17.30.070 LANDSCAPE

A. General Requirements 1. Intent. The landscape standards outlined in this section are designed to meet the following set of goals: a. To provide for a healthy green landscape and develop a street canopy. b. To improve the appearance of streets and create a buffer between pedestrian and vehicular travel lanes. c. To increase the compatibility of adjacent uses and minimize the adverse impacts created by adjoining or neighboring uses. d. To promote the prudent use of water and energy resources by achieving and maintaining sustainable, functional landscapes. e. To shade large expanses of pavement and reduce the urban heat island effect. f. To enhance the appearance and property values of the community, building sites, and the overall landscape. 2. Applicability. Landscaping, trees, and buffers shall be installed as detailed in the Landscape ordinance. a. The amount of on-site landscape square footage required (not including public right of way) is 20% of site. b. Buffers. Landscape buffers are required according to the provisions in this section with the following exceptions: 1. Shared Driveways. Buffers shall not be required along a property line where a curb cut or aisle is shared between two adjoining lots. 2. Points of Access. Buffering is not required at driveways or other points of access to a lot. c. Streetscape. Landscaping along streets is required as outlined in this section. d. Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, all requirements of the Millville City Municipal Code pertaining to landscape requirements shall apply. e. Street Trees. As outlined in this section and according to the Millville City Municipal Code for appropriate street tree specifications. B. Installation of Landscape 1. Intent. The following provisions aid in ensuring that all required landscaping is installed and maintained properly. 2. Applicability. These provisions apply to landscape installation as required by this section. 3. General Installation Requirements. The installation of landscaping shall adhere to the following standards. a. National Standards. Best management practices and procedures according to the nationally accepted standards shall be practiced. 1. Installation. All landscaping and trees shall be installed in conformance with the practices and procedures established by the most recent edition of the American Standard for Nursery Stock (ANSI Z60.1) as published by the American Association of Nurserymen. 2. Maintenance and Protection. All landscaping and trees shall be maintained according to the most recent edition of the American National Standards Institute, including its provisions on pruning, fertilizing, support systems, lighting protection, and safety. b. Installation. Landscaping shall be fully installed prior to the issuance of a certificate of completeness. 1. If seasonal conditions preclude the complete installation, a cash escrow or irrevocable letter of credit, equal to 1.5 times the installation costs as estimated by a qualified professional. 2. Complete installation is required within nine months of the issuance of the temporary certificate of occupancy or occupancy permit or the cash escrow or letter of credit may be forfeited. c. Plant Size Requirements. At the time of installation all plants shall be the following sizes, unless otherwise noted in this section: d. Condition of Landscape Materials. The landscaping materials used shall be: 1. Healthy and hardy with a good root system. 2. Chosen for its form, texture, color, pattern of growth, and suitability to local conditions. 3. Tolerant of the natural and man-made environment, including tolerant of drought, wind, salt, and pollution. 4. Appropriate for the conditions of the site, including slope, water table, and soil type. 5. Protected from damage by grates, pavers, or other measures. 6. Plants that will not cause a nuisance or have negative impacts on an adjacent property. 7. Species native or naturalized to the Wasatch Front, whenever possible. e. Compost, Mulch, and Organic Matter. Compost, mulch, and organic matter may be utilized within the soil mix to reduce the need for fertilizers and increase water retention. f. Establishment. All installed plant material shall be fully maintained until established, including watering, fertilization, and replacement as necessary. 4. Ground Plane Vegetation. All unpaved areas shall be covered by one of the following. a. Planting Beds. 1. Planting beds may include shrubs, ornamental grasses, ground cover, vines, annuals, or perennials. 2. Nonliving materials such as colored gravel or mulch shall cover the bed area. 3. Annual beds must be maintained seasonally, replanting as necessary. b. Grass. Seeded, plugged, or sodded grass may be planted throughout landscaped areas. 1. Grass shall be established within 90 days of planting or the area must be reseeded, replugged, or resodded. c. Shrubs requirements. 50 shrubs are required per 1 acre of project size. 2 perennials or ornamental grasses count towards 1 shrub 5. Tree Installations. Refer to the list of permitted street tree types. a. Tree Measurement. Tree size shall be measured by caliper at 4 feet above root flare or by container size. b. Tree Maintenance. Tree trimming, fertilization, and other similar work shall be performed by or under the management of an ISA certified arborist. c. Species Composition. Trees planted on a site shall be any combination of permitted species with the following exceptions. 1. For less than 20 required trees a minimum of 2 different species shall be planted. 2. For more than 20 trees a minimum 1 tree species type per every 10 trees up to 50 trees. 3. Exceptions to this provision may be granted by the city planner through review of the landscape plan. d. Tree Spacing. 1. Medium trees shall be planted 20 feet apart. 2. No trees may be planted closer to any curb or sidewalk than as follows unless a permeable surface is provided. e. Tree Requirements. Minimum 10 trees are required per 1 acre of project. Street trees do not count toward this requirement. f. Permeable Surface. For each tree preserved or planted, a minimum amount of permeable surface area is recommended, unless otherwise stated in this ordinance. 1. At least seventy 70% of the canopy limits of preserved trees should have a permeable surface. 2. Planted trees have a suggested minimum permeable area and soil volume based upon tree size. 3. Permeable area for one tree cannot count toward that of another tree. g. Structural Soil. When the soil surface area of a tree will extend below any pavement, structural soil is required underneath that pavement. Structural soil is a medium that can be compacted to pavement design and installation requirements while still permitting root growth. It is a mixture of gap-graded gravels (made of crushed stone), clay loam, and a hydrogel stabilizing agent to keep the mixture from separating. It provides an integrated, root penetrable, high strength pavement system that shifts design away from individual tree pits (source: Cornell University, Urban Horticulture Institute). 6. Irrigation Systems. Permanent irrigation, beyond establishment, is required and shall adhere to the following standards. a. All irrigation systems shall be designed to minimize the use of water. b. Landscape irrigation shall have an automatic clock-activated permanent system. c. The irrigation system shall provide sufficient coverage to all landscape areas. d. The irrigation system shall not spray or irrigate impervious surfaces, including sidewalks, driveways, streets, and parking and loading areas. e. All culinary fed systems shall be equipped with a back-flow prevention device. f. All mechanical systems including controllers and back-flow prevention devices shall be properly screened from public view. g. All controllers shall be EPA Watersense labeled products. C. Street Trees & Streetscape Design 1. Intent. To line all new streets with a consistent and appropriate planting of trees, pavement design, and identity to establish tree canopy for environmental benefit and a sense of identity for all new streets. 2. Streetscape Design Submittal. A consistent streetscape design shall be submitted for approval for all new streets within the development. At a minimum, the submittal shall include the following: a. Street Trees. Trees meeting the minimum street tree requirements below, shall be included in the streetscape design. b. Sidewalk Pavement Design. Sidewalk paving materials and pattern shall be set for each street type. c. Street Furnishings. Benches, seat walls, planters, planter fences, trash receptacles, and bicycle racks at the least shall be specified and quantities and locations listed for each street type. d. Landscape Design. Ground plane vegetation shall be designated for any landscape bed areas, planter areas, and tree wells. e. Lighting. Pedestrian and vehicular lighting shall be specified and locations and quantities noted. 3. Minimum Street Tree Requirements. The following standards apply to the installation of street trees. a. Exception. Street Trees are not required on Alleys. b. Clear Branch Height. Minimum clear branch height is eight feet (8’). c. Street Tree Spacing. Street trees shall be planted as follows. 1. Each Lot is required to have one tree for every 40 feet of street frontage with a minimum of one street tree. 2. Spacing. Medium trees must be spaced a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 40 feet on center. 3. Limited Distance between curb and sidewalk. Where the distance from the back of the curb to the edge of the right-of-way or property line is less than nine feet (9’) with a sidewalk, Applicant shall work with the city planner to determine the appropriate tree species. d. Tree Wells. Where the sidewalk extends from the back of curb to the property line, tree wells shall be utilized. 1. For tree wells adjacent to sidewalks five feet (5’) wide or less, open soil is not permitted. The opening must be covered with a tree grate or pervious pavement. The opening in a tree grate for the trunk must be expandable. e. Street Tree Types. Small and medium trees permitted. See table below for example. D. Parking Lot Frontage Buffer 1. Intent & Applicability. a. Intent. To lessen the visual impact of vehicular areas visible from public street frontages. b. General Applicability. Applies to properties in all districts where a vehicular area is located adjacent to a right-of-way. 1. Exceptions. Vehicular areas along Lanes, except when a residential district is located across the lane; single and two family residences. E. Side & Rear Buffer 1. Intent & Applicability. a. Intent. To minimize the impact that one zoning district may have on a neighboring district and to provide a transition between districts. b. General Applicability. Applies to all properties in all districts that directly abut a residential use. F. Interior Parking Lot Landscape 1. Intent & Applicability. a. Intent. To provide shade, minimize paving & stormwater runoff, and improve the appearance of parking lots. b. General Applicability. All open-air, off-street parking lots in all districts. c. Other Internal Parking Lot Areas. Internal areas not dedicated to parking or drives shall be landscaped with a minimum of one (1) medium shade tree for the first 150 square feet and one medium shade tree for every 650 square feet thereafter. d. Existing Vegetation. Existing vegetation may be credited toward these requirements. e. All landscaped islands are encouraged to accommodate stormwater runoff with slotted curbs, trench drains or similar. G. Screening of Open Storage, Refuse Areas, and Utility Appurtenances 1. Intent & Applicability. a. Intent. To reduce the visibility of refuse areas, and utility appurtenances from public areas and adjacent properties. b. General Applicability. All waste containers, open storage, refuse areas, and utility appurtenances in all districts.