A landscaping plan, with detailed drawings, must be submitted with a required subdivision or land development or in the case where subdivision and/or land development approval is not required prior to building permit application. The landscaping plan must contain and show the following information:

There are four types of buffer yards. Figure 11 illustrates a typical buffer yard and shows the minimum width and number of trees and/or plants required for each 100 lineal feet for each buffer yard. The applicant may either plant new trees or plants or preserve existing trees or plants within the required buffer that meet the requirements of this section.

Buffer areas required. Buffer areas are required under the following circumstances:

Existing vegetation. Every attempt should be made to preserve existing vegetation when possible. Where trees already exist within the required buffer area, these trees shall remain undisturbed, except that diseased or dead material may be removed. In the event that existing vegetation and/or existing topography provides screening which is adequate to meet the intent of the required buffer area to screen the buildings, activities and parking areas from adjoining properties, the Borough Council, upon recommendation by the Planning Commission, may determine that the existing topography and/or vegetation constitutes all or part of the required buffer area. If such a determination is made, the applicant may be required to record a conservation easement of the depth specified by the Borough Council to guarantee that the existing topography and/or vegetation will not be disturbed or removed from the approved buffer area.

Openings for driveways shall be permitted to cross a required buffer area. Plantings in required buffer areas shall be located so as to not obstruct visibility for traffic entering or leaving the site.

Maintenance required. It shall be the responsibility of the owner/applicant to assure the continued growth of all required landscaping and/or to replace the same in the event of frost, vandalism, disease or other reasons for the discontinued growth of the required trees, shrubs and bushes. Replacement shall be no later than the subsequent planting season.

Deciduous trees. All trees required to be planted shall be a minimum of two inches in diameter at a point one foot above the ground. All required trees shall be a minimum of six feet in height at time of planting measured from the ground adjacent to the planted tree to the top of the tree.

Evergreen trees. All evergreen trees required to be planted shall be a minimum of six foot in height at the time of planting measured from the ground adjacent to the planted tree to the top of the tree.

Shrubs. All shrubs required to be planted shall be a minimum of 24 inches in height at planting.

Illumination shall be by sharp cutoff fixtures with flush-mounted lens cap, with the following exceptions:

Fixtures (including those mounted on a building or other structure) shall be mounted parallel to the ground surface, with the following exceptions:

Pole height shall be a maximum of 25 feet.

Illumination shall not exceed one footcandle at all property boundaries. The one-footcandle illumination shall be measured horizontally on the ground surface and vertically at a five-foot height at the property lines.

All site lighting, including architectural, landscape, and canopy lighting, shall be from a concealed source that is not visible from the property boundaries or public street right-of-way. Lighting associated with a freestanding or building canopy shall be recessed into the canopy.

Where elevation differences exist between a proposed development and adjacent properties, the direct source of lighting shall be shielded from adjacent uses to the extent possible through the use of baffles or shades.

For all residential uses that require parking lots that contain more than 10 parking spaces, the proposed development shall comply with the requirements of the nonresidential use lighting standards above.

All other proposed lighting in residential districts shall be oriented so as not to interfere with adjacent properties. Decorative streetlights shall be designed to minimize impact to existing residential properties.

The height of all fences or walls shall be measured from the finished grade to the top of the fence.

Unless otherwise stated, no fence or wall shall exceed six feet in height.

A fence of no more than 10 feet in height shall be allowed to enclose a private or public tennis court, basketball, or sports courts, provided that the fence is not more than sixty-percent solid.

No operation or activity shall cause or create noise in excess of the sound levels prescribed below:

The following uses or activities shall be exempted from the noise regulations:

In addition to the above regulations, all uses and activities within the Borough shall conform to all applicable county, state and federal regulations. Whenever the regulations contained herein are at variance with any other lawfully adopted rules or requirements, the more restrictive shall govern.

Any upgrade, modification or structural change that materially alters the size or placement of an existing solar PV system shall comply with the provisions of this section.

Before any construction or installation on any solar PV system, except for construction or installation of a solar PV system not to exceed six square feet in area or 1 kW, a permit issued by the Borough shall be obtained to document compliance with this chapter.

Building-mounted systems are permitted to face any rear, side or front yard, as defined in this chapter.

Building-mounted systems may only be mounted on lawfully permitted principal or accessory structures and shall comply with all applicable requirements for accessory uses.

Ground-mounted systems shall comply with all applicable requirements for accessory uses and structures.

The solar PV system must be constructed to comply with the Wilkinsburg Code of Ordinances, Code Enforcement, as amended, and any applicable codes, standards and regulations incorporated into the Wilkinsburg Borough Code of Ordinances, except where an applicable industry standard has been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry under its regulatory authority.

For ground-mounted systems, all exterior electrical lines must be buried below the surface of the ground where possible or be placed in conduit.

Ground-mounted systems must comply with the applicable accessory structure setback requirements, as set forth in this chapter.

The required setbacks are measured from the lot line to the nearest part of the system.

No part of a ground-mounted system shall extend into the required setbacks.

Notwithstanding the height limitations of the zoning district:

Ground-mounted systems may not exceed 12 feet in height.

Building-mounted systems on a sloped roof shall not be required to be screened.

Building-mounted systems mounted on a flat roof shall be set back at least five feet from the roof edge.

Building-mounted systems.

Ground-mounted systems.

Discontinuation/abandonment is presumed when a solar PV system has been disconnected from the net metering grid for a period of six continuous months without being connected to a battery system or has not produced electricity for a period of six months. The burden of proof in the presumption of discontinuation/abandonment shall be upon the Borough.

A solar PV system, including its solar PV-related equipment, must be removed within 12 months of the date of the discontinuance or abandonment or upon the termination of the useful life of the solar PV system.

For ground-mounted and building-mounted systems, removal includes removal of all structural and electrical parts of the ground- or building-mounted system and any associated facilities or equipment and removal of all net metering equipment.

If the property owner fails to remove or repair the vacated, abandoned or decommissioned solar PV system within six months, the Borough reserves the right to enter the lot, remove the system and charge the property owner for all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees, or pursue other legal action to have the system removed at the property owner's expense.

Any unpaid costs resulting from the Borough's removal of a vacated, abandoned or decommissioned solar PV system shall constitute a lien upon the lot against which the costs were charged. Each such lien may be continued, recorded and released in the manner provided by the general statutes for continuing, recording and releasing property tax liens.