Princess Anne, MD Zoning Ordinance

§ 163-97 Purpose.

The landscaping and screening regulations of this article establish minimum requirements for landscaping and screening. The regulations are intended to advance the general purposes of this chapter and specifically to:

Enhance quality of life for residents and visitors;

Protect property values;

Enhance the quality and appearance of new development and redevelopment projects;

Mitigate possible adverse impacts of higher intensity land uses abutting lower intensity land uses;

Promote the preservation, expansion, protection and proper maintenance of existing trees and landscaping;

Help ensure wise use of water resources;

Improve air quality;

Protect water quality and reduce the negative impacts of stormwater runoff by reducing impervious surface area and providing vegetated areas that filter and retain greater amounts of stormwater on site;

Moderate heat by providing shade; and

Reduce the impacts of noise and glare.

§ 163-98 Parking lot perimeter landscaping.

Applicability. The parking lot perimeter landscaping requirements of this section apply to all of the following:

(1)

The construction or installation of any new surface (open) parking lots containing six or more parking spaces; and

(2)

The expansion of any existing surface (open) parking lot if the expansion would result in six or more total parking spaces, in which case the requirements of this section apply only to the expanded area.

Street yards/front yards.

(1)

When a parking lot is located across the street from a residential zoning district, parking lot perimeter landscaping must be provided along 100% of the street frontage opposite the residential zoning district. (See Figure 98-1.)

Figure 98-1: Street Yard Perimeter Landscaping Opposite R Zoning

(2)

When a parking lot is located across the street from a nonresidential zoning district, parking lot perimeter landscaping must be provided along at least 75% of the parking lot perimeter opposite the nonresidential zoning district. (See Figure 98-2.)

Figure 98-2: Street Yard Perimeter Landscaping Opposite Nonresidential Zoning

(3)

Parking lot perimeter landscaping may consist of shrubs, ornamental grasses, trees and perennial plants, all of which must reach a minimum height of 36 inches at maturity. (See Figure 98-3.)

Figure 98-3: Perimeter Landscape Plant Height

(4)

Shade or ornamental trees must be provided within required parking lot perimeter landscape areas at a rate of at least one tree per 30 linear feet of street frontage, rounded to the nearest whole number. Existing trees may be counted toward satisfying parking lot perimeter tree planting requirements. (See Figure 98-4.)

Figure 98-4: Trees within Street Yard Perimeter Landscape Areas

Interior yards.

(1)

When a parking lot is located in the interior side or rear yard of a lot abutting a nonresidential zoning district, parking lot perimeter landscaping must be provided as follows:

(a)

Landscaping provided in plant groupings of no less than three live plants must be provided along at least 50% of the parking lot perimeter along the abutting interior side and rear lot lines. (See Figure 98-5.)

Figure 98-5: Perimeter Landscaping within Interior Yards

(b)

Parking lot perimeter landscaping may consist of shrubs, ornamental grasses, trees and perennials, all of which must reach a minimum height of 36 inches at maturity. (See Figure 98-3.)

(2)

When a parking lot is located in the interior side or rear yard of a lot abutting a residential zoning district, the parking lot perimeter landscaping required by § 163-98C(1) must be supplemented by installation of a solid wood fence, wall, or comparable visual barrier with a minimum height of six feet along 100% of the parking lot perimeter immediately abutting the R-zoned property. (See Figure 98-6.)

Figure 98-6: Supplemental Wall or Fence Abutting R-Zoned Property

General.

(1)

Landscape material used to satisfy the parking lot perimeter landscaping requirements of this section are subject to the landscape material and design regulations of § 163-102.

§ 163-99 Parking lot interior landscaping.

Applicability. The parking lot interior landscaping requirements of this section apply to all of the following:

(1)

The construction or installation of any new surface (open) parking lots containing six or more parking spaces; and

(2)

Landscape islands.

(1)

Landscape islands must be located at the end of each parking row and within each parking row so that the distance between islands is no greater than 20 parking spaces. (See Figure 99-1.)

Figure 99-1: Parking Lot Landscape Islands

(2)

Landscape islands must be a minimum of 150 square feet in area when located in a single row of parking spaces and 300 square feet in area when located within a double row of (face-face) parking spaces. Islands must be at least seven feet in width, as measured from the back of curb to back of curb.

(3)

At least one shade tree must be provided for each 150 square feet of landscape island, rounded to the nearest whole number.

Landscape divider medians.

(1)

Landscape divider medians must be provided between at least every three parking modules. Divider medians must be least six feet in width. (See Figure 99-2.)

Figure 99-2: Parking Lot Landscape Divider Medians

(2)

At least one shade tree must be provided for each 40 feet of median length, rounded to the nearest whole number. (See Figure 99-3.)

Figure 99-3: Tree Planting within Medians

General.

(1)

Landscape material used to satisfy the parking lot interior landscaping requirements of this section are subject to the landscape material and design regulations of § 163-102.

(2)

All landscaped islands and divider medians must be crowned to provide positive drainage or designed to comply with the best management practices for stormwater.

(3)

At least 50% of every landscape island and landscape divider median must be planted with live plant material, such as perennials, ground cover, shrubs, or turf grass to a maximum height of 30 inches at maturity.

§ 163-100 Screening.

Applicability: features to be screened. When located on lots occupied by multi-unit residential or nonresidential uses, the following features must be screened from view of public rights-of-way, public open spaces and from lots used or zoned for residential purposes, as specified in this section:

(1)

Ground-mounted mechanical equipment;

(2)

Roof-mounted mechanical equipment;

(3)

Refuse/recycling/grease containers; and

(4)

Outdoor storage of materials, supplies and equipment.

Ground-mounted mechanical equipment. All ground-mounted mechanical equipment over 30 inches in height must be screened from view by a fence, wall, dense hedge, or combination of such features, providing at least 80% direct view blocking. The hedge, fence or wall must be at least as tall as the tallest part of the equipment. The hedge must be this tall at the time of planting. (See Figure 100-1.)

Figure 100-1: Screening of Ground-Mounted Equipment

Roof-mounted mechanical equipment. Roof-mounted mechanical equipment (e.g., air-conditioning, heating, cooling, ventilation, exhaust and similar equipment, but not solar panels, wind energy or similar renewable energy devices) must be screened from ground-level view in one of the following ways (and as illustrated in Figure 100-2):

(1)

A parapet that is as tall as the tallest part of the equipment;

(2)

A screen around the equipment that is at least as tall as the tallest part of the equipment, with the screen providing at least 80% direct view blocking and which is an integral part of the building's architectural design.

Figure: 100-2 Screening of Roof-Mounted Equipment

Refuse/recycling containers. Refuse/recycling and similar containers must be located on an appropriately designed concrete or other paving material pad and apron and screened from view of streets and all abutting lots with a wall or other screening material, providing at least 80% direct visual screening at least six feet in height. Refuse/recycling containers may not be located in street yards. Enclosure doors must be located and designed so that, to the maximum extent possible, they do not face towards an abutting property, sidewalk, or street. Residential dwellings utilizing curbside pickup service are exempt from these screening requirements. (See Figure 100-3.)

Figure 100-3: Screening of Refuse/Recycling Containers

Outdoor storage of materials, supplies and equipment. All stored materials, supplies, merchandise, vehicles, equipment, or other similar materials not on display for direct sale, rental or lease to the ultimate consumer or user must be screened by a fence, wall, dense hedge, or combination of such features with a minimum height of six feet at the time of installation.

Landscape materials and design. Landscape material used to satisfy the screening requirements of this section must be evergreens and are subject to the landscape material and design regulations of § 163-102.

§ 163-101 Landscape plans.

All applications for development and construction activities that are subject to the landscape and screening regulations of this article must be accompanied by a landscape plan. No building permit or similar authorization may be issued until the Code Enforcement Officer determines that the landscaping and screening regulations of this article have been met.

§ 163-102 Landscape material and design.

Landscaping with required landscape areas. All required landscape areas must be sodded or seeded with turf grass or appropriate ground cover. Alternatives that comply with the best management practices for stormwater are also allowed. Areas not required to be covered with live plant material must be covered with organic, biodegradable mulch.

Existing trees and vegetation. Existing noninvasive trees may be counted toward satisfying the landscaping and screening regulations of this article if they are located within the subject area and they comply with the plant height and size requirements of this section.

Plant selection.

(1)

Trees and plants selected for required landscape areas must be well-suited to the microclimate and on-site soil conditions. Native plant species are preferred, but other plant species may be approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

(2)

Trees and plant material must comply with the specifications found in American Standards for Nursery Stock (ASNS).

(3)

Invasive species may not be used to meet landscape requirements.

(4)

All plant materials are subject to the approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Trees.

(1)

Ornamental. Ornamental trees used to satisfy the requirements of this article must be at least four feet in height at time of installation.

(2)

Shade. Shade trees used to satisfy the requirements of this article must be a minimum 2.5-inch caliper at time of installation.

Shrubs. Shrubs used to satisfy the requirements of this article must be at least 18 inches in height at time of installation.

Ornamental grasses and perennials. Ornamental grasses and perennials used to satisfy the requirements of this article must be at least 12 inches in height at time of installation.

Curbs and vehicle barriers.

(1)

Landscaped areas in or abutting parking lots must be protected by concrete curbing, anchored wheel stops, or other durable barriers. Alternative barrier designs that provide improved infiltration or storage of stormwater are encouraged.

(2)

Curbs protecting landscape areas may be perforated, have gaps or otherwise be designed to allow stormwater runoff to pass through them.

Installation.

(1)

All landscaping must be installed in a sound manner and in accordance with accepted landscape planting practices.

(2)

Newly planted trees may not be staked or guyed unless they are unable to stand upright without support. Any staking and guying materials must be removed within one year of installation.

Maintenance. The property owner, occupant, tenant and respective agent of each, if any, are jointly and severally responsible for the maintenance and protection of all required landscaping, in accordance with all of the following regulations:

(1)

Landscaping must be kept reasonably free of visible signs of insects and disease and appropriately irrigated to enable landscaping to exist in a healthy growing condition.

(2)

Landscaping must be mowed or trimmed in a manner and at a frequency appropriate to the use of the material and species on the site so as not to detract from the appearance of the general area. Growth of plant material at maturity must be considered where future conflicts such as view, signage, streetlighting, utilities and circulation might arise.

(3)

All landscaping must be maintained to minimize property damage and public safety hazards, including removal of invasive species, dead or decaying plant material, and removal of low-hanging branches next to sidewalks and walkways obstructing streetlighting.

(4)

Failure to maintain landscaping is a violation of this chapter.

§ 163-103 Alternative compliance.

In order to encourage creativity in landscape and screening design and to allow for flexibility in addressing atypical, site-specific development/redevelopment challenges, the Code Enforcement Officer is authorized to approve alternative compliance landscape plans when it is determined that one or more of the following conditions are present:

The site has space limitations or an unusual shape that makes strict compliance impossible or impractical;

Conditions on or adjacent to the site such as topography, soils, vegetation or existing structures or utilities are such that strict compliance is impossible, impractical or of no value in terms of advancing the general purposes of this article;

Safety considerations such as intersection visibility, utility locations, etc., make alternative compliance necessary; or

Creative, alternative landscape plans will provide an equal or better means of meeting the intent of the landscaping and screening regulations of this article.

Princess Anne City Zoning Code