As used in this article, the following words shall have the
meanings indicated below:
A woody perennial which loses its foliage at the end of each
growing season.
A series of vegetative plantings which provides essentially
an opaque screen.
A woody perennial which retains its foliage for more than
one growing season.
A low perennial (excluding annuals and turf grasses) with
a mature height of between three inches and 18 inches.
A landscaped island separating and running the length of
two rows of contiguous parking spaces within a parking lot and which
provides opportunities for landscaping and traffic circulation control.
The addition of trees, plants and other natural and decorative
features to the land.
A landscaped island located within a row of contiguous parking
spaces in a parking lot and which provides for landscaping opportunities
within parking lots.
That area within an off-street parking lot which includes
any paved surface within 10 feet of a parking space.
A unit of measure used to determine the quantity of plantings
required in a residential, commercial, industrial or other development
project. For the purposes of this chapter, one planting unit (PU)
equals one major deciduous tree; two minor deciduous trees; two evergreen
trees; five shrubs; or 500 square feet of ground cover, exclusive
of residential yard area.
A low, multistemmed woody plant with a mature height of between
18 inches and 10 feet.
A landscaped island located on either end of rows of parking
spaces within a parking lot which provides opportunities for landscaping
and which defines the ends of parking aisles, thus contributing to
traffic circulation control.
An evergreen plant with a mature height exceeding 15 feet
and a height at planting of between five and six feet.
A canopy tree with a mature height exceeding 25 feet and
a minimum caliper at the time of planting in excess of two inches.
A tree with a mature height of between 10 feet and 25 feet
and a minimum caliper at the time of planting of between one inch
and two inches.
A.
Purpose. In expansion of § 117-2 of this chapter, it is the purpose of this section to establish minimum standards for the provision, installation and maintenance of landscape plantings in order to achieve a healthy, beautiful and safe community. Furthermore, it is the intent of this section to:
(1)
Improve the appearance of all areas through the incorporation of
open space into development in ways that harmonize and enhance the
natural and built environment.
(2)
Improve environmental quality by recognizing the numerous beneficial
effects of landscaping upon the environment, including but not limited
to the improvement of air quality, the maintenance of areas essential
for stormwater management and aquifer recharge and reducing air, noise,
heat and chemical pollution.
(3)
Maintain and increase the value of land by requiring landscaping
to be incorporated into development, thus becoming by itself a valuable
capital asset.
(4)
Provide direct and important physical and psychological benefits
to human beings through the use of landscaping to reduce noise and
glare and to soften the harsher aspects of development.
(5)
Preserve existing natural vegetation and incorporate native plants
and plant communities into landscape design.
(6)
Establish procedures and standards for the administration and enforcement
of the landscaping requirements of this chapter.
B.
Contents of landscape plans. All landscape plans required by this
chapter shall:
(1)
Be drawn to scale and include appropriate dimensions and distances;
(2)
Delineate any existing and/or proposed parking spaces or other vehicular
areas, access aisles, driveways, building footprints and similar features;
(3)
Designate by name and location the plant material to be installed
or preserved in accordance with this chapter;
(4)
Identify and describe the location and characteristics of all other
landscape materials to be used;
(5)
Include a table clearly displaying the relevant information necessary
for the Board of Supervisors to evaluate compliance with the provisions
of this chapter. Such a table shall include gross acreage, acreage
of preservation areas, amount of vegetation to be planted or preserved
and other such information as the Board of Supervisors may require.
A.
Attached residential development. For attached (townhouse) or multifamily
residential development projects, or for residential projects including
a mixture of dwelling unit types, the following landscaping standards
shall be applied:
(1)
Quantity of landscaping. A minimum of two planting units shall be
required for every proposed dwelling unit.
(2)
Credit for existing vegetation. For attached (townhouse) or multifamily
residential development projects, or those projects which include
a mixture of dwelling unit types, credit for up to 50% of the minimum
landscaping quantity requirements may be given for retaining existing
major deciduous trees on the site, provided that the following conditions
apply:
(a)
The major deciduous trees are in good health.
(b)
The major deciduous trees are located within 25 feet of at least
one dwelling unit.
(c)
The applicant agrees to replace any major deciduous tree which
contributes to the minimum quantity of landscaping with another major
deciduous tree if it should die within two years of the completion
of the development.
(3)
Common residential parking lots. Common residential parking lots shall be designed and landscaped in accordance with Subsection D of this chapter. Interior and perimeter landscaping elements required by Subsection D may contribute to no greater than 50% of the minimum landscaping quantity requirements for a residential development project established by Subsection A(1).
B.
Detached residential development. For single-family detached or single-family
semidetached residential development projects, the following landscaping
standards shall be applied:
(1)
Quantity of landscaping. A minimum of one planting unit shall be required for every proposed dwelling unit, in addition to the shade trees required in Subsection B(2).
(2)
Shade trees. At least one major deciduous tree shall be planted at
intervals of between 50 feet and 70 feet along both sides of all streets
of the residential development. Such major deciduous trees shall be
located between the sidewalk and the building setback line.
(3)
The required shade trees shall be planted at least five feet from
the sidewalk. No shade trees shall be planted between the sidewalk
and the curb.
C.
Nonresidential development. For all nonresidential development, the
following landscaping standards shall be applied:
(1)
Quantity of landscaping. The following quantities of landscaping
shall be provided:
(2)
Credit for existing vegetation. Credit for up to 50% of the minimum
landscaping quantity requirements may be given for retaining major
deciduous trees on the site, provided that the following conditions
apply:
(a)
The major deciduous trees are in good health.
(b)
The major deciduous trees are located within 50 feet of property
improvements (i.e., parking lot, buildings, stormwater infrastructure,
roads, sidewalks, etc.)
(c)
The applicant agrees to replace any major deciduous tree which
contributes to the minimum quantity of landscaping with another major
deciduous tree if it should die within two years of the completion
of the development.
(3)
Additional requirements. The following additional landscaping requirements
shall be applied to residential and/or nonresidential development
projects:
(a)
A minimum ten-foot-wide planting area shall be provided by nonresidential
developments along all property lines which abut residential zoning
districts or properties. A dense screen of deciduous trees, evergreen
trees and/or shrubs, planted in such a pattern to form a six-foot-high
screen within three years, is required.
(b)
Where a residential project is proposed which requires 25 or
more planting units of landscaping, the landscaping plan required
by this chapter shall be prepared by a licensed landscape architect.
(c)
Where a nonresidential project is proposed which requires five
or more planting units of landscaping, the landscape plan required
by this chapter shall be prepared by a licensed landscape architect.
(d)
To the maximum extent feasible, all landscaping plans should
include native plant species.
D.
Parking lots. Parking lots shall be designed to conform with the
following requirements:
(1)
Landscaping within the parking area of all off-street parking lots
containing 25 or greater parking spaces shall be required and shall
be provided with the following:
(a)
Terminal landscaped islands shall be provided at both ends of
all rows of parking spaces. Terminal landscaped islands shall be designed
to protect parked vehicles, to help define the traffic circulation
pattern of the parking lot and to provide landscaping area.
(b)
Each terminal landscaped island shall measure not less than
five feet in width and 15 feet in length.
(c)
Each terminal landscaped island shall include at least one minor
deciduous tree, with the remaining area landscaped with appropriate
ground cover or grass.
(d)
Where parking space rows are proposed with 20 or more parking
spaces, one midrow landscaped island shall be provided for every 20
contiguous parking spaces. Midrow landscaped islands shall have the
same dimensions as terminal landscaped islands.
(e)
A landscaped divider strip between abutting rows of parking
shall be installed. Landscaped divider strips shall be designed to
help define the traffic circulation pattern, to provide visual breaks
within the parking area and to help separate pedestrian and vehicular
traffic. Landscaped divider strips shall be a minimum of five feet
in width.
(f)
At least one minor deciduous tree shall be planted for every
twenty-foot interval within the landscaped divider strip. The remaining
area of the divider strip shall be landscaped with ground cover or
grass. Unpaved pedestrian walkways may be substituted for a portion
of the required ground cover or grass to facilitate pedestrian movements
through the parking lot.
(g)
Curbing or wheel stops shall be provided around all terminal
landscaped islands and landscaped divider strips to prevent vehicular
encroachment.
(2)
All parking lots shall be surrounded by a perimeter landscaping strip
which meets the following requirements:
(a)
Perimeter landscaped areas shall be provided around the perimeter
of all parking areas, except where the one side of the parking area
is bounded by a principal structure.
(b)
The minimum width of the perimeter landscaping area around a
parking area shall be 10 feet, measured outward from the edge of the
parking lot.
(c)
At least one minor deciduous tree shall be planted for every
twenty-foot interval within the perimeter landscaping area. The remaining
area of the perimeter landscaping strip shall be landscaped with appropriate
ground cover or grass.
A.
The landscape contractor shall furnish and install and/or dig, ball,
burlap or transplant all plant materials listed on the landscape plan.
Bare root is not permitted for any tree.
B.
All plants shall be nursery grown. Plants taken from cold storage
shall not be acceptable.
C.
A professional horticulturist/nurseryman shall be consulted to determine
proper time to move and install plant material so that stress to the
plant is minimized. Planting of deciduous material may occur during
winter months, provided that there is no frost in the ground and frost-free
topsoil planting mixtures are used.
D.
The landscape contractor shall excavate all plant pits, hedge trenches
and/or shrub beds as follows:
(1)
All pits shall be generally circular in outline, with vertical sides.
Tree pits shall be deep enough to allow 1/8 of the ball to be above
the existing grade. Tree pits must be a minimum of 10 inches larger
on every side than the ball of the tree.
(2)
If areas are designated as shrub beds or hedge trenches, they shall
be cultivated to at least 18 inches in depth. Areas designated for
ground cover shall be cultivated to at least 12 inches in depth.
E.
After cultivation, all plantings shall be mulched with a minimum
three-inch layer of organic mulch, or another similar material approved
by the Township Supervisors, over the area of the planting.
A.
General. The owner or assigns of land subject to this chapter shall
be responsible for the maintenance of landscaping in good condition
so as to present a healthy, neat and orderly landscape area.
B.
Pruning. All pruning should be accomplished according to good horticultural
standards. Plants shall be pruned only as necessary to promote healthy
plant growth. Unless approval is provided by the Board of Supervisors,
plants shall be allowed to attain their normal size and shall not
be severely pruned in order to permanently maintain growth at a reduced
height.
C.
Mowing. Grass shall be mown as required to encourage deep root growth.
D.
Edging. All roadway, curb and sidewalk components included in such
landscape plans shall be edged in order to prevent encroachment from
adjacent landscaped areas.
E.
F.
Safety. All sight triangles shall remain clear, and any plant which
could endanger safety such as unstable limbs shall be removed and
the plant material replaced. It shall be the responsibility of the
property owner to ensure all plantings and architectural elements
are maintained to provide a safe environment.
G.
Landscape guarantees. All landscaping required by this chapter shall
conform to the following guarantees:
(1)
The installation of required landscaping, in accordance with the approved landscape plan, shall be guaranteed in accordance with the requirements of § 117-26D of this chapter.
(2)
In addition, any required vegetative element which dies within 18
months of planting shall be replaced by the developer. Any vegetative
element which, within 18 months of planting or replanting, is deemed,
in the opinion of the Building Permit Officer, not to have survived
or to have grown in a manner uncharacteristic of its type shall be
replaced. Substitutions for certain species of plants may be made
only when approved by the Board of Supervisors.
