Union Township City Zoning Code
§ 30-7.4
Buffer Yards.
[Ord. No. 85-9, § 703; Ord. No. 2004-10, § 9]
a.
Purpose. Buffering serves to soften the outline of buildings, to screen glare and noise, and to create a visual and/or physical barrier between conflicting land uses.
b.
Screening.
1.
A completely planted visual barrier or landscape screen with a minimum width of 50 feet and of sufficient density, which cannot be seen through, and of sufficient height to constitute an effective screen and give maximum protection and immediate visual screening shall be provided and continually maintained between any industrial or commercial district and adjoining residentially zoned district or residential use; in a residential district between all townhouse, twin, duplex, or apartment developments and adjoining lower density residential use and around all public utility operating facilities.
2.
Water towers, storage tanks, processing equipment, fans, skylights, cooling towers, vents, and any other structures or equipment other than radio or television antenna which above the roof line shall be architecturally compatible or effectively shielded from view from any private or dedicated street by an architecturally sound method which shall be approved by the Board before construction or erection of said structures or equipment.
3.
Screening off-street parking areas shall be in accordance with § 30-7.2f6 and off-street loading areas with § 30-73c.
4.
Where such screening is required, it shall be assured by a performance guarantee posted with the Board in an amount equal to the estimated cost of trees and shrubs and planting. Such guarantee shall be released only after passage of the second growing season following planting.
c.
Landscaping.
1.
Any part or portion of a site which is not used for buildings, other structures, loading and parking spaces and aisles, sidewalks, and designated storage areas shall be planted with an all-season ground cover and shall be landscaped according to an overall plan prepared by a certified landscape architect.
3.
All mechanical and electrical equipment not enclosed in a structure shall be fully and completely screened from view from any point and in a manner compatible with the architectural and landscaping style of the remainder of the lot. Such screening shall be subject to site plan review by the municipality.
d.
Each of the buffer yards may utilize any of the plant materials listed as outlined within this subsection. Minimum plant size, given either in height or in caliper is indicated in this table.
All planting materials shall meet the standards of the American Association of Nurserymen.
1.
Canopy Trees (Minimum 2 1/2 Inch Caliper).
(a)
Acer rubrum — Red Maple.
(b)
Acer saccharum — Sugar Maple.
(c)
Betula papyrifera — Paper Birch.
(d)
Fagus grandifolia — American Beech.
(e)
Carpinus caroliniana — American Hornbeam (Ironwood).
(f)
Celtis occidentalis — Hackberry.
(g)
Cladrastis kentuckea — Yellowood.
(h)
Cornus floria & CVS — American Dogwood.
(i)
Crataegus viridis — Hawthorne.
(j)
Gymnocladus diocus — Kentucky Coffeetree.
(k)
Halesia carolina — Carolina Silverbell.
(l)
Nyssa sylvatica — Sourgum.
(m)
Fraxinus Americana — White Ash.
(n)
Fraxinus Pennsylvania lanceolata — Green Ash.
(o)
Gleditsia triacanthos inermis — Thornless Honey Locust.
(p)
Liquidambar styraciflua — Sweet Gum.
(q)
Liriodendron tulipifera — Tulip Tree.
(r)
Plantanus acerifolia — Plane Tree.
(s)
Quercus alba — White Oak.
(t)
Quercus rubra — Red Oak.
(u)
Quercus coccinea — Scarlet Oak.
(v)
Quercus palustris — Pin Oak.
(w)
Quercus phellos — Willow Oak.
(x)
Tilia Americana — American Linden.
2.
Flowering Trees.
(a)
Amelanchier candensis - Shadblow Serviceberry 5-6 feet.
(b)
Cornus florida — Flowering Dogwood 5-6 feet.
(c)
Cornus x 'Rutcan' - Constellation Rutgers Dogwood 5-6 feet.
(d)
Cornus x 'Rutdan' — Celestial Rutgers Dogwood 5-6 feet.
(e)
Crataegus phaenopyrum - Washington Hawthorne 5-6 feet.
(f)
Magnolia virgineana — Sweetbay Mangolia 5-6 feet.
(g)
Oxydendrum aboreum — Sourwood 5-6 feet.
(h)
Pyrus calleryana Chanticleer — Chanticleer Pear 8-10 feet.
5.
Shrubs.
(a)
(1)
Juniperus virginiana — Upright Juniper 4-5 feet.
(2)
Aronia arbutifolia — Red Chokeberry.
(3)
Aronia melancarpa — Black Chokeberry.
(4)
Calcanthus occidentalis — Allspice 4-5 feet.
(5)
Clethra alnifolia — Summersweet 4-5 feet.
(6)
Cornus sericea — Red Osier Dogwood 4-5 feet.
(7)
Taxus hicksi — Hicks Yew 2 1/2-3 feet.
(8)
Thuja occidentalis — American Arborvitae 4-5 feet.
(b)
(1)
Ilex glabra — Inkberry.
(2)
Hamamelis vernalis — Vernal Witch Hazel 4-5 feet.
(3)
Hamamelis virginiana — Common Witch Hazel 4-5 feet.
(4)
Ilex verticillata — Winterberry 4-5 feet.
(5)
Lindera benzoin — Spicebush 2-3 feet.
(6)
Myrica pennsylvanicum — Bayberry 2-3 feet.
(7)
Rhododendron maximum — Rosebay rhododendron 3-4 feet.
(8)
Vaccinium corymbosum — Highbush Blueberry 2-3 feet.
(9)
Rhamnus caroliniana — Carolina Buckthorn.
(10)
Viburnum dentatum — Arrowwood Viburnum 4-5 feet.
Viburnum Prunifolium Blackhaw Viburnum 4-5 feet.
(11)
Rhus spp. — Sumac.