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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Revising Landscaping Requirements for Parking Lots ORDINANCE NO. 3175 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA, BY REPEALING SECTION 29.50 AS IT NOW EXISTS AND RE-ENACTING A NEW SECTION 29.50 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING DEFINITIONS AND DESIGN CRITERIA TO THE LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS FOR PARKING LOTS; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; ESTABLISHING A PENALTY AND SETTING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ORDAINED, by the City Council for the City of Ames, Iowa: Section One. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa is hereby amended by repealing Section 29.50 as it now exists and re-en- acting a new Section 29.50 as follows: "Sec. 29.50. LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS FOR PARKING LOTS. (1) Statement of Intent. The objective of this provision is to protect and promote the public health, safety, and general welfare by requiring the landscaping of parking lots in such a manner as will serve to reduce the effects of wind and air turbulence, heat and noise, and the glare of automobile lights; to preserve ground water strata; to act as a natural drainage system and ameliorate storm water drainage problems; to reduce the level of carbon dioxide and return pure oxygen to the atmosphere; to prevent soil erosion; to conserve and stabilize property values and to otherwise facilitate the creation of a convenient, attractive and harmonious community; to relieve the blighted appearance of parking lots; and to generally preserve a healthful and pleasant environment. (2) Definitions. (a) Shade Tree (overstory tree) . A deciduous tree, greater than 30 feet in height at maturity -- plant- ed primarily for its high crown of foliage or over- head canopy. (b) Ornamental Tree (understory tree) . A deciduous tree, 30 feet or less in height at maturity -- planted primarily for its ornamental value or screening purposes. (c) Shrub. A woody plant, smaller than a tree, con- sisting of several small stems from the ground or small branches near the ground; may be deciduous or evergreen. (d) Ground Cover. Grass or other spreading plant material used to define and cover the ground surface and less than 12 inches in height. (e) Deciduous. A plant with foliage that is shed annu- ally. (f) Evergreen. A plant with foliage that persists and remains green year-round. (g) Parking Lot. An area not within a building or other structure where motor vehicles may be stored for the purpose of temporary, daily, or overnight off- street parking. This definition shall include motor vehicle displays or storage lots. (3) Parking Lot Landscaping Plan. (a) No parking lot of 16 or more spaces shall be con- structed, enlarged or reconstructed (excluding repaving) in the City of Ames until a parking lot landscape plan for that parking lot has been ap- proved by the Department of Planning and Hous- ing. The area surrounding and within the parking lot devoted to landscaping shall be equal to or greater than ten (10) percent of the gross area of the paved surface of the parking lot, measured from the back of the curb. Such measurements shall exclude stem-type, ingress and egress drive- ways, leading to the parking lot. The Department shall not approve any parking lot landscape plan submitted to it pursuant to this section unless it conforms to the requirements of this section. (b) Parking lot landscape plans shall be prepared and submitted in accordance with these provisions and the provisions contained in "Submittal Require- ments", of Section 29.49(4) which is part of the "Site Plan Requirements" section of this chapter. 2 (c) Parking Lot Landscape Design Criteria. All park- ing lot landscaping shall be of such quality as to improve and enhance the site and its surrounding areas. (d) The primary purpose of the landscaping material used within and around parking lots is to provide shade within the parking lot; to create screening between the parking lot and abutting residential zones, adjacent residential uses, or dissimilar land uses; and to enhance the visual quality of the parking lot area. Shade trees (overstory trees) shall be incorporated into the landscape plan, where they can provide shade within the parking lot, provided they do not interfere with utilities or compete with existing trees within the right-of-way or on adjacent proper- ty. Screening shall be accomplished through the use of shrubs and evergreen plantings. Evergreen plant materials are especially encouraged to provide year-round landscape effectiveness. Fences may also be included as part of the landscape plan to provide screening but only in combination with shade trees, ornamental trees and/or shrubs. Only in unique circumstances, where it can be proven that plant materials will not survive, shall a fence alone be permitted to meet the screening intent of the landscape plan. Effective use of earth berms and existing topography also may be incorporated as a component of the landscape plan to assist in the screening of the parking lot. The inclusion of ornamental trees in parking lot landscape areas in combination with other plant materials is also encouraged to provide screening and to enhance the visual quality of the parking lot, the subject property and the surrounding area. Ground cover shall be planted on all open surfaces in the landscape areas. However, mulch and non- vegetative materials may be placed around the base of trees and shrubs to facilitate maintenance. (e) The landscaping in the planting areas shall be reasonably dispersed throughout the parking lot. (f) In those instances where plant material exists on a parking lot site prior to its development, such landscape material may be incorporated into the landscape plan if it meets the requirements of this chapter. 3 (g) Peripheral Coverage Requirements. Peripheral landscaping shall be required along any side of a parking lot of five (5) or more spaces that abuts adjoining property that is not a right-of-way. A minimum width of five (5) feet at its narrowest part shall be maintained, except as herein provided in Section 29.43. (h) Street Frontage Parking Requirements. Landscap- ing shall be required along any side of a parking lot of five (5) or more spaces that abuts a right- of-way of any street, road or highway. A minimum width of five (5) feet at its narrowest part shall be maintained, except as herein provided in Section 29.43. (i) Interior Planting Areas and Planting Islands or Medians. Interior planting areas and medians shall maintain a minimum width of five (5) feet. A plant- ing island within the parking lot shall include sufficient area to insure proper growth and protect the landscaping materials planted therein. (4) Planting Materials. No materials shall be approved for use in any parking lot landscaping plan that have been judged unsuitable for such use in Ames by the Depart- ment of Planning and Housing. The following are mini- mum standards: (a) All plant materials shall be of a hardiness suitable to the Ames climate. (b) Ornamental trees shall be a minimum of 6 feet in height from ground when planted. (c) Shade trees shall be measured by trunk diameter and shall be a minimum of 12 inch caliper. (d) Plant materials used for screening purposes shall provide effective screening by the third growing season. (5) Maintenance. The owners and their agent shall be re- sponsible for providing, protecting, and maintaining all landscaping in health and growing condition, replacing it when necessary, and keeping it free of refuse and de- bris. (6) Performance Guarantee. A bond, cash escrow or letter of credit in a sum established by the Director of Plan- ning and Housing shall be provided to guarantee the satisfactory completion of parking lot landscape plan if the landscaping cannot be completed prior to occupancy due to the time of year. 4 (7) Appeals. Any person aggrieved by the decision of the Director of the Department of Planning and Housing, made pursuant to this section may appeal such decision to the Zoning Board of Adjustment in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 29.64 of this chapter." Section Two. Violation of the provisions of this ordinance shall constitute a municipal infraction, punishable as set out in Section 1.9, Ames Municipal Code. Section Three. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith shall be repealed to the extent of such conflict if any. Section Four. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and publication as required by law. Passed this 26th day of May 1992. fancy ion1g1 City- Clerk Larry Curtis, Mayor 0196 5