9654.5. - Parking lot landscaping.

A.

Purpose. The intent and purpose of this section is to provide an enhanced pedestrian experience and exterior visual interest of non-residential properties regulating size, placement, and design of landscaping and other amenities accessible to the public. Together, landscaping and other outdoor amenities are intended to enhance the visual environment, promote public safety, moderate the temperature, and reduce noise and glare.

B.

Area requirements. Fifteen (15) percent of the total parking area, including the driveway areas, shall be landscaped. Such landscaped areas shall be distributed throughout the entire parking area, as evenly as possible, in a manner approved by the director of planning and community development.

In addition, except for approved access ways, a twenty-foot-wide fully landscaped planter shall be provided along the full property lines adjacent to any public or private street or highway whenever the parking area abuts a public or private street. The planning commission may allow for up to ten (10) feet of parking space encroachment within this landscape planter where it can be adequately demonstrated that the encroachment is necessitated due to on-site design constraints such as irregular lot configurations or parcel size, or would result in an improved site design. No more than fifty (50) percent of the length of the required twenty-foot-wide fully landscaped planter located along the full property lines adjacent to a public or private street or highway may be encroached upon. Any reduction in the landscape area due to parking encroachment shall be substituted for an equal amount of landscaping elsewhere on the property.

A ten-foot-wide fully landscaped planter shall be provided along the property lines adjacent to properties zoned residential, whenever the parking area abuts such properties.

C.

Special landscape design standards.

1.

Parking lot landscaping shall include shade trees, from an approved list, placed so as to cover fifty (50) percent of the total parking area with tree canopies within fifteen (15) years after the issuance of the building permit for the related building, structure or other improvement.

2.

Canopy reduction option for retail developments—Planning Commission Review.

A.

For any new retail developments, any exterior remodel of existing retail developments that includes changes to the parking lot, or any other parking lot remodel at existing retail developments, the fifty (50) percent tree canopy coverage requirement of subsection 9654.5.C.1 may be reduced by up to twenty (20) percent provided that the parking area, including driveways, are enhanced with pedestrian amenities with an equivalent square foot coverage area to offset the reduction of tree canopy coverage. The request for reduction in the fifty (50) percent tree canopy coverage requirement in subsection 9654.5.C.1 shall be reviewed by the planning commission.

(a)

The pedestrian amenities shall include:

i.

Shade structures such as carports, trellises, and arbors;

ii.

Other amenities such as decorative paving and walkways in the parking lot, raised landscape planter seats, benches, fountains, art pieces, and other pedestrian amenities of similar intent approved by the city.

(b)

Calculation of the coverage:

i.

Shade structures defined in subsection 9654.C.2.A.(a).i.: The total square footage of shade structures shall apply toward equivalent tree canopy coverage.

ii.

Other amenities defined in subsection 9654.5.C.2.A.(a).ii: One-half (½) of the square footage of coverage of other amenities shall apply toward equivalent tree canopy coverage.

(c)

Parking lot plan review: An application for a site plan review application shall be filed with the department of planning and community development along with a parking lot plan. The parking lot plan shall show the existing and proposed landscaping with the proposed pedestrian amenities and any other pertinent information deemed applicable for the planning commission to render a decision.

B.

In the event that an applicant's development cannot meet the requirements of subsections 9654.5.C.1, and 9654.5.C.2, such applicant may request the option of paying an in-lieu fee, in amount established by resolution of the city council, Only those properties that cannot meet the requirements of subsections 9654.5.C.1 and 9654.5.C.2 are eligible for the option of the payment of said in-lieu fee only if all of the following findings can be made by the planning commission.

(a)

Because of special circumstances applicable to the subject property, including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, the strict application of subsections 9654.5.C.1 and 9654.5.C.2 deprives such property of privileges enjoyed by other property in the vicinity and other retail developments.

(b)

The granting of the in-lieu fee payment request will not constitute a grant of special privileges inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the vicinity and other retail developments.

(c)

The strict interpretation and enforcement of subsections 9654.5.C.1 and 9656.5.C.2 of the zoning ordinance would result in practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship inconsistent with the objectives of this article; and

(d)

The granting of the in-lieu fee payment request will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare, or materially injurious to the subject property or adjacent properties.

(Ord. No. 226U, § 2, 3-10-93; Ord. No. 265, § 2, 1-15-97; Ord. No. 11-386, §§ 3, 4, 6-8-2011)