All commercial, industrial, office, apartment, health care, institutional, or a public use adjoining or abutting a residential zone, shall provide a buffer zone in accordance with the standards set forth below subject to other more restrictive regulations herein.

No principal or accessory structure, other than as may be provided herein, nor any off-street parking or loading areas or other use shall be permitted within the buffer zone.

No access or driveway, other than as may be permitted herein, shall be permitted within the buffer zone.

Said buffer zone shall be kept in its natural state where wooded, and when natural vegetation is sparse, plant material at least six feet in height and a solid or tightly woven fence may be required so as to provide a year-round visual screen by the Planning Board. Said planting may be placed in suitable areas in the buffer zone as shall be required by the Planning Board.

Within said buffer zone, underground utility easements shall be permitted.

The area encompassed in the buffer zone may be utilized for the purpose of computing lot coverage.

Where the extension of a utility or a street extends into a mandatory buffer, said utility or street shall be located perpendicular to the buffer area and shall disturb the buffer to the minimum extent possible.

Enclosed uses. Any enclosed use require 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 five 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.

Unenclosed uses. Any use, required by this chapter to be landscaped, which is not conducted within a completely enclosed building, such as required off-street parking, shall be screened by a solid or closely woven fence or by evergreen hedges or shrubs spaced at intervals of not more than five 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. In the alternative, the Planning Board may require a landscaped earthen berm not less than five feet in height.

Maintenance.

Submission of proposed landscape plans. A proposed landscape plan shall be submitted to the Planning Board for its consideration by:

Contents of landscape plan.

The criteria to be considered in determining the location, shape and content of any required planted area and the creation of any required buffer area shall include the following:

In connection with Planning Board consideration for site plan approval, the Planning Board shall have the right to determine the proper areas for the required planted area, taking into consideration the criteria set forth above.

Detention basins, subject to a finding by the Board that adequate visual screening is still provided.

Below-grade, underground parking facilities may be erected underneath any required planted area or planted buffer area; provided, that the surface of the lot in the area of the planted buffer area and the planted area has at least four feet of soil and is properly drained so that the same is sufficient to support the growth of plants, ground cover, shrubs and trees.

Upon Board site plan approval, the Board shall, however, allow paved ingress and egress from the site to a public street or highway through a planted buffer area where there are no possible safe exits or entrances to a road or highway. The area to be so paved shall not be included as part of the area making up the required planted buffer area.

The required planted area (other than planted buffer areas) need not be all in one area of the lot.

The Board may, at the request of any applicant for site plan approval, consider any portion of the planted area to be provided by the applicant on any other lot or lots for purposes of determining the required planted area requirement (not including planted buffer areas) if, in the opinion of the Board:

The planted area and required planted buffer area shall be so designed to provide proper drainage of the soil.

The planted area or required planted buffer area shall be planted with approved plant material with sufficient organic sanitary material, topsoil, peat moss and the like, so that the same shall be likely to thrive. Minimum depth of topsoil in all turf areas shall be four inches. All topsoil shall conform to specifications approved by the Township Engineer.

The planted area shall be designed to provide for the planting of plant material that is hardy and of a variety which requires a minimum amount of maintenance.

Where a planted buffer area is required and in areas where there are to be required planted areas, the Board may require on-site plan approval that changes in topography or elevation of the planted buffer areas and planted areas be made where such changes would better serve the criteria set forth in Article IX.

In connection with any site plan approval granted, the developer of the property shall protect against damage to trees that are located in the approved planted area and approved planted buffer area and shall also protect these areas by temporary fencing until the certificate of occupancy has been issued and all outside construction has been completed.

The recommended plant selection list shall be adopted by the Township Council by resolution at least once every February after the Verona Environmental Commission, in coordination with the Planning Board, and with input from other groups and professionals as the Verona Environmental Commission finds necessary, recommends updates to the plant selection list. In the event the Verona Environmental Commission does not make a recommendation, or recommends no changes to the plant selection and placement list, the Township shall readopt the previous plant selection list by resolution. Once adopted by resolution, the plant selection list shall be considered part of the Code of the Township of Verona and shall be posted online and is incorporated herein by reference.[1] Any amendment to the planting list must first be sent to the Planning Board for review and comment before being approved by the Council.

Planting of native species is recommended over and above exotic or non-native species. Native plants in many parts of the U.S. are struggling because of changes in land use, development practices, and climate, posing problems for the wildlife species that depend on them for sustenance and sanctuary. Native plants promote biodiversity and are more adaptive to the local climate and soil conditions and therefore require less fertilizer or pesticides. Native plants generally require less water and help prevent soil erosion. Accordingly, native species are recommended over and above exotic or non-native species.

Evergreen trees, shade trees, and ornamental trees are recommended and approved species for planted areas and planted buffer areas. Shade trees when planted shall have a minimum size of 2 1/2 inches caliper and a minimum branch height of seven feet. If shade trees are planted in any area on the lot where they will be close to automobiles or at the end of any parking aisle or near the corner of any intersection of any aisle and any other driveway or aisle or in any other location in parking aisles, the trees shall be pruned to remove all limbs at the trunk if at that point the limbs are lower than 10 feet from the ground. All new trees must be staked in accordance with the American Nurserymen's Standards. Trees shall also be protected with deer fencing until the canopies grow to an ample height, or after their second growing season.

All landscaping is to be completed in a good and workmanlike manner, and all planted areas and planted buffer areas are subject to the inspection and approval of the Board prior to the issuance of any permanent certificate of occupancy.

The developer must notify the Planning Board at least 48 hours prior to the installation of any planted material. The Planning Board may adopt resolutions at public meetings creating standard specifications for planted material and planting which, if adopted, shall be adhered to by all persons installing such material.

Substitutions of plants within the same grouping from those shown in plans submitted are allowed, subject to Board approval, where the originally designated plants are not available.