above options may also be approved by the City Planner.
Example ornamental fencing with optional Example of planter box
outdoor seating
(c) Parking Lot Screening. Any surface parking area adjacent to a public right-of-way shall be screened from the respective right-of-way using one of the following methods:
(1) A thirty-six (36) inch tall, continuous planting hedge and tree combination; or
(2) A thirty-six (36) inch tall decorative wall with fence in conjunction with landscaping; or
(3) A thirty-six (36) inch tall, continuous decorative planter with lattice or other similar design. The decorative planter shall be planted and maintained with flowers that are listed on the Approved Decorative Planter List, as approved by the City Tree Commission.
(4) The height of the required screening shall be measured from the elevation of the adjacent parking area to the top of the screening material.
Example of decorative wall with fence.
(d) Tree Wells. Tree wells are strategically located within the sidewalks along various streets within the CBD. If the site is located in an area where such tree wells are provided, then no additional street trees shall be required. Otherwise, the site shall comply with the Street Tree requirements in Section 1141.05
.
Example of decorative planter with lattice
(e) Buffer Yard. Whenever a proposed use within the CBD abuts the RE, R-LD, R-MD or a one (1) unit dwelling in the TR District, a buffer yard that is a minimum of twenty (20) feet in width shall be provided. It shall contain a minimum of three (3) Large Trees, five (5) Small Trees, and twenty-five (25) Shrubs.
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)