(a)

Purpose. The purpose of the landscaping standards is to minimize noise, glare, heat, and other nuisance characteristics as well as to improve the environment of the site and surrounding area.

(b)

The specific landscaping, buffer, screening, and planting design specifications required by this article shall be included as part of the site plan and considered as an element of the project in the same manner as paved parking, building construction and materials, setbacks, signage, stormwater, and other elements. Zoning approval for building permit issuance as required by Chapter 6 and applicable building codes will not be granted until after the required landscaping design has been approved. Submitted landscaping plans shall include the species type, height and spread at maturity, opacity at maturity, and location of planting.

(c)

Existing landscaping may be used to meet the requirements of this section provided it meets the purpose and intent and is included on the approved site plan. Such landscaping shall be protected during all phases of site development.

(d)

Plantings shall not obstruct the view of pedestrians or motorists using any street, private driveway, sidewalk, parking aisle or approach to any street intersection.

(e)

Landscape components, including fencing, may be located within required setback areas, subject to the restrictions of section 27-231, Sight triangle, and section 27-232, Walls, fences, hedgerows.

(f)

All plantings called for shall be installed prior to issuance of a final certificate of occupancy. If, at the time of the request for the certificate, the plantings cannot be installed or would be jeopardized by weather, the owner shall specify in writing that the materials will be installed in the next planting season.

(g)

All landscape plantings shall be maintained in the condition required by this article.

(Ord. No. 5107, § 4, 4-27-15)

(a)

If more than one hundred (100) spaces are required, separate parking areas of not more than one hundred (100) spaces shall be provided and shall be separated by landscaped dividing strips, berms and similar elements, being a minimum of six (6) feet in width.

(b)

Parking lots located in residential districts shall be screened by plantings four (4) feet in height and to at least seventy-five (75) percent opacity from the street and existing adjacent single-family and two-family uses in any zoning district and from adjoining R-1 and R-2 zoning districts.

(c)

In addition to above, landscaping shall include at least one (1) standard tree for each ten (10) parking spaces, or any fraction thereof, in the lot. Species acceptable for planting in parking lots are listed in section 27-553.

(Ord. No. 5107, § 4, 4-27-15; Ord. No. 5221, § 1, 4-11-16)

(a)

Tree species identified in the Acceptable Parking Lot Tree List maintained by the city tree board are suitable for planting in off-street parking lots.

(b)

Other tree varieties may be approved on an individual basis. Small flowering trees, sweet gum, and evergreens, while acceptable in other landscaped areas, do not count toward the number of required trees for off-street parking lots. The Missouri Department of Conservation publication, "Missouri Urban Trees," should be consulted for additional information on tree species and preferred use.

(Ord. No. 5107, § 4, 4-27-15)

_____

(a)

Landscape buffers shall be required as an element of all new building projects and infill development based on adjacent zoning district as follows:

Table of Adjacent Zoning District Requiring Landscaping
and Minimum Buffer Types

(b)

Conditional use permits and planned unit developments at a minimum will be required to satisfy the requirements of the underlying zoning district. The planning and zoning commission may require additional landscape buffer plantings during the review of a conditional use permit or a planned unit development.

(c)

Performance standards. All landscape buffers required by this section shall comply with the following minimum standards.

(1)

Landscape buffers shall consist of a combination of plantings designed to achieve the buffer types required by the table of adjacent zoning requiring landscaping and minimum buffer types as follows:

Table of landscape buffer types

(2)

Required landscape buffer plantings shall be installed as follows:

i.

Landscape buffer plantings shall be installed along and within a reasonable distance of the property lines adjacent to the zoning district change.

ii.

Landscape buffer plantings shall be installed so as to not conflict with any rights-of-way or public easements. Any landscaping disturbed through use of such easements will be the property owner's responsibility to repair or replace.

iii.

Landscaping and screening in parking lots as required by section 27-552 shall count towards the required buffer plantings when installed adjacent to the property lines along the zoning district change.

iv.

Trees planted to satisfy the requirements of this article must be at minimum one (1) inch caliper at time of planting.

v.

Required plantings shall be installed on the side of the fence facing the adjacent property.

(3)

In order to promote diversity and prevent disease, a mix of species shall be required when more than ten (10) trees are required in order to satisfy the landscape buffer requirement based on the table of required mix of species.

Table of Required Mix of Species

(Ord. No. 5107, § 4, 4-27-15; Ord. No. 5221, § 2, 4-11-16)