Chapter 10 Tree Canopy, Landscaping and Open Spaces Part 2 Landscape Design Page 1 of 3

A well designed landscape, when made an integral Part of a development plan, provides aesthetic appeal and makes an important contribution to the health, safety, and general welfare of the community by:

  1. Reducing noise pollution, air pollution, and visual pollution;
  2. Lowering air temperatures and glare associated with heat islands, large impervious surfaces and reflected sunlight;
  3. Improving the appearance of vehicular use areas (VUAs) and property abutting public rights-of way, and;
  4. Preserving, protecting, and promoting the aesthetic appeal, character, and value of surrounding properties

Open space and Landscape Buffer Areas (LBA) are one of several options to provide needed relief from the effects of urbanization and make an important contribution to the health, safety, and general welfare of the community by:

  1. Creating suitable transitions where varying forms of development adjoin;
  2. Minimizing the negative impacts resulting from adjoining incompatible land uses;
  3. Decreasing storm water run off volumes and velocities associated with impervious surfaces, and;
  4. Filtering air borne and water borne pollutants.

10.2.1 Relationship to the Comprehensive Plan

The landscape design regulations proscribed by this Part are intended to implement the following Cornerstone 2020 Comprehensive Plan Goals and Plan Elements.

Goals Plan Elements
Community Form Goals C4; D4;
E4; F4; G4; H4; J4 Livability Strategy Goal F2		 Guidelines 1, 2, 3, 13

10.2.2 Applicability

NEW DEVELOPMENT - No site development, building or structure shall hereafter be constructed nor vehicular use area (VUA) created unless landscaping is provided as required by the provisions of this part. Any building, structure or VUA that in its entirety is removed and reconstructed, or relocated to a new on-site location, shall be considered new development for purposes of this part. Any VUA that in its entirety is changed from gravel, stone or similar material to asphalt or concrete pavement shall be considered new development for purposes of this part.

  1. Existing Development is subject to this Part as defined below:
    1. Any increase/expansion of an existing building/structure’s square footage by 20% or more
    2. Any expansion of an existing VUA square footage by 20% or more or a change of 20% or more of VUA surface from gravel, stone, or similar material to asphalt or concrete pavement (semi-pervious pavers exempted)
    3. Any increase in the combined square footage of building/structure and VUA (as described in #2) of 20% or more of the combined square footage.
  2. When such improvements are made, the following landscape provisions shall be required:
    1. Expansion by greater than 20% and less than 50% - only the area of new improvements shall be subject to the requirements of this part.
    2. Expansion by 50% or greater - the entire site shall be subject to the requirements of this part.
  3. Small Sites (development which in its entirety occupies a site measuring no more than 10,000 square feet):
    1. Expansion by greater than 20% and less than 50% - no landscaping required.
    2. Expansion by greater than 50% - only the area of new improvements shall be subject to the requirements of this part..

CHANGE OF USE - Change in the use of property, from a use not required to provide landscaping and buffering to a use that is regulated by this part, shall necessitate the provision of landscaping and buffering as required by this part.

NON-CONFORMANCE – No changes shall be made to sites that do not conform to this Part of Chapter 10 that would increase the non-conformance with this part. Existing Landscape Buffer Areas, screening, and plant material on non-conforming sites that partially meet the requirements of this Part shall be retained.

Planting and Buffering required in this Part can count towards requirements in other parts of this regulation. However, compliance with Chapter 10 Part 2 does not substitute for compliance with other applicable Parts of this regulation.

10.2.3 Landscape Buffer Area Requirements

Landscape Buffer Areas minimize the potential for nuisances created when zoning districts or land uses of varying intensities abut, and shall be required for all new construction subject to these regulations. Landscape Buffer Area requirements shall be applied along property or right-of-way lines and at the perimeter of Vehicular Use Areas. Landscape Buffer Areas shall also be applied adjacent to designated Parkways and Scenic Corridors.

Landscape Buffer Areas shall be provided on the site of the more intense use or zoning district except when the more intense use was present prior to the effective date of this regulation. When more than one Landscape Buffer Area requirement applies, the more restrictive standards shall be used.

10.2.4 Property Perimeter Landscape Buffer Areas

  1. Step 1 Determine intensity class for the proposed use and adjacent sites.
    General Requirements: Property Perimeter Landscape Buffer Areas shall be applied along all property boundaries of sites affected by this ordinance except for those boundaries adjacent to streets.

    Zoning Districts and their associated land uses have been grouped into the following five intensity classes for the purpose of applying property perimeter Landscape Buffer Area requirements; refer to Table 10.2.1.

    Table 10.2.1 Intensity Classes and Zoning Districts

    INTENSITY CLASS ZONING DISTRICTS
    1 R-R, R-E, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, PRD, R-5B, PVD,
    PD (single family residential use)
    2 R-5A, R-6, R-7, U-N, TNZD, Institutional Uses, PD
    (multi-family residential use)
    3 R-8A, OR, OR-1, OR-2, OR-3, OTF, C-R, W-1
    (residential use) , W-2 (residential use), PD (office use)
    4 C-N, C-1, C-2, M-1, C-M, PTD, W-1(commercial use),
    W-2 (commercial use), PD (commercial use), PEC
    (commercial use)1, PRO1
    5 M-2, M-3, EZ-1, PD (industrial use), PEC (industrial uses),
    W-1 (industrial use), W-2 (industrial use), utility substations,
    landfills, treatment plants or similar uses

    1These Zoning Districts have additional landscape and buffering requirements.



    Step 2 Based on intensity class of proposed and adjacent uses, determine applicable entries in Tables 10.2.3 and 10.2.4
    CUP sites located in a residential zoning district shall provide buffering as per the requirements for uses permitted in the C-1 Zoning District, or alternative buffering and landscaping as approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment.

    Exceptions to the buffering requirements can be found in Section 10.2.5

    All development subject to this Part, as defined in Section 10.2.2, shall provide Landscape Buffer Areas and plantings as defined in Tables 10.2.2, 10.2.3 and 10.2.4. Associated with each Landscape Buffer Area requirement is a planting density requirement. The planting density requirement indicates the minimum amount of landscape material to be provided within each Landscape Buffer Area to ensure an appropriate screen.

Table 10.2.2 LBA Size and Planting Requirements

Intensity Class of
Adjacent Site		 Proposed Use
2 3 4 5
1 B.2** B.3 C.4 D.4
2 A.2 C.4 D.4
3 B.4 C.4
4 A.1
Step 3 Select Buffer Yard width option
and associated planting multiplier.

**- Letter entries in this table reference Table 10.2.3; numbers refer to requirements of Table 10.2.4.

Table 10.2.3 Property Perimeter Landscape Buffer Areas

Landscape Bugger
Area Type		 Width Options
(in feet)		 Planting Density
Multiplier2
A 51 2
10 1.5
15 1
B 101 1.5
15 1.5
20 1
C 151 1.5
25 1.5
35 1
D 251 1.5
35 1.5
50 1

1This option is only available in the Traditional Neighborhood, Traditional Workplace and Traditional Marketplace Corridor Form Districts.
2The Planting Density Multiplier allows for a reduction in the size of Landscape Buffer Areas with a provision of an increased number of trees to offset the reduction in buffer width. (A “2” multiplier requires twice the number of trees to be planted as required in Table 10.2.4.)