§ 320-20. Landscape zone planting requirements.

(a)

Permanent structures (including buildings, parking spaces, dumpsters, drainage structures and detention facilities) shall be prohibited within landscape zones. Exceptions include perpendicular crossings for driveways, sidewalks and bicycle pathways, as well as retaining walls, signs and drainage swales.

(b)

Signs within landscape zones may only be located in areas of turf or ground cover and must not conflict with the growth potential of trees and shrubs.

(c)

Design standards: All required landscape zones must be designed with at least 60 percent coverage in trees and shrubs, and no more than 40 percent coverage in grass and ground cover. Trees and shrubbery may be either existing or new and may be included in the tree density calculation required in Section 320-39.

(1)

Landscape strip coverage will be calculated as follows:

a.

Calculate the total spatial area of the landscape zone.

b.

Count the number of trees within the landscape strip and multiply by 50 square feet for trees less than six-inch caliper and 150 square feet for trees greater than six-inch caliper. (This will allow some credit for the spatial coverage of the tree canopy.)

c.

Measure the spatial coverage of the proposed shrub beds and add to the tree coverage.

1.

Twelve square feet for each five-gallon shrub;

2.

Nine square feet for each three-gallon shrub;

3.

Six square feet for each two-gallon shrub or ground cover; or

4.

Three square feet for each one-gallon shrub or ground cover.

d.

The total area of b and c above, shall be greater than or equal to 60 percent of the total area of the strip.

(2)

Except where required otherwise by state regulations and approved by the Development Director or his/her designee, newly planted trees shall be a minimum of 2.5 inches in caliper measured 36 inches above the ground, shall be a minimum of 16 feet in height, shall have a minimum mature height of 40 feet, and shall be limbed up to a minimum height of ten feet.

(3)

Any exposed ground shall be planted with a living ground cover or lawn, with an appropriate mulch as specified in Addendum 2.0, Administrative Guidelines.

(4)

Tree planting areas shall provide porous drainage systems that allow for drainage of the planting area.

(5)

All trees and landscape materials should be planted during the fall, winter or spring and maintained in perpetuity. The City may require performance bonds, as provided in Section 300-27, be posted if planting is delayed due to seasonality.

(6)

Trees within required landscape strips shall be provided as follows:

a.

Trees are required and shall be planted in accordance with Section 230-26;

b.

The Development Director may approve street tree grouping if it enables existing trees to be saved within the landscape zone in a manner that results in an improved appearance. Clumping is permitted provided that adequate spacing is allowed for future growth;

c.

Street tree species shall be consistent for an entire block length. Similar species shall be permitted to change on individual block faces and only when approved by the Development Director;

d.

Trees planted along Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) rights-of-way shall be selected from the list of Trees Appropriate for Planting in GDOT Right-of-Way as provided in Addendum 2.0. Trees planted along GDOT rights-of-way within 500 feet of a billboard shall be selected from the list of Trees Appropriate for Planting in GDOT Right-of-Way within 500-Foot Billboard Zones as provided in Addendum 2.0;

e.

Required street trees may be planted in the adjacent front yard when unique circumstances of topography, geography or geometric shape result in hardships or safety problems, as determined by the Development Director; and

f.

Physical permanent root barriers shall be required along the required street curbs to prevent roots from damaging the curbs.

(7)

The area between required plantings shall either be planted with sod or shall be paved as approved by the Development Director.

(d)

See Subsection 230-26(e) for additional landscape zone requirements.

(Ord. No. 743 , 12-19-17)