HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-07-14-301.27AESTABLISH MINIMUM STANDARDS RELATED TO LANDSCAPING AND OPEN
SPACE FOR RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES
WITHIN THE CITY OF WAUKEE
§301.27A Landscape and Open Space Requirements
A.Purpose and Scope.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish minimum standards for the preservation, installation,
and maintenance of landscape plantings and landscaped open space in residential, commercial
and industrial districts, to utilize landscaping and landscaping open space as an effective means
of energy conservation, to preserve open space, to improve property values, to maintain aesthetic
quality of the city, thereby promoting the health and general welfare of the city.
B.Landscaping Regulations. All of the following standards shall apply to all required
landscape plantings:
1. Interference With Site Drainage: Landscape plantings shall not be placed where they
interfere with site drainage.
2.Plantings Shown On Approved Site Plan: Landscape plantings shall not be placed in any
public utility easement unless specifically permitted on the approved site plan.
3.Interference With Public Utilities: Plantings shall not be placed where they may interfere
with maintenance of sanitary and storm structures, fire hydrants, or water valves, or any
other public utility.
4.Approved Plantings: Landscape plantings shall not be placed in any public street right of
way unless previously approved by the city council and shall not be counted towards
fulfillment of the minimum site requirements set forth below.
5.Vision Clearance Triangle: Vision clearance triangle shall be maintained at all times.
6.Restoration With Sod: All disturbed land shall be restored with sod, unless specifically
approved otherwise. In residential districts or uses, the entire front yard, side yard, and
rear yard to the building setback line shall be sodded. In all cases, the adjacent ROW
shall be sodded.
7.Survey Of Larger Trees: A survey of trees larger than six inch (6") caliper in diameter is
required for sites with such existing trees. The tree inventory shall include species, size
and a location map. Such plan shall be included in the initial development submittal.
8.Existing Landscaping Identified And Protected: All existing landscaping which is not to
be removed pursuant to the grading, landscape or site plan, shall be clearly identified and,
prior to issuance of a permit, shall be protected by fencing located around the dripline of
the tree, maximizing the protection of the root zone area. The administrative official may
waive this requirement if the landscaping to be saved is not located in the immediate area
where construction is to occur.
9.Preservation Of Existing Landscaping: Whenever practical, existing landscaping shall be
preserved and incorporated into the overall design and layout of the site.
10.Quantity Of Trees Required: In sites where landscaping existed and was retained during
development, the minimum quantity of trees required may be reduced by the total amount
of caliper saved in the case of a deciduous tree or the total height in the case of an
evergreen tree. No more than fifty percent (50%) of required plants may be waived in this
manner.
11.Plantings Prohibited: Plant species to be used for landscaping shall be acceptable to the
city that are not considered a nuisance or undesirable species such as trees with thorns,
cottonwood or cotton bearing poplars, elm trees prone to Dutch Elm Disease and box
elder.
C.Minimum Open Space Required.
1.It is recognized that the extensive use and excessive congestion of land may become
hazardous to the general health and welfare of the community. Therefore, the intent of
this chapter shall be to require not less than that open space which is necessary to
preserve the basic qualities and beauty of nature. Open space shall be provided for each
site in each district in accordance with the table below. Values are in percentage of total
site unless specified herein:
R-3 R-3A R-6 C-1 C-1A C-1B C-2 C-4 M-1 M-1A M-2
20 20 250 square
feet per lot
devoted to
recreational
area
20 20 20 None 25 15 15 10
2.The calculation of required open space shall not include sidewalks in the minimum
required open space.
D.Minimum Planting Requirements. The provisions below represent the minimum standards
required for compliance of this chapter. These regulations are not intended to suppress
creative design concepts or the use of variety in the landscape plan.
1.Minimum Size: The minimum size for required plantings, other than those in
required buffers, shall be as follows:
a.Deciduous overstory trees shall be a minimum of eight (8) feet in height.
b.Evergreen overstory trees shall be a minimum of six (6) feet in height.
c.Deciduous ornamental trees shall be a minimum of six (6) feet in height.
2.Minimum Quantity: The minimum number of plantings per site shall be as follows:
a.A minimum of fifty percent (50%) of all required trees shall be overstory
shade trees.
b.For all uses except single-family attached and detached residential dwellings,
a minimum of twenty five percent (25%) of all required trees shall be
evergreen trees.
3. Minimum Planting Quantities:
R-1, R-2, R-4, R-6 R-3, R-3A, Commercial, Industrial
2 trees per dwelling unit 1 tree per 1,000 square feet of required open
space
1 shrub per 1,000 square feet of required open
space
4. Values expressed in the table above are in addition to plantings required in
buffers and screening.
E. Off Street Parking Areas: All of the following requirements shall apply to off street
parking areas except for single family attached and detached parking in driveways as
follows:
1. All rows of parking spaces shall be provided a terminal landscaped island, with a
minimum width of ten feet (10') and a minimum length of seventeen feet (17’) for
single parking rows and thirty four feet (34’) for dual parking rows, to protect
parked vehicles, provide visibility, confine moving traffic to driveways, and
provide space for landscaping.
2. There shall be provided within each row of parking spaces, landscaped islands,
with a minimum width of six feet (6') and a minimum length of seventeen feet
(17’) for single parking rows and thirty four feet (34’) for dual parking rows,
located so as to prevent more than fifteen (15) vehicles from being parked side by
side in an abutting configuration.
3. All landscaped islands required in subsection C1 and C2 of this section shall be
planted with at least one ornamental or one deciduous overstory tree. A minimum
of fifty percent (50%) of the landscaped islands shall be provided with a
deciduous overstory tree. The entire landscaped island area shall be covered with
plant materials, lawn or mulches.
4. The setback between the parking area and the public right of way shall be
landscaped with a minimum of one overstory deciduous tree per forty (40) linear
feet of frontage. The frontage calculation shall be exclusive of the driveways. The
plantings may be planted individually or in clusters. This requirement shall be
included in the minimum number of trees required for the site and is not in
addition to.
E.Buffers and Screening Requirements: It is recognized that the transition from one district
to another district of contrasting and conflicting uses is across a line in theory, not in
existence. Therefore, it is the intent of this chapter to require the actual provision of a
physical barrier so as to reduce possible harmful or detrimental influence one zoning district's
use may have to an abutting and contrasting or conflicting zoning district's use. The
following are conditions for requiring a buffer:
1.Any lot for residential use, having both its front and rear lot lines abutting a public
thoroughfare (a double frontage lot) shall require a twenty five foot (25’) adjoining the
thoroughfare from which no access is planned or permitted.
2.Buffers shall be provided in accordance with the following table. Values are in feet:
AR, R-
1, R-2
R-3, R-
3A, R-6
R-4 Commercial
except for C-2
Industrial
AR, R-1, R-2 -- 25 25 30 40
R-3, R-3A, R-6 25 -- 25 30 40
R-4 25 25 -- 30 40
Commercial,
except for C-2
30 30 30 -- 40
Industrial 40 40 40 40 --
3.The more intense use shall provide the buffer required above. In an instance where
adjacent property is down zoned, thereby requiring additional buffer, the newly zoned
property shall provide the additional required buffer.
4.Buffer Requirements: The following shall be the minimum requirement. All buffers shall
provide the plantings as prescribed below.
Buffer Material Requirements (Per 50 Linear Feet of Buffer)
25 feet 1 overstory 2 evergreen 2 ornamental
30 feet 2 overstory 3 evergreen 2 ornamental
40 feet 2 overstory 4 evergreen 3 ornamental
5.Whenever practical, existing trees and shrubs should be preserved and incorporated into
the overall design of the buffer and can be included to meet the total number of required
trees. A continuous earthen berm, minimum of three feet (3') in height, shall be provided
in addition to the required plantings.
6.Whenever practical, existing trees and shrubs should be preserved and incorporated into
the overall design of the buffer and can be included to meet the total number of required
trees. A continuous earthen berm, minimum of three feet (3') in height, shall be provided
in addition to the required plantings.
7.In addition to the required permanent landscape buffer, the city council may require a
fence or a heavily landscaped earth berm to provide additional screening. Such fence
shall be constructed of substantial support elements, including, but not limited to, brick,
poured concrete, and stone. Steel posts shall not be considered appropriate.
8.Required yards shall be measured from the lot lines as prescribed in this title. Buffer may
be included in yards required by this title. No building, parking, or structures shall be
permitted within any buffer, unless authorized by the city council.
9.In a residential subdivision, the developer of the subdivision shall be required to install
the buffer improvements as required by this section. The owner of the adjacent private
property shall maintain the buffer in perpetuity.
10.In a situation that has landscape requirements other than those stated in the buffering
requirements, the buffer requirements shall be in addition to any other required
landscaping.
11.The need to establish the buffer as an easement shall be reviewed and identified during
the development review process. Easements shall generally be required between different
zoning districts and for buffering requirements of residential districts. It shall be assumed
that the buffer will be established by an easement unless noted otherwise during the
development review process and approved by the city council. Buffer easements shall be
recorded with the county at the time of establishment, prior to, or concurrent with the
recording of a final plat or the final approval of a site plan.
12.For single-family residential subdivisions, the landscape buffer shall be submitted for
review and approval as a public improvement, at the same time as the preliminary plat.
For any type of development that requires a site plan review, the buffer plans shall be
submitted as a part of the site plan submittal.
F.Reduction In Required Buffer: The city council may, at its discretion, reduce the
required buffer under the following conditions:
1.In those areas where the boundary line abuts permanent natural features which function
as a buffer, including, but not limited to, ponds, severe grades, or mature woodlands,
requirements for a buffer area for that portion of the boundary may be reduced by the
city council in the proportions that the permanent natural features fulfill the buffer
requirements.
2.In those areas where the property abuts an undeveloped property that is shown on the
adopted land use plan as the same or a more intensive use.
3.The abutting property has provided a portion or the entire required buffer.
4.On lots that can present evidence that the above buffer provisions would render the
property unbuildable, the city council may grant a waiver of the buffer requirements and
permit a fence of not less than six feet (6') in height. Provisions for landscaping to soften
the visual appearance of the fence and provide additional buffering may be required and
will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
5.In those areas that abut a public park, the buffer area for that portion of the boundary
may be reduced to fifty percent (50%) of the requirement.
(enacted in entirety December 17, 2012 – Ordinance 2722)