Wicomico County, MD Landscape, Screening, and Sensitive Areas Standards

General requirements. All areas not devoted to buildings, structures, and related uses (including parking facilities) as required by this chapter shall be landscaped with a combination of grass or other ground cover and either trees or shrubs as provided herein.

(1)

All landscaped areas shall be maintained in a suitable manner.

(2)

The total linear amount of property lines or perimeter of the development site of each lot shall be used as a guide to compute the amount of plantings as required.

(3)

Landscaping/screening buffers on commercial and industrial sites should be of sufficient width to allow incorporation of a berm.

Landscaping of C-1 Select Commercial District. Lots located in the C-1 District shall have the following landscaping requirements:

(1)

The following land areas, except for accessways, shall be landscaped:

(a)

Front: 15 feet in width abutting all property lines abutting a street.

(b)

Side: five feet in width abutting all side property lines.

(c)

Rear: 10 feet in width abutting all rear property lines.

(2)

Abutting residential districts: a screening area of 10 feet in width.

Landscaping of C-2 General Commercial District. Lots located in the C-2 District shall have the following landscaping requirements:

(1)

The following land areas, except for accessways, shall be landscaped with grass, trees or shrubs:

(a)

Front: five feet in width abutting all property lines abutting a street.

(b)

Side: five feet in width abutting all side property lines.

(c)

Rear: 10 feet in width abutting all rear property lines.

(2)

Abutting residential districts: a screening area of 10 feet in width consisting of landscaping and a solid decorative fence or natural evergreen plantings shall be provided.

Landscaping of LB-1 Light Business and Institutional District.

(1)

Substantial amenities, such as landscaped setbacks, high quality appearance and the like should be provided.

(2)

The following land areas, except for accessways, shall be landscaped with grass, trees or shrubs:

(a)

Front: five feet in width abutting all property lines abutting a street.

(b)

Side: five feet in width abutting all side property lines.

(c)

Rear: 10 feet in width abutting all rear property lines.

(3)

Abutting residential districts: a screening area of 10 feet in width consisting of landscaping and a solid decorative fence or natural evergreen plantings shall be provided.

Landscaping of LB-2 Light Business and Residential District. Lots located in the LB-2 District shall be subject to the following landscaping requirements:

(1)

The following land areas, except for accessways, shall be landscaped as required by the Planning Commission:

(a)

Front: 30 feet in width abutting all property lines abutting a street.

(b)

Side: five feet in width abutting all side property lines.

(c)

Rear: 10 feet in width abutting all rear property lines.

(2)

Abutting a residential district: a screening area of 10 feet in width, abutting the property line, consisting of an architecturally solid fence of not less than eight feet in height, with complementary landscaping on both sides of the fence.

Landscaping for industrial properties: I-1 and I-2.

(1)

Front: fifteen-foot wide area abutting the property line.

(2)

Side/rear: ten-foot wide area abutting the property line.

(3)

In addition to the landscaping provisions set forth within this Part 11, lots located in the I-2 District shall be provided landscaping for 20 feet of the required front yard abutting all front setback lines.

CID Corporate Industrial District floating district.

(1)

At a minimum, landscaping shall be provided:

(a)

Front: 30 feet abutting the property line; and

(b)

Side/rear: 20 feet abutting the property line.

(2)

Such landscaping should be well designed to create the effect of a high-quality corporate campus.

PVCD Planned Village Conservation District.

(1)

The applicant shall submit to the Planning Commission a comprehensive landscape master plan for all areas of the village identifying the location and size of both the existing vegetation to be retained and proposed new vegetation, typical planting materials, the phasing of landscape installation, and planting methods.

(2)

Street trees in residential districts: one tree for every 40 feet of street frontage.

PUD planned unit development.

(1)

The applicant shall submit to the Planning Commission a comprehensive landscape master plan for all planted areas including open space areas and peripheral buffers. The landscape master plan shall identify the location and size of both existing vegetation to be retained and proposed new vegetation, typical planting materials, the phasing of landscape installation, and planting methods.

(2)

Street trees in residential districts: one tree for every 40 feet of street frontage.

PIP planned industrial park. All areas of the parcels or area not improved for use by vehicles or covered by a structure, structures, building or buildings shall be landscaped with grass or other ground cover and trees and shrubs or as may be required by the Planning Commission.

§ 225-140 Plan requirements for landscaping and screening.

Applicability. A master landscaping plan or screening plan, prepared by a qualified professional, meeting the standards of this article is required for any development, except applications involving a detached single-family dwelling unit requiring only a zoning authorization and building permit. The homeowners' or property owners' association covenants and restrictions shall include, by reference, a proposed plan for landscaping improvements for single-family subdivisions. Said improvements shall be completed and maintained in accordance with the provisions of those documents.

A master landscape or screening plan shall consist of one or more sheets drawn to scale or combined with a site plan and shall include the following information:

(1)

The approximate location and footprint of all proposed buildings, structures, special natural features and facilities on the site and proposed landscaping areas.

(2)

A tabular summary of type of species, height, diameter, and quantity of shrubbery and trees, including street trees, to be planted within landscaped or screening areas.

(3)

The height, length, type and location of fencing and related planting areas to be used for screening purposes.

(4)

Location of underground and overhead utilities.

(5)

The continuity of proposed open space with adjacent and other nearby open spaces, existing or proposed.

The plan shall be consistent with the specific requirements of a site plan or development plan or the specific requirements for the type of development proposed.

Manufactured home park landscape plans:

(1)

A landscaping plan for a manufactured home park shall be submitted in accordance with Subsection B above.

(2)

The Planning Commission may waive the requirement of a qualified professional where there are six lots or fewer and where existing vegetation may accomplish the same effect. Where this requirement is waived, a competent nurseryman may be used as an alternate.

(3)

Buffer screening shall be provided around the perimeter of the park.

(4)

The Planning Commission, may also require any combination of the following:

(a)

Retention of existing trees.

(b)

A five-foot-high fence.

(c)

Berm.

§ 225-141 Landscaping materials.

Whenever landscaping is required, it shall consist of, as a minimum, a combination of grass, trees and shrubs, including the species and types listed below at the sizes specified, arranged in such a manner as to complement the proposed structure or project and its surrounding nearby neighborhood.

All such materials may be randomly placed on the site.

Landscaping shall emphasize native species trees, shrubs, and grass to reduce maintenance, to help ensure longevity, and to reinforce the natural character of the area.

Species should be selected partly on the basis of their visual appeal during different seasons of the year.

Any applicant may incorporate and combine the mitigation requirements for meeting the provisions of the county's Forest Conservation Act, the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Program, and the state's Non-Tidal Wetlands Act with these provisions. The Planning Commission or Board of Appeals may approve such mitigation plans as a substitute for compliance with these conditions. Any plan may also use existing trees to count toward the requirements of these guidelines.

§ 225-142 Acceptable trees and shrubs.

Agricultural uses in any district shall be excluded from these provisions.

		Number To Be Planted
Plant Material	Caliper/ Size at Planting (minimum)	Two-Family/Multi- family	Manu- factured Home Park	Com- mercial Districts	Light Industrial and Industrial Districts
Shade trees	1 inch/6 feet	1 per 100 feet of perimeter	1 per 100 feet of perimeter	1 per 50 feet of perimeter	1 per 50 feet of perimeter
Decorative trees	1 inch/4 feet	None	None	1 per 50 feet of perimeter	1 per 75 feet of perimeter
Evergreen trees	4 feet	None	None	1 per 100 feet of perimeter	1 per 150 feet of perimeter
Evergreen and deciduous shrubs	18 inches	None	1 per 15 feet of street frontage	1 per 15 feet of perimeter	1 per 40 feet of perimeter
NOTES:
Dwarf and other species may be used only for complementary plantings, and no minimum sizes shall be required.
All trees shall maintain a minimum distance of 20 feet from overhead utilities for species that exceed 30 feet at maturity.

Alternatives. As an alternative to the above requirements for plantings, an applicant may propose and the Zoning Administrator, Planning Commission or Board of Appeals may approve:

(1)

The retention of natural growth on the site to meet the requirements of this section, depending on width, density, and type of natural growth, provided that the Board or Commission may require additional, supplemental plantings to obtain the effect intended by the purpose and intent of these requirements.

(2)

Landscaping consisting of a combination of the plantings listed in this article and alternate plantings of various species and sizes.

(3)

Landscaping consisting of a combination of architectural materials, including fountains, special bricks, interlocking paving, decorative features, statues, and other combinations of landscaping features, materials, or plantings, including street trees.

§ 225-143 Landscaping for public utilities.

All public utilities shall be fully screened.

(1)

Exempt. The following are exempted from the requirements of this section:

(a)

Service structures in the A-1 Agriculture-Rural District.

(b)

Service structures when located more than 35 feet above the established grade.

(2)

Service structures in an industrial district shall be fully screened when located within 100 feet of any district other than industrial.

(3)

For the purposes of this article, service structures shall include propane tanks, dumpsters, air-conditioning units and condensers, electrical transformers and other equipment or elements providing service to a building or a site.

Screening requirements. A continuous planting, hedge, fence, wall, or earth mound shall enclose any service structure or loading zone on all sides unless such structure must be frequently moved, in which case screening on all but one side is required.

(1)

The average height of the screening material shall be one foot more than the height of the enclosed structure, but shall not be required to exceed eight feet in height.

(2)

Whenever a public utility is located next to a building wall, perimeter landscaping material, or parking lot landscaping material, such walls or screening material may fulfill the screening requirement for that side of the service structure if that wall or screening material is of an average height sufficient to meet the height requirement set out in this section.

(3)

Whenever public utilities are screened by plant material, such material may count towards the fulfillment of required interior or perimeter landscaping.

(4)

No interior landscaping shall be required within an area screened for service structures.

Dumpster requirements.

(1)

Every development that provides one or more dumpsters for solid waste collection shall provide sites for such dumpsters that are located so as to facilitate collection and minimize any negative impact on persons occupying the development site, neighboring properties, or public rights-of-way.

(2)

All such dumpsters shall be screened on all sides and include a gate.

(a)

Persons located within any dwelling unit on residential property other than that where the dumpster is located.

(b)

Occupants, customers, or employees located within any building on nonresidential property other than that where the dumpster is located.

(c)

Persons traveling on any public street, sidewalk, or other public way.

(3)

Protection of screening material. Whenever screening material is placed around any trash disposal unit or waste collection unit that is emptied or removed mechanically on a regular basis, a fixed barrier at least 18 inches from the material and shall be of sufficient strength to prevent possible damage to the screening when the container is moved or emptied shall be provided.

§ 225-144 Landscaping of parking facilities.

Intent. It is intended that the application of the landscape standards set forth below will reduce the visual and environmental impacts of parking areas. Breaking up of paved parking areas with plantings will provide improved aesthetics and micro-climatic benefits by reducing heat and glare.

Landscaping criteria.

(1)

The primary landscaping material in all parking lots shall be trees which, at maturity, are capable of providing shade or adequate to provide screening from adjacent uses.

(a)

Shrubbery, hedges, and other planting materials may be used as complementary plantings.

(b)

Landscaping and planting areas shall be dispersed throughout the parking lot.

(c)

The interior dimensions and height of any planting island or planting median must be sufficient to protect the landscaping materials planted therein and to ensure proper growth.

(2)

Perimeter requirements for all off-street parking facilities.

(a)

A planting strip shall be provided at least five feet wide abutting any sidewalks or eight feet wide abutting the property line parallel to the sidewalk. Where the parking lot does not abut a property line or sidewalk, a three-foot planting area shall be provided.

(b)

A minimum five-foot wide screening area shall be provided along all property lines abutting a residential district.

(3)

Islands. For parking lots for 25 or more vehicles, landscaped islands shall be provided.

(a)

Such islands shall have an average width of eight feet, bordered by six-inch-high asphalt or vertical or rolled concrete curbs, within the six feet at the ends of all parking bays abutting an aisle or driveway.

(b)

All such islands shall be landscaped with trees, shrubs, grass and similar vegetation which may be combined with crushed stone or other decorative materials.

(c)

No more than 10 parking spaces may be located in a continuous arrangement without a landscape divider at least six feet in width.

(d)

For groups of 10 or more spaces, the six-foot divider shall be centered as evenly as possible and may be combined with decorative walkways.

(e)

In addition, a landscape island shall be located at each end of all parking aisles.

§ 225-145 Screening, fencing and slope requirements.

Purpose. The following regulations are intended to protect the property, health, safety and welfare of occupants and users of land.

(1)

Whenever screening is required, the following minimum screening materials may be used in any combination to accomplish the purpose and intent for which the screening is required.

Acceptable materials and sizes. Additional types of landscaping and screening materials or other landscaping amenities may be used, subject to the approval of the Planning Commission, Zoning Administrator, or Board of Appeals but in no case shall landscaping or screening be less than that necessary to accomplish the purpose and intent for which the screening is required.

(1)

Eight-foot-high solid wood, metal, brick, concrete, or otherwise architecturally solid fence.

(2)

Eight-foot-high chain link fence with slat inserts where view is to be obscured.

(3)

Berms, or berms with fence installed or berms with trees and shrubs planted, or any combination thereof; sufficient to provide a barrier at least six feet in height (measured from the bottom of the berm).

(4)

Plantings which will have a minimum height of six feet at maturity.

Location. Whenever a fence is installed as a screen, it shall be located at least three feet from any abutting property line and landscaping shall be provided in accordance with § 225-143.

Retention of existing natural vegetation depending on width, density, and type, provided that the Planning Commission or Board of Appeals may require additional, supplemental plantings to obtain the effect intended by the purpose and intent of this requirement.

§ 225-146 Use requirements.

Excavations. For any excavation greater in depth than five feet:

(1)

There shall be slopes of a gradient not steeper than four to one completely surrounding the excavation for the protection of property and to promote safety for the public.

(2)

The excavation shall not be closer to a public highway than 100 feet, and after the active operation of removing stone, sand, gravel, clay or topsoil ceases, the whole pit or excavation shall be backfilled or shaped so as to provide a slope on all sides having a gradient not greater than four to one.

(3)

If said excavation is not backfilled, adequate drainage shall be provided if the Board deems advisable for the protection of the surrounding neighborhood.

(4)

These requirements shall apply to any:

(a)

Quarry.

(b)

Borrow pit.

(c)

Other hole, pit or excavation other than a building excavation.

Farm-related business:

(1)

Any outside storage of supplies, materials, or products shall be located behind the building in which the farm-related business is conducted, and screened from view from abutting roads.

(2)

Screening must be provided when a farm-related business is located adjacent to any property used principally for residential purposes.

Outside storage.

(1)

Requirements:

(a)

For the following uses, there shall be provided:

[1]

A wooden, chain link or masonry fence which shall contain no opening greater than two inches and which is not less than six feet in height; or

[2]

A suitable living fence of the same height.

(b)

Such fence, as further required for the following outside storage uses, shall be set back:

[1]

From all street lines at least 15 feet; and

[2]

From abutting lot lines at least 10 feet, with an area of approved plants and trees abutting all lot lines.

(c)

Diking of petroleum bulk storage tanks shall be in accordance with the State Fire Code of Maryland.

(2)

Uses.

(a)

Such fences shall be erected completely surrounding:

[1]

Electric substations.

[2]

Bulk storage of petroleum products.

[3]

Wireless telecommunications towers and antennas.

(b)

Such fences shall be erected completely around the following uses, except when they are located in an industrial district where such a fence shall be required only when adjacent to a residential or agricultural district:

[1]

Lumberyard.

[2]

Building supply yard.

[3]

Coal or wood yard.

[4]

Contractor's yard.

[5]

Bulk storage yards where either equipment or supplies are stored or where outdoor assembly or fabrication occurs.

(3)

All outside storage and vehicle parking areas are fully screened from view from a public right-of-way and neighboring properties.

Outdoor theaters. The structures, fence or parking shall be set back at least 100 feet from the highway, and there shall be provided a service road, for entrance and exit, on the theater property, with access to the public highway at two points each distant at least 200 feet in opposite directions from the center of the property. No outdoor theater screen shall be visible in total or in part at any angle from either a secondary or primary highway.

Shopping centers.

(1)

Landscaping shall be provided in accordance with a master landscaping plan submitted in conjunction with the development plan.

(2)

Screening. Whenever a shopping center is located adjacent to a residentially developed lot, a permanent solid fence or planted area with trees or shrubs shall be provided on the side or sides adjacent to such residentially developed lot sufficient to act as a buffer to the transmission of light and sound from the center.

The following uses have particular screening and landscaping requirements. See the individual use standards for the regulations pertaining to landscaping:

(1)

Campgrounds.

(2)

Crematoriums.

(3)

Privately owned public golf courses.

(4)

Recreation facilities, privately owned outdoor.

(5)

Salvage or junk yards.

(6)

All uses in the REC District.

Article XXIV Environmental Standards for Sensitive Areas

§ 225-147 Stream buffers and floodplains.

Buffer. For purposes of this article, a "buffer" shall be defined as a naturally vegetated area or vegetated area established or managed to protect aquatic, wetland shoreline, and terrestrial environments from man-made disturbances.

Buffer width.

(1)

The following provisions shall apply to all development activities located outside of the critical area. Where a development activity is located within the critical area, the provisions of the Chapter 125 of the County Code shall apply.

(2)

A vegetative buffer is encouraged along each stream, and shall be shown on the record plans of any proposed development requiring subdivision plat, site plan or comprehensive development plan approval. An appropriate buffer width is determined on an evaluation of existing site conditions along the stream, including but not limited to adjacent sensitive features, such as the one-hundred-year floodplain, nontidal wetlands, hydric soils, highly erodible soils and soils on slopes greater than 15%.

Within the buffer, no new or expanded buildings or paving should be permitted, except on approximately perpendicular road or driveway crossings.

The buffer should be maintained in natural vegetation, and planted as needed to result in canopy trees and thick understory vegetation.

Conservation easements and/or deed restrictions may be placed on each lot to ensure that the buffer is maintained for its intended and agreed upon use which can include aesthetics, improvement of water quality and/or enhancement of wildlife habitat.

For floodplain management regulations, see Chapter 149 of the Wicomico County Code.

§ 225-148 Nontidal wetland buffers.

A minimum twenty-five-foot setback from all nontidal wetlands is encouraged for all development around the extent of the delineated nontidal wetland except as permitted by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the State of Maryland, Department of the Environment.

§ 225-149 Steep slopes.

No structure, impervious surface or land disturbance should be located on slope with a grade of 15% or greater unless it is determined that the structure, impervious surface or land disturbance is appropriate for stabilization of the slope.

A minimum fifty-foot buffer shall be established between development and the crest of slopes in excess of 25%.