Chapter 17.50
LANDSCAPE SCREENING
Sections:
17.50.010 Purpose.
17.50.020 Applicability.
17.50.030 General Requirements.
17.50.040 Maintenance.
17.50.050 Continued Landscaping.
17.50.060 Installation Requirements.
17.50.070 Plant Coverage and Tree Sizes.
17.50.080 Protection of Heritage Trees.
17.50.090 Violation.
17.50.100 Appeals.
17.50.010 Purpose.
The purposes of this chapter are to reduce the impact of structures on neighborhoods and to provide for the maintenance of the individual privacy of homes in a neighborhood to a reasonable degree by requiring landscape screening where appropriate. (Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2009)
17.50.020 Applicability.
The requirements of this chapter shall apply to the following projects:
A. New construction that exceeds eighteen feet above grade; or
B. New construction of an accessory structure or alteration to an existing accessory structure that is more than six feet above grade and is less than twenty-five feet from a property line; or
C. New construction of an accessory structure or alteration to an existing accessory structure that is ten feet above grade and less than thirty-five feet from a property line.
In the case of additions to existing structures, only those areas adjoining each addition that meet the above criteria are required to be landscape screened. (Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2009)
17.50.030 General Requirements.
The following general landscape requirements apply to all residential and nonresidential property within the town:
A. All front, side, and rear yards shall be landscape screened as described in this chapter. Front yards contiguous to a street shall not require landscape screening.
B. Plantings shall be provided by the owners and located to reduce the visual impact of structures. Planting with appropriate trees and plants shall be used where necessary to provide privacy. Landscaping on adjacent properties may be taken into consideration.
C. The provisions contained in this chapter are intended to be minimum standards and shall not preclude application of additional requirements where, in the opinion of the town arborist, such additional requirements are necessary to attain the purposes of this chapter and to attain compatibility with the general plan and the goals and policies of the town. (Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2009)
17.50.040 Maintenance.
All landscape screening areas shall be maintained reasonably free of weeds, litter, and debris. All required planting shall be maintained in a healthy growing condition and, whenever necessary, replaced with plant materials approved by the town arborist to provide continued conformance with approved plans. All new screening plantings shall be provided with a water-efficient automatic irrigation system to be installed at the time of planting. (Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2009)
17.50.050 Continued Landscaping.
A landscape screening agreement shall be signed by the applicant and shall be submitted to the town before any planning or building application is deemed complete. The purpose of this agreement is to ensure that the landscaping will not be removed at a future date, resulting in a loss of privacy and landscape screening. At no time shall the landscape screening plan be modified or amended in a manner not consistent with the approved plan without prior approval of the town arborist. The intent is to maintain continued landscape screening of property consistent with the objectives of this chapter. Failure to comply with this requirement without first receiving authorization from the town arborist may result in an administrative penalty and fine as established by the city council. (Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2009)
17.50.060 Installation Requirements.
Prior to the final inspection or issuance of a certificate of occupancy (unless delay is authorized by the building official) all required landscape screening shall be installed in conformance with the approved plans. In the case of phased building construction, the town building official may permit phased installation of landscape screening. If the required landscaping is not installed prior to the final inspection, then a minimum five thousand dollar deposit and an agreement in writing, approved as to form by the city attorney, stating that all required landscaping shall be installed within six months, shall be executed by the applicant and submitted to the town before approval of the final inspection or issuance of the certificate of occupancy. (Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2009)
17.50.070 Plant Coverage and Tree Sizes.
Plantings shall be sized to adequately screen the proposed structure within a period of five years from the date of issuance of a building permit. The following shall constitute minimum standards for plant coverage and tree sizes:
A. Adequacy of Screening. All plantings shall be of adequate size and spacing to ensure compliance with the screening requirements. A site inspection shall be conducted after a completed landscape screening application has been submitted. It shall be at the discretion of the town arborist to assess the adequacy of the proposed planting to meet the screening requirement.
B. Minimum Tree Size. All trees shall be at least twenty-four-inch box container size at the time of installation. Larger trees may be required in the sole discretion of the town arborist where deemed necessary to meet the objectives of this chapter. Fifteen-gallon trees or shrubs may be allowed at the discretion of the town arborist, when it can be shown that they will achieve the desired landscape screening requirements. (Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2009)
17.50.080 Protection of Heritage Trees.
Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect heritage trees during the course of construction. Compliance with chapter 8.10 (Removal of and Damage to Heritage Trees) of the town municipal code relating to heritage trees is required. Landscape screening plans shall identify all heritage trees within the construction zone. Each application shall include a tree preservation plan to be implemented during construction. (Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2009)
17.50.090 Violation.
Each violation of this chapter shall constitute a public nuisance and be subject to abatement as such. When, in the opinion of the town arborist or his or her duly authorized representative, this chapter is not being complied with, the town arborist may issue a stop work order for all construction work on the entire site. (Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2009)
17.50.100 Appeals.
Any property owner applicant affected by a decision of an official hereunder may appeal such decision to the city council in accordance with the provisions of section 17.06.100 (Appeals) of this title. (Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2009)