A.
The Village of Pittsford recognizes the value of trees and landscaping
and that the preservation and enhancement of these resources is necessary
to protect the health, safety and welfare of Village residents.
B.
Landscaping is considered an integral part of site design, offering
shade and habitat, impeding soil erosion, providing water absorption
and retention to inhibit excess runoff and flooding, enhancing air
quality, offering a natural barrier to noise and enhancing property
values and providing scenic beauty.
C.
It is the purpose of the standards and requirements of this article
to achieve the following objectives:
(1)
Establish minimum standards and criteria for landscaping for
multifamily and nonresidential development in the Village, including
parking areas.
(2)
Dissuade the unnecessary clearing and disturbing of land to
preserve the natural and existing growth of flora.
(3)
Ensure the replacement of removed flora, or to establish new
flora that is indigenous to the region.
(4)
Reduce the effects of wind and air turbulence, noise, and the
glare of automobile lights.
(5)
Provide unpaved areas for the absorption of stormwater runoff,
prevention of soil erosion, and improvement of parking area aesthetics.
(6)
Conserve and stabilize property values, preserve a healthful
environment, and facilitate the creation of a convenient, attractive
and harmonious community environment.
(7)
Provide a visual buffer between properties and dissimilar uses.
A.
A landscape plan shall be submitted and approved as a part of the
site plan review process.
B.
The landscape plan shall be drawn to scale, including dimensions
and distances, and shall clearly delineate:
C.
The landscape plan shall delineate the location and description of
all existing and proposed trees, shrubs and plantings. To insure proper
protection of plantings and planted areas, landscape materials to
be used on the site shall be identified in a planting schedule to
be included on the landscape plan with the following information:
D.
The landscape plan shall include all existing plant materials that
are to be removed from the site and such other information as may
be required by the Planning Board.
E.
Landscape plans should include a variety of trees, shrubs, and ornamental
planting (annuals and perennials) as part of the site design. The
mixing of trees and shrubs helps to avoid a uniform, unnatural appearance,
and to protect against extreme loss due to disease or infestation.
F.
The Planning Board may require landscape plans to be prepared, signed
and stamped by a New York State licensed or registered landscape architect.
A.
Plant and landscape materials shall be compatible with soil conditions
on site and the regional climate. Native plant species are encouraged.
B.
Landscape plantings should be designed to stage blooms and have color
throughout the growing season. Ornamental plant material, such as
flowering trees and shrubs, perennials, and ground covers, are encouraged.
C.
Plastic or other artificial plantings or vegetation are prohibited.
D.
The planting of Callery Pear Trees, such as Bradford or Cleveland
Pear Trees, is prohibited.
E.
All grasses, trees, and plant material shall be in accordance with
those appropriate for the Plant Hardiness Zone of the Village of Pittsford
as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture.
F.
Under no circumstance shall any site include plant material that
is considered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
to be a prohibited and regulated invasive species per 6 NYCRR 575.3
or substituted regulation thereof.
G.
Applicants are encouraged to refer to the Cornell University recommended
urban trees lists for appropriate tree species to be located within
the Village.
A.
All projects shall have landscaping equal to a minimum expenditure
of 1% of the total project cost. Landscaping shall be considered as
any living plant but shall not include excavating, earthmoving, fill,
grading or paving associated with the normal requirements of building.
In addition, all projects shall contain on the site, on or in the
building, but not to include the inside of an apartment, employee
space, assembly or storage area, artwork of a minimum expenditure
of 1/2 of 1% of the total project cost. Artwork may be paintings,
sculptures, gardens, fountains, pools or other artwork approved by
the Village.
B.
If the minimum requirements herein are insufficient to provide adequate
buffering, the Planning Board may require additional height, thickness,
or other appropriate measures to achieve the highest quality of screening
as practicable.
C.
Any and all vegetative buffering shall provide year-round visual
screening, either as a result of the nature of the plantings themselves
or with the combination of other materials, such as solid wood stockade
fencing.
E.
Ground cover should be provided at a rate of at least 30% of the
total lot area. All areas shall be landscaped with an appropriate
balance of trees, conifers, shrubs, ornamental plantings and grasses
to create a naturalized appearance on the site.
F.
The arrangement and spatial location of landscaped areas shall be
designed as an integral part of the site development and disbursed
throughout the site, and not just located around the perimeter.
G.
Provisions for snow removal and snow storage must not adversely impact
landscaped areas. Any area damaged as the result of snow removal or
storage activities must be fully restored in accordance with the approved
landscaping plan within the next planting season.
H.
Upon approval of the Planning Board, ornamental lighting and street
furnishing may be incorporated within landscaped areas.
A.
Grass areas shall provide continuous, uniform, and consistent coverage
of the lot.
B.
Grass areas may be sodded, plugged, sprigged, hydro-mulched, or seeded
except that solid sod shall be used in swales or other areas subject
to erosion.
C.
In areas where other than solid sod or grass seed is used, over-seeding
shall be sown for immediate effect and protection until coverage is
otherwise achieved.
D.
Replacement or over-seeding mixes shall match or compliment the original
lawn installation.
At the discretion of the Planning Board:
A.
Screening and buffering.
(1)
Off-street parking and loading spaces shall be screened from
public view from the Erie Canal, conservation easement lands, and
streets.
(2)
Parking and/or loading facilities shall be screened from abutting
streets and properties by a solid wall, fence, compact evergreen hedge
or planting screen consisting of one or a combination of the following:
(a)
A wall or fence of uniform appearance. Such wall or fence shall
be opaque and shall be at least four feet in height as measured from
the finished grade of the parking or loading area which it is intended
to screen. There shall be a landscaped strip with a minimum width
of three feet between the base of the wall or fence and any street,
right-of-way or abutting property line.
(b)
An evergreen hedge or planting screen not less than five feet
in width nor less than six feet in height, measured as specified above.
Such evergreen hedge or planting screen shall be densely planted and
shall consist of plant materials which may be expected to form a year-round
screen.
(c)
A landscaped earth berm at least four feet in height and 18
feet in width.
(3)
Such wall, fence, hedge or planting screen shall be located
at least five feet distant from the side lot line of the adjoining
lot in any residence district; provided, however, that at a point
at least 60 feet back of the street line of such adjoining lot or
as far back of the street lot line as the rear wall of any dwelling
on such adjoining lot, whichever distance is greater, a fence or hedge
may be located up to three feet distant from such lot line, and an
unpierced masonry wall may be located not less than six inches from
such side lot line.
(4)
Where properties abut lands protected by conservation easement,
historically appropriate landscaping (e.g., rows of sugar maples)
shall be provided to protect viewsheds and the historic integrity
of the rural landscape.
(5)
Parking areas must also be screened along side and rear lot
lines bordering residential uses or districts. Such screening shall
consist of fencing, landscaping, or some combination thereof which
is densely planted with a mixture of trees and shrubs to create an
effective visual barrier. Such screening shall maintain a height of
at least six feet.
B.
Landscaping, islands, and medians.
(1)
Outdoor parking facilities containing 15 or more spaces shall
contain interior landscaping equivalent to at least 5% of the paved
area of the parking facility.
(2)
An interior planting area shall consist of at least 20 square
feet, with no dimension of less than four feet. Interior planting
areas shall be distributed within the parking facility.
(3)
At least one tree shall be provided for each 10 parking spaces,
located within an island or median in conformance with this section.
Such tree shall have a caliper of at least 3 1/2 inches at the
time of planting, be of a species characterized by rapid growth and
hardiness for location within a parking area, and shall have a height
at maturity of over 30 feet.
(4)
Due to heat and drought stress and vision clearances, ornamental
and evergreen trees are not recommended.
(5)
The dimensions of all islands and medians shall be a minimum
of eight feet wide at the shortest side to protect plant materials
installed therein and ensure proper growth (see Figure 1).
(6)
Landscaped islands shall be protected with concrete curbing
a minimum of six inches in height.
(7)
Low shrubs and ground covers will be required in the remainder
of the landscaped area. Effective use of earth berms and existing
topography is also encouraged as a component of the landscaping plan.
(8)
Landscaped islands shall be utilized in parking areas to separate
parking stalls into groupings of not more than 20 spaces between islands
(see Figure 1).
(9)
No more than 20 spaces shall be provided in a row without separation
by an interior driveway and by a landscaped area. In the case of double
rows, this section shall mean 20 spaces on each side of the designated
parking area.
Figure 1: Parking Lot Configuration
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Where the rear yard of a multifamily dwelling or nonresidential
use abuts or adjoins that of a residential district or use, the following
shall be required:
A.
A solid wall, stockade fence, or planting screen at least five feet
in height.
B.
Where the abutting residential lots are less than 100 feet in depth,
the method of screening shall be located along the lot line of the
adjoining lots in the residential district at the discretion of the
Planning Board.
A.
All mechanical equipment, including, but not limited to, generators,
HVAC systems, and transformers, must be screened from public view
and adjacent properties.
B.
Mechanical equipment located at ground level shall be screened with
a solid wall, fence, vegetation, low berm, or some combination thereof.
The height of all enclosures and screening shall be no less than the
height of the equipment.
C.
Mechanical equipment located on the rooftop shall be screened with
solid parapet walls, decorative fencing, and/or gables. Integration
with the design and architectural style of the principal structure
is required.
D.
Mechanical equipment shall be located, screened, and enclosed so
as to avoid creating noise, odor, vibration, or other nuisance issues.
E.
In the event that screening and/or enclosure is not in the jurisdiction
of the Historic Preservation Board, then the Planning Board will have
jurisdiction during site plan review.
A.
All landscaping and screening must be maintained in accordance with
the most current and valid approved site plan for the property.
B.
The property owner, or his designated agent, shall be responsible
for the proper care and maintenance and replacement, if necessary,
of all fencing, landscaping, and screening materials in a good and
healthy condition.
C.
Maintenance shall include, but not be limited to, watering, weeding,
mowing (including trimming at the base of fencing), fertilizing, mulching,
proper pruning, and removal and replacement of dead or diseased trees
and shrubs on a regular basis.
D.
All landscaping and plant material that is missing, dead, decaying,
or injured as of September 30 shall be replaced by June 30 of the
following year at the property owner's expense. The replacement shall
be of the same species and size unless otherwise approved by the CEO.
E.
Irrigation systems shall be designed to minimize spray on buildings,
neighboring properties, roads or sidewalks; and maintained in proper
operating condition and conserve water to the greatest extent feasible
through proper watering techniques.
