§ 17.24.210. Landscape buffer yard design and materials.

A.

Existing Native Plant Material. The use of existing plant material is strongly encouraged in landscape buffer yards. Existing natural groundcover should be retained where possible by avoiding scraping, grading and sodding within the landscape buffer yard. Where the planting requirements of Section 17.24.240, landscape buffer yard standards, require additional trees or shrubs to be installed in an existing natural area, installation should minimize disturbances to native species.

B.

Trees. Where the planting requirements of Section 17.24.240 indicate that additional trees shall be installed, required trees shall be a minimum of six feet in height or two inches in caliper, as appropriate. At least one-half of the required trees shall be locally adapted natural evergreen species. Trees shall be distributed throughout the yards, so that there are no horizontal gaps between trees greater than thirty feet as measured parallel to the property line. Required canopy trees shall have an expected mature height of thirty feet or greater. Required understory trees shall have an expected mature height of at least fifteen feet. All trees shall count towards satisfying the tree density requirements of Article II of this chapter.

C.

Shrubs. Shrubs planted to meet the minimum standards of this article shall be a minimum of one and one-half feet in height when planted and at least one-half shall be expected to reach five feet or greater in height within five years of planting. At least one-half of the required shrubs shall be locally adapted evergreen species. Shrubs planted on berms may have a lesser mature height provided that the combined height of the berm and plantings after five years is at least five feet. Shrubs shall be planted in such a way as to form continuous coverage with no shrub being greater than five feet from another as measured parallel to the property line. Shrubs may be planted in staggered rows or any other pattern which still achieves the desired continuous coverage. Pedestrian areas and other places where surveillance for the purpose of preventing crime is a design objective may be planted with the smaller of the required shrubs, but at least fifty percent of the shrubs installed to meet the requirements of this title shall be capable of attaining five feet in height at maturity.

D.

Utility and Drainage Easements. Required landscape buffer yards shall not be permitted in utility or drainage easements unless approved by the affected utility and, if approved, the property owner shall execute and record a restrictive covenant agreeing to full replacement of plant materials which may be removed by the utility in the exercise of its rights within the easement.

E.

Parking Area Landscaping. Perimeter plantings required for parking area landscaping may be counted toward satisfying landscape buffer yard requirements when the perimeter planting area coincides with the yard.

F.

Compatibility of Landscaping Materials. Supple-mental plantings should be chosen to enhance the existing vegetation within the landscape buffer yard. The species used in the supplemental plantings should be species that occur naturally in the landscape, and should be selected for their noninvasive properties.

G.

Opaque Fences.

1.

Outside of the urban zoning overlay district, when utilized to satisfy a screening requirement of this title, opaque fences shall be constructed of permanently affixed materials that comprise an integral part of the fence itself. The use of nonrigid plastic or fabric material shall not qualify as an opaque fence.

2.

Within the urban zoning overlay district, when walls or fences are used as part of landscape buffer yards, the following materials shall be used and the landscaping shall be installed on the side of the wall facing the less intensive use:

a.

Fences provided in Landscape Buffer Yards A and B may only be constructed of natural wood. Sheet plastic, sheet metal, corrugated metal, and plywood fencing shall not be allowed. The finished side of fences shall face the lower intensity use.

b.

Walls provided in Landscape Buffer Yards B, C, and D may only be constructed of brick, stone, stucco over concrete block, split-faced or fluted block. Walls shall not be constructed of industrial waste materials (tires, pallets, etc.).

(Ord. 2001-750 §§ 12—14, 2001; Ord. BL2000-364 § 1 (part), 2000; Ord. 96-555 § 6.5(D), 1997)