12.080 Project Buffering and Screening Requirements

08/14/12; 05/14/19; 04/14/26) The purpose of this subsection is to encourage the most appropriate use of land and to conserve and protect the privacy and value of adjacent permitted uses. Landscaped buffer areas and screening requirements shall be provided as follows: A. Landscape Areas. Required landscape, setback, and yard areas shall be provided as required by the Zoning District requirements as contained in Table 05.040-A, Table 05.040-B, and Table 05.040-C of this Code unless otherwise specified in this section. 1. Berms. Berms may be included and required as part of the landscaped buffer adjacent to public streets and between adjacent land uses. B. Required Screening for Nonresidential Districts adjacent to Agriculture and Residential Areas. When a nonresidential zoning district or use sides or backs upon an agriculture or residential zoning district or an existing residential use, landscaped buffer areas and screening requirements shall be as follows: 1. A screening treatment of not less than eight feet in height shall be required on the property line separating these zoning districts or uses. When a screening treatment is required it shall be the responsibility of the nonresidential use to provide the required screening treatment. Where there is a difference in the grade of the properties on either side of the required fence, the height of the fence shall be measured from the property with the highest grade or in such a way that provides the greatest possible visual screening for the Agriculture or Residential Zoning District (see Figure 6). The eight foot height requirement can also be met with a 6 foot fence on top of a two foot stem wall. 2. The height of the screening treatment shall be reduced in clear view areas or where they may impact sight visibility with a driveway as specified in Section 12.070 Figure 6. Example landscaped buffer including large trees, low shrubs, tall shrubs, and a six-foot sight obscuring fence. 3. A landscaped buffer with a minimum width of 12 feet for all one-story buildings with a building height of 20 feet or less shall be provided. All buildings over 20 feet in height shall provide an additional one foot of buffer width to the minimum 12 feet for every one foot of additional building height. The additional buffer area for buildings over 20 feet in height may contain parking areas and drive isles as long as the minimum 12-foot landscaped buffer is maintained along the property line and the amount of hard surface is not more than 50% of the total required buffer area. The landscape buffer shall be designed and installed in a manner that is attractive and easily maintained. The buffer shall be planted with shrubs, trees, and sod, for the purpose of buffering, screening, and improving the visual quality of the site. At least 25% of the landscaping shall be evergreen. Deciduous trees shall have a minimum caliper of two inch and evergreen trees shall have a minimum height of six feet. Shrubs shall be a minimum five-gallon size. 4. The landscaped buffer requirements may be modified as deemed appropriate by the Planning Commission if the following conditions apply: (a) the adjacent property owner consents in writing to the modification; and (b) the adjoining property is identified on the General Plan Land Use Map as a nonresidential land use designation. 5. The determination derived from the Right to Farm Analysis shall take precedence over any buffer reduction. C. Required Screening for Mixed Use Districts adjacent to Agriculture and Residential Areas. 1. When a Mixed Use Zoning District or use sides or backs upon an Agriculture or Residential Zoning District or existing residential use, landscaped buffer areas and screening requirements shall be provided as required by the Zoning Administrator, Reviewing Departments, Planning Commission, and City Council sufficient to ensure and maintain the integrity and continued functioning of the adjacent use. 2. The Zoning Administrator, Reviewing Departments, Planning Commission, and City Council shall be guided by, and may impose, the requirements of Sections 12.080(A) and (B) and any other requirement of Section 12.080. 3. If the buffering and screening requirements of Section 12.080(B) are met, approvals may be given according to the underlying approval process for the development request. D. Any screening wall or fence, or other treatment required under the provisions of this section, under a conditional use permit or other requirement, shall be constructed of masonry, reinforced concrete, timber, or other similar suitable permanent materials as approved by the City which do not contain openings. All wall or fence openings shall be equipped with gates equal in height and screening characteristics to the wall or fence. Alternative equivalent screening may be approved through the site plan approval process. Screening fences or walls shall be supplemented by planting or planted buffer strips or berms. E. Developments shall provide for effective screening of rooftop mechanical equipment and vents. F. All outdoor mechanical equipment, storage parking, and equipment or materials storage areas shall be screened. G. All required screening walls shall be equally finished on both sides of the wall. H. Open storage of materials, commodities, or equipment shall: 1. Be located behind the front building line; 2. Observe all yard setback requirements; and 3. Be screened with a minimum six-foot fence or wall or other treatment, pursuant to Sections 12.080 (A) and (B). I. Dumpsters and other refuse storage areas shall be visually screened by an enclosure constructed of the same materials as the primary structure or other approved material.