§ 4.0. Landscaping for parking and vehicle areas.

4.1.  Applicability. These regulations apply to all areas, (hereinafter referred to as parking areas), which are open to the general public or visible from the public right-of-way, and used for off-street parking and loading, vehicular storage, display, maneuvering, vehicle washing, and the dispensing of motor fuels. All such areas with less than five (5) vehicle spaces are exempt from the provisions of this section.

This section shall apply to new parking areas or enlargement of existing parking areas by ten (10) percent or more, for all conditional uses and for permitted uses in the R4, R-T4, C-P, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4 and I-1 districts. If proposed development activity requires the installation of landscaping in parking areas, a tree conservation plan, including supplemental information required in this section, shall be submitted pursuant to the requirements of this article.

4.2.  Design standards.

A.

Interior parking areas.

1.

Each parking area shall have interior landscaping covering not less than ten (10) percent of the total parking area, all of which shall be devoted to tree canopy area. Such landscaping shall be in addition to all planting within six (6) feet of a building.

2.

The primary landscaping materials used in parking areas shall be shade trees. Shrubs and other planting materials may be used to compliment the shade tree planting, but shall not be the sole component of the landscaping.

3.

The interior dimensions of any planting area shall be sufficient to protect all landscaping materials planted therein.

B.

Peripheral parking area landscaping adjacent to rights-of-way.

1.

A landscaped strip at least fifteen (15) feet wide, which shall not include a sidewalk or trail, shall be located between the parking area and the public right-of-way, except where driveways are located. Required landscaping and trees may be planted within the adjacent public street right-of-way, if shown on the approved tree conservation plan and approved by all applicable governments and utilities. (Ord. No. 03-1982, § 3, 9-15-03)

2.

Shrubs shall be evergreen and a minimum of thirty (30) inches high at installation, with a minimum height of three (3) feet within one growing season. Required shrubbery shall be planted in double staggered rows on not more than thirty six (36) inch centers within the planting strip. (Ord. No. 03-1982, § 3, 9-15-03)

3.

At least one tree for every thirty (30) linear feet or portion thereof shall be planted in the landscaped strip, however, this shall not be construed as requiring the planting of trees on thirty-foot centers.

4.

Landscaping near parking areas shall not obstruct the driver's view of the right-of-way at driveways and intersections, where plant height shall be limited to thirty (30) inches to provide vision clearance triangles.

5.

Vision clearance triangle setbacks shall be ten (10) feet in parking areas, thirty (30) feet at intersections and as required by the Alabama Department of Transportation. Trees are permitted but branches shall be trimmed and maintained to a minimum height of eight (8) feet above finished grade.

C.

Peripheral parking area landscaping adjacent to private property.

1.

A landscaped strip at least eight (8) feet wide shall be located between the parking area and abutting property lines, except where driveways are located. (Ord. No. 03-1982, § 3, 9-15-03)

2.

At least one tree for every thirty (30) feet or portion thereof shall be planted in the landscaped strip, however, this shall not be construed as requiring the planting of trees on thirty-foot centers.

D.

Maintenance. The owner shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair and replacement of all landscaping materials, barriers and irrigation systems required by this section. All plant material shall be tended and maintained in a healthy growing condition, replaced when dead and kept free of weeds, refuse and debris.

E.

Irrigation. All required landscaping shall be irrigated in compliance with the automatic irrigation system regulations of this article; except required landscaping within an existing parking area which is being landscaped to comply with the requirements of this section.

4.3.  Plant materials standards. All plant material shall conform to the American Standard for nursery stock, latest addition, published by the American Joint Committee on Horticultural Nomenclature. Only trees and shrubs that are listed in the Tree Selection and Cover Guide may be planted in required landscaping and buffer areas. (Ord. No. 03-1982, § 3, 9-15-03)

(Ord. No. 96-1477, § 38, 4-15-96)