Monroe City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
Landscape Requirements for Buffer and Parking Areas
§ 108-8.1 Buffer area and landscaping.
Any use required by this article to be provided with a buffer area shall comply with the following regulations regarding a buffer area and a buffer screen:
A.
Within a buffer area, a solid and continuous landscaping screen shall be planted and maintained. Said landscaping shall consist of lawn, massed evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs of such species and density as will provide within two growing seasons a solid and continuous screen throughout the full course of the year. The intent density of the buffer screen may be reduced by the Approving Board if it is found that the proposed use is visually attractive and not detrimental to the appearance of the neighboring uses.
[Amended 4-5-99 by Ord. No. 0-4-99-015]
B.
Within a buffer area, no use, activity or sign shall be established other than the following:
(1)
Such driveways as are necessary to provide proper means of ingress and egress for the parking area.
(2)
Directional signs in conjunction with said driveways which are necessary for the proper guidance and control of vehicular traffic, provided that not more than one such sign is erected in conjunction with each driveway.
(3)
Walkways, nature trails or similar facilities as approved by the Approving Board and provided that such buffer is at least 60 feet in width.
[Amended 4-5-99 by Ord. No. 0-4-99-015]
C.
The required height for a landscape screen shall be measured in relation to the elevation of the land at the edge of the adjacent area to be buffered, the required height of the screen shall be increased in an amount equal to the difference in elevation. In the event that the ground elevation of the location at which the screen may be reduced in an amount equal to said difference in elevation, provided that in no case shall the required height be reduced to less than three feet.
D.
All non-paved areas in commercial, industrial, public and semi-public buildings and use areas shall be suitably landscaped with grass, trees, shrubs, and other landscape materials.
E.
When a parking area of three or more vehicles or a loading and unloading area adjoins an adjacent residential property area, a planned buffer screen shall be provided between the parking area and the adjoining property. The buffer screen shall be no less than 12 feet in height.
[Amended 4-5-99 by Ord. No. 0-4-99-015]
F.
The buffer screen around parking lots and loading and unloading areas may be constructed of wood, cement or other fence material, provided that not more than 25% of the fence is open on its vertical surface. In such cases, evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs shall be planted along the fence to break up the monotony of the fence. Such landscaping may be omitted if it is the finding of the Approving Board that the type of fence to be erected is visually attractive and not detrimental to the appearance of surrounding areas.
[Amended 4-5-99 by Ord. No. 0-4-99-015]
G.
If the Construction Official or Zoning Officer, upon inspection, determines that the landscape materials, buffer areas and screens are not being maintained in good condition, that office shall notify the owner in writing of the findings and order that any negligent maintenance on the part of the owner be corrected within 30 days of the notice. In the event that any planting required by this chapter fails to live, it shall be replaced.
H.
Existing large trees should be saved by not varying the grade around the trees and by erecting protective fences along the projected perimeter of the tree drip line so as to prevent construction traffic from damaging the tree(s) and root system(s). Maximum effort should be made to save clumps of trees rather than individual ones.
[Amended 4-5-99 by Ord. No. 0-4-99-015]
I.
In parking lots, at least 5% of the parking area should be landscaped and one tree for each 10 spaces shall be installed. The landscaping should be located in protected areas, such as along walkways, center islands and at the end of bays. In narrow islands, low spreading plants such as creeping juniper, English ivy, myrtle and pachysandra are appropriate.
J.
Required planting species for all bermed buffer areas are as follows:
[Added 10-2-00 by Ord. No. 0-10-2000-031]
(1)
Ground covers.
(a)
Juniper horizontals, Creeping Juniper. Cultivars of this are Blue Rug Juniper, Andora Creeping Juniper, Sargent Juniper. These are low ground covers. Bearberry, Sweet Woodruff, Coral Bells, Evergreen Candytuff, Phlox.
(2)
Drought tolerant shrubs - evergreen.
(a)
American Holly is considered a small tree, yet the beauty of this tree is that it can grow in the southern Pine Barrens. It is suggested that hardy cultivars such as Jersey Princes Farage, Manig, and the male Jersey Knight be grown to avoid winter injury. Male and female varieties have to be grown in close proximity to produce the red berries.
(b)
Red Cedar is a medium size tree and is very successful in establishing itself. It grows between 15 to 20 feet in height, with varied widths.
(c)
Juniperus Chinensis provides a large number of cultivars. Pfitzer and Hetzare are good cultivars that can be considered. This is very drought tolerant.
(d)
Japanese Holly is a shrub that has a wide number of cultivars, as the Juniper, therefore, there is a wide range of sizes to choose from.
(e)
Mugo Pine is a low growing spreading evergreen that would be well suited for a berm.
(f)
Taxus or Dense Yew is one of the best spreading types and can easily be maintained at a four foot height. Again, there are so many varieties of Yews that the sizes range from three to 20 feet in height. All Yews require well drained soil for survival. The perfect plant to live on a berm.
(g)
Yucca or Adams Needle is the drought tolerant plant of last resort. This plant will grow in the most adverse of environmental conditions. The clumps of lanced-shaped leaves are evergreen. In June, stalks of creamy white flowers extend up three feet or more from the base.
(3)
Deciduous shrubs.
(a)
Most of the traditional, spring-blooming flowering shrubs are drought-tolerant. Forsythia, Lilac, Spirea, and Weigelia will grow in any well-drained site, provided they receive full sun. Others to be considered are Glossy Abelia, Anthony Water Spirea, Chaste Tree, and the large family of Viburnum.
(4)
Evergreen trees.
(a)
The following list is to be considered for berms:
[1]
Abies Oncolor, White Fir
[2]
Cedrus Alantica, Atlas Cedar
[3]
Picea Abies, Norway Spruce
[4]
Picea Pungens, Colorado Spruce
[5]
Picea Pungens Glauca, Blue Colorado Spruce
[6]
Picea Pungens Glauca Nana, Dwarf Blue
[7]
Picea Pungens Glauca Pendula, Weeping Blue
[8]
Pseudotsuga Menziesli, Douglas Fir
[9]
Pinus Strobus, White Pine
[10]
Pinus Thunbergiana, Japanese Black Pine
[11]
Pinus Sulvestris, Scotch Pine
(5)
Small trees.
(a)
Amur Ginnala, Amur Maple
(b)
Albizia Julibrissin, Mimosa or Silk Tree
(c)
Amelanchier Canadensis, Shadblow Serviceberry
(d)
Betula Populifolia, Gray Birch
(e)
Harnamelis Virgiana, Common Witchhazel
(f)
Koelreuteria Paniculata, Goldentree
(g)
Malus, Crabapples, varieties
(h)
Tea Crabapple
(i)
Zumi Crabapple
(j)
Katherine Crabapple
(k)
Japanese Crabapple
(l)
David Crabapple
(m)
Syringa Reticulata, Japanese Tree Lilac
(n)
Vibernum Prunifolium, Blackhaw Viburnum
(6)
Trees.
(a)
Acer Rubrum, Red Maple
(b)
Celtis Occidentalis, Common Hackberry
(c)
Fraxinus Americana, White Ash
(d)
Fraxinus Pennsylvania, Green Ash
(e)
Ginkgo Biloba, Ginkgo Tree
(f)
Phellodendron Amurense, Amur Cork Tree
(g)
Quercus Alba, White Oak
(h)
Quercus Coccinea, Scarlet Oak
(i)
Quercus Rubra, Red Oak
(j)
Quercus Palustris, Pin Oak
(k)
Sophora Japonica, Japanese Pagoda Tree
(l)
Zelkova Serrata, Japanese Zelkova
(7)
Landscaping.
(a)
The majority of the conifers or evergreens shall be planted at 10 foot centered. The rows shall be alternate or straddled.
(b)
The berms shall be covered with a top grade weed barrier. Holes shall be cut in the barrier to plant the planting material. The total area should be covered with good mulch. Wood chips from a commercial tree operation is acceptable. Mulch shall be kept away from the trunks of the trees. The depth of the mulch shall be between two to three inches.
(c)
Between the spaced evergreens, shrubs shall be planted to fill in any spaces.
(d)
Conifers shall be between eight foot to 12 foot in height. The deciduous trees shall be between three inch to five inch caliper.
(e)
Ground cover should be planted with the goal being to have it established, therefore eliminating the growth of weeds.
(f)
All landscaping shall be guaranteed for one year.
(8)
All landscaping plans shall be signed and sealed by a New Jersey licensed landscape architect.
§ 108-8.2 Fencing regulations.
A.
Fences hereafter erected, altered or reconstructed in any zone in the Township of Monroe shall be open fence not to exceed three feet in height above ground level when located in a front yard area, or five feet on a lot of six or more acres of farmland, or fences not to exceed six feet in height above ground level in any side or rear yard areas, except as follows:
(1)
In residential zones, and on corner lots only, a six foot fence may be erected within the front yard generally parallel to the side of the building, provided the fence is set back a minimum of 10 feet from the street right-of-way for lots in the R-5, R-7.5, R-10 and R-20 Zones, and a minimum of 15 feet from the street right-of-way in the R-30, R-60 or R-3A Zones, and the Township Engineer certifies that the location of the fence does not encroach upon the required site triangle.
[Added 9-27-04 by Ord. No. 0-9-2004-033]
(2)
Open wire fences not exceeding eight feet in height may be erected in the rear or side yard areas in any commercial or industrial zone district.
[Amended 9-27-04 by Ord. No. 0-9-2004-033]
(3)
Open wire fences not exceeding eight feet in height may be erected within public park, public playground or public school properties.
[Amended 9-27-04 by Ord. No. 0-9-2004-033]
(5)
Fences specifically required by this article.
[Amended 9-27-04 by Ord. No. 0-9-2004-033]
B.
Every fence shall be maintained in a safe, sound, up-right condition and shall be erected with the framework or supporting structure facing the inside of the lot.
C.
Except as provided in Section 108-8.2A(1), all fences must be erected within six inches of the property lines, and no fence shall be erected so as to encroach upon a public right-of-way.
D.
The following fences and fencing materials are specifically prohibited in all zone districts in the Township of Monroe: barbed wire unless the lot is more than six acres, canvas, cloth, electric, expandable and collapsible fences.
E.
If the Zoning Officer, upon inspection, determines that any fence or portion of any fence is not being maintained in a safe, sound or upright condition, he shall notify the owner of such fence in writing of his findings and state briefly the reasons for such findings and order such fence or portion of such fence repaired or replaced within 30 days of the date of the written notice.
F.
These restrictions shall not be applied so as to restrict the erection of a wall for the purpose of retaining earth.
G.
All nonresidential uses required to have fencing must have a double-sided fence.
H.
Fences for residential single-family properties, other than a major subdivision or site plan, shall not require site plan approval.