Dimensional standards
Extracted standards
43 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Landscaping & trees
- Landscape plan scale30 ft_per_inch
Plans shall be drawn to a scale of not less than 30 feet to the inch.
- Landscape repair deadline30 days
The owner or agent, upon written notice of the zoning administrator, shall repair or replace any landscape materials, berms, walls, or fencing not meeting the requirements of Subsection (2) above within 30 days.
- Evergreen tree spacing12 ft
Evergreen trees shall not be planted closer together than 12 feet on center, shall be placed 12 feet on center from canopy trees, and shall be spaced ten feet on center from ornamental trees, and shall be placed six feet on center from shrubs.
- Minimum evergreen tree heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.8 ft
Evergreen trees. Height: eight feet if for buffering, six feet otherwise; full branching.
- Minimum hedge heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.2 ft
Hedges. Planted and maintained to form a continuous, solid visual screen at least two feet in height within one year after planting.
- Minimum ornamental tree heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.6 ft
Ornamental trees. Height: six feet.
- Minimum shrub heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.2 ft
Shrubs. Height: two feet.
- Minimum street/canopy tree caliper2 inches
Street and canopy trees. Caliper: two inches.
- Plant distance from fire hydrant10 ft
No plant shall be planted within ten feet of any fire hydrant.
- Plant warranty period18 months
A warranty period of 18 months is required for all plants required by this article.
- Site analysis required for sites of 3 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones. or more3 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
A site analysis is required as part of the landscape plan for any site of three acres or more.
- Tree distance from curb/sidewalk4 ft
trees may be planted no closer than four feet to any curb or sidewalk.
- Credit for existing canopy trees
Existing canopy trees preserved on-site may be used to satisfy the requirements for parking lot landscaping, street tree plantings, and screening required by Section 5.12, Subsection 5.8.3 and Section 5.14 of this article.
- Exceptional tree credit4 trees
Preservation of designated heritage, specimen or memorial trees or trees of exceptional size or age may be credited as four trees for the purposes of this article...
- No disturbance within dripline
No excavation, embankment, or other subsurface disturbance shall be taken within a distance equal to a vertical (drip) line extending from the outermost edge of the tree's canopy to the ground.
- Finished grade change limit near trees6 inches
Finished grade within an area 1.5 times the diameter of the dripline of trees to be saved shall not be six inches higher or lower than the existing ground elevation unless specific alternatives for tree preservation are approved by the zoning administrator.
- No imperviousImpervious coverageThe share of a lot covered by anything water cannot soak through — roofs, drives, patios. surface within 12.5 feet of tree12.5 ft
No impervious surface may be located within 12.5 feet of any tree to be retained, unless specific techniques are used to ensure survivability of the tree.
- Tree removal requires landscape plan
In any commercial or industrial district, or in the common open space of any residential development, when no subdivision or site development plan is sought, any person proposing to remove or destroy any live, healthy tree which is four inches or greater diameter at breast height (DBH), shall first submit, for approval by the zoning administrator...
- Tree replacement requirement
the property owner shall replace such trees with one large tree four inches in caliper and one small tree six to eight feet in height for every 300 square feet of canopy area destroyed.
Other
- Buffer yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates. for outdoor storage20 ft
A 20-foot-wide buffer yard shall be located where necessary to accommodate the screening required in Subsection (2) below.
- Buffer yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates. along W&OD Trail30 ft
For residential sites developed adjacent to the W&OD Trail, a 30-foot buffer yard shall be required along that portion of the site which abuts the trail.
- Maximum park dedication10 pct
Subdividers shall not be required to dedicate land for parks or playgrounds exceeding ten percent of the area of the subdivision, exclusive of street and drainage reservations, without reimbursement.
- Screen heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. for outdoor storage6 ft
An opaque screen at least six feet in height comprised of plants, trees, walls or other opaque materials must be provided.
- Street tree location in residential districts15 ft
In residential zoning districts street trees shall be located generally within 15 feet of the right-of-way.
- Street tree spacing40 ft
One medium or large canopy tree for every 40 feet of street frontage.
Parking
- Divider median minimum width5 ft
Planted divider medians shall have a minimum width of five feet.
- Divider median plant ratio
One tree and five shrubs shall be planted for each 30 linear feet of planted divider median or fraction thereof.
- Divider median shrub ratio
Three shrubs for every five parking spaces.
- Interior aisle island frequency10 spaces
A minimum landscaped aisle island that equals the length of the parking space shall be provided along the aisle for every ten parking spaces.
- Interior aisle island width9 ft
Landscaped islands with a minimum width of nine feet shall be provided at both ends of all interior parking aisles.
- Minimum interior landscape area50 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
No individual landscape area shall be less than 50 square feet.
- Interior landscape ratio20 sqft_per_space
Interior parking lot landscaping areas shall be provided at a ratio of 20 square feet per each required parking space.
- Minimum landscape area for canopy trees145 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
All landscape areas containing canopy trees shall be a minimum of 145 square feet with a minimum width of nine feet, unless an alternative planting plan is approved by the zoning administrator that achieves similar objectives of these standards.
- Maximum distance to shade tree50 ft
The minimum shade tree spacing for interior parking areas shall be such that the center of any parking space is not more than 50 feet from the center of any shade tree.
- Maximum parking spaces between islands18 spaces
No more than 18 parking spaces shall be permitted between planting islands.
- Parking lot tree ratio
One canopy tree for every ten parking spaces and one ornamental tree for every ten parking spaces.
- Parking reduction for tree preservation15 pct
If the preservation of trees involves an area that would otherwise be devoted to required parking and as a result the provisions of required parking cannot be followed, the number of parking spaces required may be reduced by up to 15 percent.
- Perimeter landscape width5 ft
A continuous landscape area at least five feet in width, not including the sidewalk, shall be located between the parking lot and all public streets provided, however, where a tree is planted such width shall be increased to a minimum of nine feet with sufficient planting area to equal no less than 145 square feet.
- Perimeter landscape width (other property lines)3 ft
A continuous landscape area at least three feet in width shall be located between the parking lot and all other property lines.
- Perimeter plant ratio
Two ornamental trees and seven shrubs for each 40 feet of parking lot perimeter shall be planted in the landscape area.
- Perimeter tree spacing (other)30 ft
Buffers not adjacent to public streets shall contain one tree for each 30 linear feet or fraction thereof.
- Perimeter tree spacing along street40 ft
The maximum spacing of planted trees along any perimeter buffer along a public street shall be 40 linear feet or fraction thereof, on center, with a minimum of two trees on any one street frontage.
- Minimum planting island area180 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
A planting island shall be planted with a tree and have a minimum area of 180 square feet.
From the ordinance
The provisions of this article shall apply to all site development plans and subdivision construction plans within the corporate limits approved after the effective date of this ordinance including those which include the reconstruction and enlargement of existing structures.