Chapter 10 Tree Canopy, Landscaping and Open Spaces Part 2 Landscape Design Page 2 of 3

Table 10.2.4 Planting Density and Screening

Planting Density Requirement Categories (per 100 linear feet)
1	2	3	4
2 Large (Type A), Medium (Type B) or Small (Type C) tree + 3 foot screen	2 Large (Type A) or Medium (Type B) trees + 6 foot screen	3 Large (Type A) or Medium (Type B) (min. 50% Large (Type A)) trees + 6 foot screen	3 Large (Type A) or Medium (Type B) (min. 75% Large) (Type A)) trees + 8 foot screen

Step 4 Identify required plantings and screening

Example: In the Neighborhood Form District, construction of a C-1 retail establishment (Intensity Class 4) is proposed adjacent to the R-4 district (Intensity Class 1). A “C.4” buffer is required. A 35 foot buffer strip, 8 foot screening fence and 3 large trees per 100 feet of perimeter are required. The developer has the option of decreasing the buffer to 25 feet, and increasing the number of trees to 4.5 per 100 feet of common boundary with the R-4 property. If the site were in the Traditional Neighborhood Form, the developer would have the option of a 15 foot buffer, with 4.5 trees per 100 feet.

Appendix 10A classifies tree species as type A, B, or C

Retaining walls are not permitted within a required landscape buffer area.

Explanatory Text and Exceptions: Property perimeter Landscape Buffer Areas may contain walks, trails, or other similar elements, provided that the required plant material (as defined in the Part to follow) is not eliminated and the Landscape Buffer Area is at least 25 feet wide. Property perimeter Landscape Buffer Areas shall be free from all other development including buildings, parking, driveways or other structures except those attendant to public utility service within a dedicated easement. Outdoor storage or stockpiling of materials is not permitted within property perimeter Landscape Buffer Areas.

Utility easements (e.g., drainage, sewer, gas/electric) are allowed to encroach into as much as 50% of the required width of property perimeter Landscape Buffer Areas provided the required screening can still be achieved and the design of such facilities is compatible with the purpose of the Landscape Buffer Area. If work is required within the easements causing removal or damage of landscape materials (including any required fences, walls or berms), the property owner shall be responsible for replacement of materials according to the approved landscape plan. Type ‘C’ trees may be planted under overhead utility lines at a minimum spacing of 1 tree per 30 feet of lineal boundary with approval of utility company to meet perimeter tree planting requirement.

The landscape material and buffer area required generally shall be provided by the property owner of the higher intensity activity. If the higher intensity use is already developed and the landscape material and buffer area, required in Chapter 10 has not been provided, the lower intensity use shall provide the required landscaping. If the requirements of this chapter have been fully complied with on an adjoining property, the property owner is not required to duplicate them along the common boundary.

Property perimeter Landscape Buffer Area requirements for schools, fire stations, and other similar community facilities structures shall be determined, as Part of a Community Facility Review, and will be based on the form district, size (square feet), height, and location relative to adjacent land uses.

Private schools and churches are to be considered the same as Intensity Class 3 for the purposes of screening in accordance with this part.

Sites with a Conditional Use Permit that are located in a residential zoning district shall be considered the same as a C-1 Commercial use for the purposes of application of Chapter 10, sites located in non-residential districts will follow the landscaping requirements for the zoning district that they are in, unless the Board of Zoning Adjustment deems a different classification is appropriate.

Screens specified in Table 10.2.4 shall consist of shrubs, fences, berms or walls, individually or in combination, that meet the requirements outlined in Part 4, Implementation Standards. Evergreen tree plantings can be substituted for landscape material specified in Table 10.2.4, placement and species to be approved by Planning Commission staff to ensure an effective screen. The planting density multiplier (Table 10.2.3) does not apply to the minimum screen height established in Table 10.2.4.

In the PEC and PRO Zoning Districts (except for C-1 uses in the City of Jeffersontown): Unless a larger Landscape Buffer Area is required, a 15-ft wide Landscape Buffer Area shall be maintained at all side and rear property lines. The landscape strip shall be planted with a number of Large (Type A) or Medium (Type B) trees equal to 1 tree/75 Lineal feet of boundary. Trees do not have to be evenly spaced. Instead, tree placement should be based on site characteristics and compatibility with other landscaping.

Property perimeter Landscape Buffer Areas, unless specifically prohibited, may also count toward other yard, or setback requirements found elsewhere in these regulations. Property perimeter Landscape Buffer Areas may count towards open space requirements in accordance with Chapter 10 Part 5.

Cellular towers are considered the same as utility substations for the purposes of screening in accordance with this part.

Exceptions to Landscape Buffer Area requirements are as follows:

Property perimeter Landscape Buffer Areas are not required in the Downtown Form Distric
Property perimeter Landscape Buffer Areas separating differing land uses within a Planned Development Zoning District shall not be required to meet the standards set forth in this Part but shall adhere to the Approved Master Plan for each development.

"Type A" in Part 3 refers to landscape buffer area in Table 10.2.3

NOTE: Paragraph 4 exemption applies only to screening; trees specified in Table 10.2.4 are required.

Landscape Buffer Area requirements are waived when a property boundary separates shared parking (as defined in Chapter 9) and may be reduced to Type A between parking when adjoining zoning districts are no more than 1 intensity category apart.

If property in intensity class 2 is developed as patio or town homes with a maximum of 6 units per building and no more than 2 stories, six foot high screening of adjacent single-family property is not required. (Landscaping for attached housing using the ADI regulations can be found in Chapter 4 Part 5.)
When offsite buffering and plantings exist on adjoining property, they may be applied toward the sites landscape buffer planting requirements if the adjacent property owner agrees in writing to preserve the planting materials.
Perimeter property landscape buffers are not required between a multi-family residential zone and a single-family residential zone when the multi-family residential property is developed as a single-family residential use.

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