Montrose Charter Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
LANDSCAPING STANDARDS
§ 153.315 PURPOSE.
(A) Landscaping, greenbelts, and screening are necessary for the protection and enhancement of the environment and for the continued vitality of Charter Township of Montrose.
(B) Landscaping and greenbelts are capable of enhancing the visual environment, preserving natural features, improving property values, and alleviating the impact of noise, traffic, and visual disruption related to intensive uses.
(C) Screening is important to protect less-intensive uses from the noise, light, traffic, litter, and other impacts of intensive nonresidential uses.
(D) The purpose of this section is to set minimum standards for the protection and enhancement of the environment through requirements for the design and use of landscaping, greenbelts, and screening.
(E) The requirements set forth in this subchapter shall apply to all uses requiring site plan review. No site plan shall be approved unless the site plan shows landscaping consistent with the provisions of this section.
(F) Furthermore, where landscaping is required, a building permit shall not be issued until the required landscape plan is submitted and approved, and a certificate of occupancy shall not be issued unless provisions set forth in this section have been met or a performance bond has been posted.
(G) In cases where the use of an existing building changes or an existing building is altered or re-occupied, all of the standards set forth herein shall be met.
(Ord. 99, passed 11-18-1996, § 21.01)
§ 153.316 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.
(A) Construction in any zoning district that abuts a residentially used or zoned parcel (except for an agricultural use or zoning), may be required to provide a greenbelt, fence, a protective wall or an earthen berm along the property lines.
(B) The Planning Commission shall determine the height of a protective faced brick or approved poured concrete decorative wall from 4 to 6 feet when not specifically determined by ordinance, in a manner as to be in harmony with the general character of the neighborhood; and the color of brick or facing shall be compatible with brick used in the area.
(C) (1) The determination shall be made prior to the approval of a site plan.
(2) When it is determined that a masonry wall will not be desirable, a 10-foot wide greenbelt buffer strip, a 4-foot to 6-foot chain link fence with or without view-obscuring vertical redwood pickets, an earthen berm or a pressure treated wood fence may be substituted by the Planning Commission.
(D) All required greenbelts, walls, berms, or fences shall be constructed with the standards cited in this section.
(1) Required walls or fences shall be located on the lot line, except where underground utilities or drainage requirements interfere, and except in instances where this chapter requires conformance with front yard setback lines abutting Residential Districts.
(2) The wall must rest on a concrete foundation which extends at least 42 inches in depth below the finished grade of the land.
(3) No like wall shall be constructed of exposed concrete block or cinder block, nor shall it be painted.
(E) Unless otherwise expressly directed by the provisions of this chapter, all protective walls, fences, or greenbelts shall be provided when required along and immediately joining the zoning district boundary line and shall be installed so as to lie wholly on the land of the owner seeking site plan approval.
(F) All protective walls, fences, or greenbelts required by this chapter shall be completely installed prior to the issuance of an occupancy permit for the use of the premises, except as provided hereinafter.
(G) Wherever in this chapter a greenbelt, planting or material in conjunction with a fence is required, it shall be planted and reasonably maintained with permanent plant materials to provide a screen to abutting properties.
(H) Suitable materials equal in characteristics to the plant materials listed with the spacing as required may be accepted by the Planning Commission.
(Ord. 99, passed 11-18-1996, § 21.02)
§ 153.317 LANDSCAPING DESIGN STANDARDS.
(A) Except as otherwise specified in the general requirements for each zoning district, all landscaping shall conform to the following standards.
(B) All developed portions of the site shall conform to the following general landscaping standards, except where specific landscape elements, such as a greenbelt, berms, or screening are required:
(1) All portions of the landscaped area shall be planted with grass, ground cover, shrubbery, or other suitable plant material, except that paved patios, terraces, sidewalks, and similar site features may be incorporated with Planning Commission approval;
(2) A mixture of evergreen and deciduous trees shall be planted at the rate of 1 tree for each 3,000 square feet or portion of landscaped open-space area;
(3) Required trees and shrubs may be planted at uniform intervals, at random, or in groupings;
(4) In consideration of the overall design and impact of the landscape plan, the Planning Commission may reduce or waive the requirements outlined herein for general landscaping, or for landscaping in greenbelt areas, on berms, or as part of a screen, provided that any like adjustment is in keeping with the intent of this chapter; and
(5) The total landscaped area shall be the basis for determining the required number of trees or shrubs, irrespective of the portion which is devoted to patios, terraces, sidewalks, or other site features.
(Ord. 99, passed 11-18-1996, § 21.03)
§ 153.318 GREENBELT BUFFER.
Where required, greenbelts and greenbelt buffers shall conform to the following standards:
(A) A required greenbelt or greenbelt buffer may be interrupted only to provide for roads or driveways for vehicular access;
(B) Grass, ground cover, or other suitable live plant material shall be planted over the entire greenbelt area, except that paving may be used in areas of intensive pedestrian circulation;
(C) A minimum of 1 deciduous tree or evergreen tree shall be planted for each 30 lineal feet or portion thereof of required greenbelt length. Required trees may be planted at uniform intervals, at random, or in groupings; and
(D) For the purpose of determining required plant material, required greenbelt area length shall be measured along the length of the greenbelt area.
(Ord. 99, passed 11-18-1996, § 21.04)
§ 153.319 EARTH BERMS.
Where required, earth berms or landscaped berms shall conform to the following standards:
(A) The berm shall be at least 3 feet above the grade elevation, and shall be constructed with slopes no steeper than 1 foot vertical for each 4 feet horizontal with at least a 2-foot flat area on the top. For the purposes of this provision, grade elevation shall be the ground elevation at the property line adjacent to the proposed berm;
(B) The berm area shall be planted with grass or other suitable ground cover to ensure that it withstands wind and weather and retains its height and shape;
(C) A minimum of 1 deciduous or evergreen tree shall be planted for each 30 linear feet or portion of required berm;
(D) Eight shrubs per tree may be planted as substitute for trees required in division (C) above;
(E) Required trees and shrubs may be planted at uniform intervals, at random, or in groupings; and
(F) For the purpose of determining required plant material, required berm length shall be measured along the length of the berm.
(Ord. 99, passed 11-18-1996, § 21.05)
§ 153.320 PARKING LOT LANDSCAPING.
Off-street parking areas shall be landscaped as follows:
(A) (1) An area equal to at least 5% of the total parking area shall be used for interior landscaping, in off-street parking areas containing greater than 150 spaces.
(2) Whenever possible, parking lot landscaping shall be arranged to improve the safety of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, guide traffic movement, and improve the appearance of the parking area;
(B) Parking lot landscaping shall be no less than 5 feet in any single dimension and no less than 150 square feet in any single area and shall be protected from parking areas with curbing, or other permanent means to prevent vehicular encroachment onto the landscaped areas;
(C) The landscape plan shall designate the sizes, quantities, and types of plant material to be used in parking lot landscaping;
(D) Required landscaping elsewhere on the parcel shall not be counted in meeting the parking lot landscaping requirements; and
(E) A minimum of 1 deciduous tree shall be planted in each landscaped area.
(Ord. 99, passed 11-18-1996, § 21.06)
§ 153.321 LANDSCAPING OF RIGHT-OF-WAY AREAS.
Public rights-of-way adjacent to required landscaped areas and greenbelts shall be planted with grass or other suitable ground cover and maintained by the owner of the property as if they were part of required landscaped areas and greenbelts.
(Ord. 99, passed 11-18-1996, § 21.07)
§ 153.322 PLANT MATERIALS.
Whenever in this chapter planting is required, it shall be planted within 6 months from the date of completion of the building or improvement, and shall thereafter be reasonably maintained with permanent plant materials.
(A) Plant material spacing:
(1) Plant materials shall not be placed closer than 4 feet from the fence line or property line;
(2) Plant materials shall be planted in 2 or more rows; plantings shall be staggered in rows;
(3) Evergreen trees, as defined hereafter, shall be planted not more than 30 feet on centers;
(4) Narrow evergreens, as defined hereafter, shall be planted not more than 3 feet on centers;
(5) Deciduous trees shall be planted not more than 30 feet on centers;
(6) Tree-like shrubs shall be planted not more than 10 feet on centers; and
(7) Large deciduous shrubs shall be planted not more than 4 feet on centers.
(B) Suggested plant materials:
(1) Evergreen trees; minimum 5 feet in height:
(a) Cedar;
(b) Fir;
(c) Spruce;
(d) Pine; and
(e) Douglas Fir.
(2) Narrow evergreens; minimum 3 feet in height:
(a) Blue Columnar Chinese Juniper;
(b) Pyramidal Red-Cedar;
(c) Swiss Stone Pine; and
(d) Pyramidal White Pine.
(3) Tree-like shrubs; minimum 4 feet in height:
(a) Flowering Crab;
(b) Mountain Ash;
(c) Redbud;
(d) Magnolia;
(e) Rose of Sharon; and
(f) Hawthorn.
(4) Large deciduous shrubs; minimum 6 feet in height:
(a) Honeysuckle;
(b) Mock-Orange;
(c) Lilac;
(d) Burning Bush;
(e) Viburnum;
(f) Forsythia;
(g) Spirea;
(h) Hazelnut; and
(i) Privet.
(5) Large deciduous trees; minimum 8 feet in height:
(a) Oak;
(b) Sycamore;
(c) Norway Maple;
(d) Hard Maple;
(e) Birch;
(f) Beech; and
(g) Honeylocust.
(C) Trees not permitted:
(1) Box Elders;
(2) Soft Maple;
(3) Fruit Trees;
(4) Nut Trees;
(5) Willows;
(6) Elms;
(7) Poplars;
(8) Ailanthus (Chinese Tree of Heaven);
(9) All thorned trees and shrubs; and
(10) Ribes (Gooseberry).
(Ord. 99, passed 11-18-1996, § 21.08)