It is the intent and purpose of this article to provide for
landscaping of lots and screening and buffering between uses of different
density and intensity. Plantings soften the appearance of the built
environment and help reduce off-site impacts such as noise, dust,
and light spillage. Vegetation promotes important environmental goals
by controlling erosion, absorbing rainwater and decreasing the heat
island effect caused by large expanses of unbroken pavement. Buffering
between incompatible land uses helps protect property values and residents'
quality of life.
A.
All areas of lots not occupied by buildings, structures or parking
shall be landscaped and maintained in grass or other vegetative ground
cover.
B.
Planting specifications.
(1)
Planting shall be classified under the following categories and shall
meet the following requirements:
|
Table 15
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Planting Specifications
| |||
|
Type
|
Minimum Height at Planting
|
Average Height at Maturity
| |
|
Evergreen shrub
|
18 inches
|
36 inches
| |
|
Evergreen tree
|
5 feet
|
15 feet
| |
|
Understory tree
|
5 feet
|
15 feet
| |
|
Small canopy tree
|
8 feet
|
30 feet
| |
|
Large canopy tree
|
10 feet
|
50 feet
| |
(2)
Evergreen trees shall be measured from the top of the root ball to
the top of the plant.
(3)
Shrubs shall be measured by the average height and spread of each
individual plant.
(4)
Planting mounds shall not exceed a 3:1 slope.
(5)
All required landscaping shall be maintained. Trees shall be pruned
no more than necessary to maintain the health of the tree. Dead and
dying plants shall be replaced by the developer or property owner
no later than the subsequent planting season.
(6)
Any subdivision or land development that is to be undertaken in phases
shall submit a comprehensive landscaping plan for the entire development.
Empty lots to be developed at a later phase shall be seeded or planted
with a suitable ground cover to prevent erosion.
A.
All subdivisions and land developments of five acres or more (except
single-family residential) shall provide street trees as specified
in this section.
B.
Street trees shall be planted outside the right-of-way line.
C.
The following street trees shall be required along the frontage of
the lot measured at the right-of-way line or edge of pavement:
(1)
One small canopy tree for every 25 linear feet; and
(2)
Where the number of linear feet required for street trees does not
divide evenly into the linear feet of lot frontage, an additional
street tree shall be required where the remainder exceeds 50% of the
linear feet required for the next tree. [Example: lot has 150 feet
of frontage. Developer is planting canopy trees. 3 trees x 40 feet
= 120 feet. Remainder = 30 feet. Therefore since 30>50% of 40, an
additional canopy tree shall be planted.]
A commercial or industrial development situated across a street
from any residential development or a multifamily development situated
across a street from a single-family development shall be screened
from the street as follows:
A.
A minimum ten-foot-wide landscaped area shall be installed along
the entire frontage of the street; and
B.
At least one evergreen tree or one small canopy tree plus three evergreen
shrubs shall be planted for every 25 linear feet of frontage within
the landscaped area. Screen plantings shall be planted in groupings
of similar plant types to encourage better survival.
C.
Screen plantings shall be arranged so as not to interfere with the
clear sight triangle.
A.
Perimeter buffer.
(1)
Side and rear buffer areas screening adjacent land uses shall be
provided in accordance with the buffering requirements of this article.
(2)
Any parking area that is adjacent to a street or public right-of-way
shall provide a minimum ten-foot-wide landscaped buffer between the
parking area and the right-of-way line. The buffer shall be planted
with trees in accordance with the street tree requirements of this
article. All other areas of the buffer shall be landscaped with grass,
ground cover plants or shrubs; provided, however, that no such plantings
shall interfere with the clear sight triangle of driveways, access
drives or adjacent streets.
(3)
In any perimeter buffer, trees and shrubs shall be planted a minimum
of four feet from the edge of the parking area paving to protect them
against damage from vehicles.
B.
Interior landscaping.
(1)
For any new parking area containing 20 to 60 parking spaces, interior
landscaping shall be provided as follows:
(a)
No more than 20 parking spaces shall be provided in an unbroken
row.
(b)
Each 10 parking spaces shall require an interior planting island.
(c)
Terminal islands shall be installed at both ends of each row
of parking.
(d)
Terminal and internal landscape islands shall be a minimum of
10 feet wide with a total minimum area of 160 square feet of landscape
area. They shall be curbed so as to protect the plantings.
(e)
A minimum of one small canopy tree for every five parking spaces
shall be required. The remainder of the required landscaped area shall
be landscaped with shrubs or ground cover not to exceed two feet in
height.
(f)
Where an existing parking area is altered or expanded and the
new lot will contain 20 to 60 parking spaces, interior landscaping
shall be provided in accordance with this subsection for the entire
parking area and not merely to the extent of its alteration or expansion.
(2)
For any new parking area containing more than 60 parking spaces,
interior landscaping shall be provided in accordance with the requirements
of this subsection and as illustrated in the following illustration:
|
Parking Lot Interior Landscaping
 |
(a)
Every second parking module shall include a fifteen-foot-wide
planted median strip for its entire length. Every 2,250 square feet
of median shall be planted with seven small canopy trees. The median
strip may also include a pedestrian walkway which shall be designed
so as not to prevent healthy tree growth.
(b)
Within each planting module, no more than 15 parking spaces
shall be provided in an unbroken row.
(c)
Each 15 parking spaces shall also require an interior planting
island 15 feet wide and extending the length of the adjacent parking
spaces. Each shall be planted with one small canopy tree. Where parking
is provided in double-loaded rows, interior planting islands should
be connected to create an island containing two trees.
(d)
Terminal islands shall be installed at both ends of each row
of parking. Each terminal island shall be 15 feet wide, extend the
length of the adjacent parking space, and include one small canopy
tree. Where parking is provided in double-loaded rows, terminal islands
shall be connected to create an island containing two trees.
(e)
Terminal and internal landscape islands shall be curbed so as
to protect the plantings.
(f)
The remainder of the required landscaped area shall be landscaped
with shrubs or ground cover not to exceed two feet in height.
(g)
Where an existing parking area is altered or expanded and the
new lot will contain more than 60 parking spaces, interior landscaping
shall be provided in accordance with this subsection for the entire
parking area and not merely to the extent of its alteration or expansion.
A.
Buffer area types.
(1)
The following types of buffers shall be used:
|
Table 16
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Buffer Types
| |||
|
Buffer Area Classification
|
Depth
(feet)
|
Plantings
(per 100 linear feet)
| |
|
A
|
10
|
16 units
| |
|
B
|
20
|
23 units
| |
|
C
|
30
|
33 units
| |
|
D
|
50
|
44 units
| |
(2)
Units in the previous table shall be computed by assigning the following
values to each planting to be installed in the buffer area:
|
Table 17
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Units Per Planting Type
| ||
|
Type of Planting
|
Units
| |
|
1 large canopy tree
|
3
| |
|
1 small canopy or understory tree
|
2
| |
|
1 evergreen tree
|
2
| |
|
5 evergreen shrubs
|
1
| |
(3)
Buffers shall be planted with a combination of three or more planting
types specified in the table above.
(4)
Buffer Areas A and B shall be planted with a minimum of 30% evergreen
plantings. Buffer Areas C and D shall be planted with a minimum of
60% evergreens. Whenever the number of evergreen plantings calculated
equals a fractional number, the number shall be rounded up to the
next whole number.
(5)
Buffer area plantings shall be planted in groupings of similar plant
types to encourage better survival.
(6)
Existing trees and shrubs may be credited toward meeting the units
of buffer area planting required herein; provided, however, that the
height and mix of types of plantings are met. In the event the existing
trees and shrubs do not satisfy the buffer requirements, the applicant
shall use new plantings in combination with the existing plantings
to satisfy the buffer requirements.
B.
Buffering requirements. For any subdivision or land development (excluding
single-family subdivisions of less than five lots), adjacent land
uses shall be buffered as required by this subsection. The type of
buffer area required shall correspond to the degree of incompatibility
or difference in use between adjacent land uses as established in
Table 18.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Table 18 is included as an attachment to this chapter.
A.
For all disturbed slope areas (as permitted under the Natural Resource Protection Overlay requirements of Article XVIII), permanent sodding or seeding shall be required within 14 days of completion of grading operations, unless those activities are completed between November 1 and April 1. In such case, the required sodding or seeding must occur within two weeks of April 1. Seeding shall use natural field grasses, shrubs and or trees and avoid invasive species such as crown vetch.
B.
The following standards shall apply to all subdivisions and land
developments containing five acres or more:
(1)
In addition to sodding or seeding, all proposed and/or disturbed
slopes that exceed a grade of four to one or 25% shall be vegetated
as follows:
(2)
Whenever the number of slope plantings calculated per acre equals
a fractional number, the number shall be rounded up to the next whole
number.
(3)
The landscaping plan shall specify plantings that are suitable for
slope stabilization.
A.
A landscape plan shall be required for subdivisions and land developments
and shall be prepared and sealed by a landscape architect registered
in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
B.
As part of the preliminary land development plan submittal, the landscape
plan shall identify:
(1)
All required plantings and any additional plantings in excess of
minimum requirements (trees, shrubs, ground covers, etc.) shall be
drawn to scale based on the plant's average mature spread.
(2)
The height and width of any proposed mounds shall be identified.
The plan shall contain typical sections for proposed mounds.
(3)
All existing trees or vegetation to be preserved shall be accurately
identified and located in the plan, and the means of protecting them
during construction shall be specified.
(4)
The location and description of all landscape improvements such as
walls, fences, site furnishings, lights, paving and the like.
C.
In addition to the requirements for the preliminary land development
plan, the landscape plan submitted with the final land development
plan shall include:
(1)
A plant list identifying botanical and common names, quantity, size
(at time of planting), condition and spacing of all proposed plants.
(2)
Planting details and notes to ensure proper installation.
(3)
A maintenance plan specifying how plantings shall be maintained in
a healthy condition and kept free from litter and debris.
