A strip of land 20% of the average width or depth of the property, but not less than 10 feet, when a nonresidential use abuts a residential zone on the side or rear, shall be designated as a buffer area and so indicated on the site plan. Buffer areas will be contiguous with residential property lines and shall be of uniform width. In no case should the width of the buffer exceed 50 feet. If the buffer is less than 20 feet wide, the applicant may be required to erect and landscape a six-foot-high stockade fence within the buffer area parallel to the lot line of the abutting residential lot and set back a distance appropriate for the landscaping treatment in the buffer area. Buffer areas between parking and loading areas and streets shall be at least 10 feet wide.

Buffer areas shall be maintained and kept clean of all debris, rubbish, weeds and tall grass. Any screen planting shall be maintained permanently and any plant material which does not live shall be replaced within one year or one growing season.

No structure, activity, storage of materials or parking of vehicles shall be permitted in the buffer area, except access drives from public streets, one unlighted directional sign per each direction of traffic per access drive and permitted signs as specified in the district regulations.

A solid and continuous landscaped screen shall be planted and maintained to conceal parking and loading areas, eliminate the glare of vehicle lights throughout the year and camouflage the building from the abutting residential areas. The landscape screen shall consist of evergreen trees, such as Hemlock, Douglas fir, Norway spruce, and other types of appropriate evergreen trees. Trees shall be planted in an area five feet to 20 feet from the residential line in a zigzag pattern and not more than six feet apart, except where otherwise authorized by the approving authority. Evergreen trees shall not be less than six feet high when planted, and the lowest branches shall be not more than one foot above the ground. In the event existing evergreens do not provide an adequate buffer, supplemental plantings may be required.

In addition to the landscaped screen, shade trees, such as Sugar maples, Scarlet oaks, Pin oaks, Willow oaks, Norway maples, Sweet gum, Dogwoods and Magnolias, etc., shall be planted by the applicant at a distance of not more than 30 feet from each other.

The height of the landscaped screen shall be measured in relation to the elevation of the edge of the parking and loading area. Where the landscaped screen is lower than the elevation of the parking or loading area, either the required height of the screen shall be increased equal to the difference in elevation or the parking or loading area shall be moved to allow the plantings to be located in an area with a similar elevation as the parking or loading area.

If the buffer area includes existing growth of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubbery but not enough to provide a suitable screen as required above, existing trees and shrubbery may remain and shall be supplemented by additional evergreen plantings to provide the required landscape screen. In the event the approving authority finds that further planting of evergreens will not grow satisfactorily in said buffer areas, stockade fence(s) six feet high shall be erected in the buffer area. No applicant shall be required to erect more than one six-foot-high stockade fence in any one buffer area.

The approving authority shall have the power to waive some of the buffer requirements if it determines an adequate buffer can be provided in less than 10 feet while maintaining the purposes of this section. The approving authority shall review the proposed plat and the standards and purposes for buffers, considering the location of buildings, parking areas, outdoor illumination and topographic features of the area and existing features such as trees, streams, the efficiency, adequacy and safety of the proposed layout of driveways, streets, sidewalks and paths, the adequacy and location of existing green areas and buffer areas, the adequacy and location of screening and parking areas, structures and uses, and similar features.

The area encompassed in the buffer zone may be utilized for the purpose of computing building and lot coverage and required yard setbacks.

All fences erected in the Village must be erected so that the finished side facing the neighboring lot. No fence shall be erected higher than six feet in height when located behind the required front lot line of the principal structure. No fence shall be erected higher than four feet in height when located in the required front yard. Notwithstanding anything contained in this subsection, the fencing of private recreation courts shall comply with the provisions of § 96-5.16. Fences in residential R-1 and R-2 Zones must also comply with § 96-5.14.

Fencing on corner lots shall meet the requirements set forth herein.

No fence can be erected within the sight triangle of an intersection as provided herein.

Any enclosed use required by this chapter to be landscaped shall be provided with a fence or a visual screen designed to produce a dense cover consisting of evergreen or evergreen-type hedges or shrubs, spaced at intervals of not more than six feet, located and maintained in good condition within 10 feet of the property line or as shall be determined by the Planning Board. The Planning Board, in the alternative, may require a landscaped earthen berm not less than five feet in height.

Entrance and/or driveway gates shall not open towards the street and shall be setback 15 feet from the street line. The total footprint of the entranceway pillars and flanking walls shall not exceed 100 square feet, and the average height of the flanking walls shall not exceed five feet.

Unenclosed uses. Any use which is not conducted within a completely enclosed building, such as required off-street parking, shall be entirely enclosed by a solid or closely woven fence or by evergreen hedges or shrubs spaced at intervals of not more than six feet, located and maintained in good condition, within 10 feet of the property line or the zone district boundary line, or as shall be determined by the Planning Board.

Maintenance.