Dimensional standards
Height & bulk
- Minimum landscaping
- 36%
Servicing
- Geographic extent
- Citywide
Extracted standards
39 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Fencing & walls
- Minimum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. of opaque screening fence6 ft
Six-foot high fence; solid decay resistant wood or otherwise constructed to be permanently opaque with the finished side facing out.
Lighting
- Maximum illumination uniformity ratio4 ratio
Uniformity of illumination over off-street parking areas shall not exceed a ratio of 4:1 wherein the most intensely illuminated areas shall not be more than four times as bright as the least intensively illuminated areas.
Other
- Maximum contour interval for topography2 ft
Topography of the project area with contour intervals of two feet or less.
- Minimum distance of raised landscaping from curb opening25 ft
However, this raised landscaping shall be no closer than 25 feet from a curb opening and shall not create a visual obstruction at an intersection (see Section 18-12-1).
- Minimum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. of dumpster screening
The receptacle site shall be enclosed by screening including, but not limited to decay resistant wood or masonry screening walls equal to or greater in height than the receptacle(s) being screened.
- Minimum width of planting strip between off-street parkingMinimum parkingThe number of off-street spaces a development must provide before it may open. and building3 ft
Foundation planting shall be provided where off street parking area is situated between the building(s) and the street(s). A planting strip or planter at least three feet wide with living upright vegetation (e.g., shrubs) shall be provided between the off-street parking area(s) and the plane of the building(s) parallel to the street(s).
- Minimum curbed unpaved area at base of tree in interior island150 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
If located within an interior island, a curbed unpaved area of at least 150 square feet shall be provided at the base of each tree.
- Minimum on-site landscaped area as percentage of required landscaped area25 pct
In no case shall less than 25 percent of the minimum required landscaped area be provided on-site, unless the project is within the Primary or Secondary Special Assessment District and the project is not new construction on a vacant parcel or a complete demolition of existing structures, then the required landscaped area on-site must be provided by a landscaped area alternative per Sec. 19-5-3.
- Minimum landscaped area width adjacent to public rights-of-way10 ft
A landscaped area at least ten feet wide adjacent to all existing public rights-of-way and private streets provided in lieu of public street frontage shall be provided except that the Commission may allow landscaped areas in the B-1 district to be reduced to four feet in width where a width greater than four feet is deemed less appropriate.
- Minimum landscaped area width in B-1 districtZoning districtA mapped area with one set of rules, identified by a code like R-1 or B-2.4 ft
A landscaped area at least ten feet wide adjacent to all existing public rights-of-way and private streets provided in lieu of public street frontage shall be provided except that the Commission may allow landscaped areas in the B-1 district to be reduced to four feet in width where a width greater than four feet is deemed less appropriate.
- Minimum width of curbed landscaped islands at ends of parking rows9 ft
Curbed landscaped islands at least nine feet in width shall be provided at the ends of all rows of parking spaces.
- Minimum width of curbed landscaped medians separating every sixth row of parking10 ft
Curbed landscaped medians of at least ten feet in width shall be provided separating every sixth row of parking.
- Minimum pavement width for one-way traffic10 ft
The pavement of vehicular travel lanes, driveways, or alleys designed to permit vehicular travel on the site and to and from adjacent property and parking areas shall be not less than 20 feet in width for two-way traffic and ten feet for one way traffic.
- Minimum pavement width for two-way traffic20 ft
The pavement of vehicular travel lanes, driveways, or alleys designed to permit vehicular travel on the site and to and from adjacent property and parking areas shall be not less than 20 feet in width for two-way traffic and ten feet for one way traffic.
- Minimum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. of raised landscaping adjacent to public right-of-way36 in
Where buildings are separated from the public right-of-way by more than 50 feet of off-street parking area, raised landscaping (shrubs, berms, decorative walls, etc.) with a minimum height of 36 inches shall be provided in the landscaped area adjacent to the public right-of-way.
- Maximum percentage of gross landscaped area for recreation in Historic DistrictHistoric districtAn area where exterior changes need design review to protect its character.50 pct
Multifamily residential site plans shall devote 20 percent of the required landscaping, buffering, and recreation area to active and passive recreational facilities (such as playground equipment, swimming pools, ball courts, community buildings with open common areas, etc.), not to exceed 35 percent of the gross landscaped area requirement for projects outside of the Historic District (HW) and not to exceed 50 percent of the gross landscaped area requirement for projects in the Historic District (HW).
- Maximum percentage of gross landscaped area for recreation outside Historic DistrictHistoric districtAn area where exterior changes need design review to protect its character.35 pct
Multifamily residential site plans shall devote 20 percent of the required landscaping, buffering, and recreation area to active and passive recreational facilities (such as playground equipment, swimming pools, ball courts, community buildings with open common areas, etc.), not to exceed 35 percent of the gross landscaped area requirement for projects outside of the Historic District (HW) and not to exceed 50 percent of the gross landscaped area requirement for projects in the Historic District (HW).
- Percentage of required landscaping to be devoted to active/passive recreation for multifamilyMultifamily dwellingA building of four or more dwelling units. Where zoning is most restrictive. residential20 pct
Multifamily residential site plans shall devote 20 percent of the required landscaping, buffering, and recreation area to active and passive recreational facilities (such as playground equipment, swimming pools, ball courts, community buildings with open common areas, etc.), not to exceed 35 percent of the gross landscaped area requirement for projects outside of the Historic District (HW) and not to exceed 50 percent of the gross landscaped area requirement for projects in the Historic District (HW).
- Caliper increase per year for replacement trees0.5 ft
Replacement trees shall be ½ foot caliper larger for each year since initial installation of said required trees, except that no owner shall be required to replace any tree with another tree larger than five inches in caliper.
- Maximum caliper for replacement trees5 in
Replacement trees shall be ½ foot caliper larger for each year since initial installation of said required trees, except that no owner shall be required to replace any tree with another tree larger than five inches in caliper.
- Minimum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. of evergreen trees in double row screening at planting5 ft
Double row of evergreen trees, preferably from the current Site Plan Recommended Tree List, the trees in each row planted not more than ten feet apart, and the trees to be staggered in the two rows. The trees shall be not less than five feet high at the time of planting;
- Maximum spacing between evergreen trees in double row screening10 ft
Double row of evergreen trees, preferably from the current Site Plan Recommended Tree List, the trees in each row planted not more than ten feet apart, and the trees to be staggered in the two rows. The trees shall be not less than five feet high at the time of planting;
- Minimum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. of evergreen trees in single row screening at planting5 ft
Single row of evergreen trees, from the arborvitae species, and preferably from the current Site Plan Recommended Tree List. The trees will be planted in a single row no more than four feet apart and not less than five feet high at the time of planting;
- Maximum spacing between evergreen trees in single row screening4 ft
Single row of evergreen trees, from the arborvitae species, and preferably from the current Site Plan Recommended Tree List. The trees will be planted in a single row no more than four feet apart and not less than five feet high at the time of planting;
- Minimum caliper of shade trees at planting2 in
When planted, these trees shall have a minimum of two-inch caliper, six inches above grade and shall be no closer than 20 feet to each other.
- Minimum mature heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. of large deciduous shade trees40 ft
Large deciduous shade trees with a minimum mature height of 40 feet (preferably from the current Site Plan Recommended Tree List) that are compatible with urban environments shall be used adjacent to public rights of way, within surface parking areas, and along property lines (when screening tall structures).
- Minimum spacing between shade trees20 ft
When planted, these trees shall have a minimum of two-inch caliper, six inches above grade and shall be no closer than 20 feet to each other.
- Site plan expiration period5 years
An approved site plan shall expire and become null and void if no building permit has been obtained for the site in five years after the final approval unless otherwise provided for in the Code of Virginia.
- Land disturbance area threshold requiring site plan2,500 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
Where a change of use or expansion of the same use of land or structures generates additional parking requirement or requires conformity with other requirements herein, or where non-agricultural land disturbance exceeding 2,500 square feet of area is proposed, a site plan shall be submitted for review and approval
- Minimum scale for site plan50 ft per inch
The scale shall not be less than 50 feet to one inch.
- Site plan sheet heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.36 in
All site plans shall be submitted on 24-inch by 36-inch sheets.
- Site plan sheet width24 in
All site plans shall be submitted on 24-inch by 36-inch sheets.
- Surety amount as multiple of installed costs1.5 times
The Planning Director may accept surety in an amount equal to one and one half times the installed costs of the improvements outstanding.
- Minimum distance of trees from building or public right-of-way to be counted20 ft
Trees closer than 20 feet to any building or public right-of-way shall not be counted.
- Maximum parking area per tree2,000 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
At least one tree for each 2,000 square feet of off-street parking area shall be provided within the parking area.
- Minimum area for trees along property lines150 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
Trees shall be provided along property lines between parcels in different zoning districts when the proposed structure will be taller than the maximum height allowed in the adjacent zoning district. At least one tree for each 35 feet of property line and within ten feet of the line shall be provided within an area of at least 150 square
- Maximum distance of trees from property line10 ft
Trees shall be provided along property lines between parcels in different zoning districts when the proposed structure will be taller than the maximum height allowed in the adjacent zoning district. At least one tree for each 35 feet of property line and within ten feet of the line shall be provided within an area of at least 150 square
- Maximum spacing of trees along property lines between different zoning districts35 ft
Trees shall be provided along property lines between parcels in different zoning districts when the proposed structure will be taller than the maximum height allowed in the adjacent zoning district. At least one tree for each 35 feet of property line and within ten feet of the line shall be provided within an area of at least 150 square
- Maximum spacing of trees along public right-of-way or private street frontageFrontageThe length of a lot line that touches a public street.35 ft
At least one tree for each 35 feet of public right-of-way or private street frontage shall be provided within this landscaped area.
From the ordinance
The purpose of these requirements is to promote the orderly development of certain activities in the City and to ensure that such activities are developed in a manner harmonious with surrounding properties and in the interest of the general public welfare.