15.690 Landscaping and Off-Street Parking Requirements.
(1) Purpose. The off-street parking area landscaping standards herein are intended to improve the appearance of vehicular use areas and property abutting public rights-of-way. Additionally, this section requires buffering between noncompatible land uses; and to protect, preserve and promote the aesthetic appeal, character and value of surrounding neighborhoods. Finally, this section promotes public health and safety through the reduction of noise pollution, air pollution, visual pollution and glare.
The off-street parking area landscaping standards consist of a point system that is designed to provide flexibility in developing an appropriate landscape plan. Applicants can implement a landscape plan which most effectively achieves the desired aesthetic results and is consistent with the need of providing readily accessible and visible parking, provided the landscape plan meets the minimum point requirements as specified in this section.
(a) Landscape Materials. Landscape materials include plantings such as trees, shrubs, ground covers, flowers, and other materials such as rocks, water, walls, fences, paving materials and street furniture, and similar elements.
(b) Landscaping Objectives. The objectives of the landscaping standards are to recognize both the functional importance of parking areas; and the public benefits associated with well-designed, landscaped areas which enhance the visual environment, promote public safety, moderate the microclimate, and reduce nuisances such as noise and glare.
(2) General Requirements.
(a) In all off-street parking areas for five or more vehicles, the project owner (defined herein as the property owner, tenant, developer or agent) shall develop landscape areas defined as interior parking lot landscaping in tree islands, and perimeter parking lot landscaping within 10 feet of the periphery of the parking lot surface in accordance with this section. Interior parking lot landscape areas may be peninsular or island type.
(b) Parking areas with 25 or fewer parking spaces or 7,500 square feet or less of parking and/or loading surface area shall only be required to provide perimeter parking lot landscaping as defined under subsection (2)(a) of this section.
(c) Parking areas for more than 25 parking spaces or more than 7,500 square feet of parking and/or loading surface area shall be required to meet all requirements under this section.
(d) All landscape areas including tree islands shall be protected by concrete curbing, landscape timbers or equivalent structure.
(e) All landscape areas shall have the proper soil preparation to ensure the viability of the vegetation.
(f) In addition to landscape areas as defined under subsection (2)(a) of this section, landscape plans under subsection (9) of this section shall provide for an appropriate mix of landscape materials adjacent to the exterior footprint of all buildings. These landscape materials shall be used to enhance the building’s exterior facade, and not obscure views of the building or accessory signage.
(g) All undeveloped areas of the site, excluding protected wetlands and forested areas, shall be permitted to remain in natural plant growth.
(h) In situations where the gross area of an existing off-street parking lot, as measured from the edge of the parking lot pavement or unimproved surface and including access drives or aisles, ramps or internal moving lanes, is increased by 25 percent or greater than the existing parking lot area and results in a parking lot for five or more vehicles and requires site plan review and approval under MMC 15.370(2), the existing parking lot area will be required to provide either perimeter landscaping or, if not practicable, additional on-site landscaping, equal to 10 percent of the gross existing parking and loading area. The parking lot expansion area shall be required to comply with all landscape requirements under this section.
(i) Full growth potential of trees should not create a traffic hazard, nor conflict with overhead and underground utilities, vision clearance areas or obscure street lights.
(j) Landscaping shall be conceived in a total pattern throughout the site, integrating the various elements of site design, preserving and enhancing the particular identity of the site, and creating a pleasing site character.
(k) For those zoning districts that do not require front yard setback areas, all off-street parking surfaces, pavement or gravel shall be set back a minimum of 15 feet from any public right-of-way. The setback area shall be planted with grass and contain additional landscape materials equal to 10 percent of the front yard area.
(l) In no instance will more than 30 percent of the gross area of a lot be required to be landscaped under this section including lawn area and other landscape materials as defined herein.
(3) Minimum Canopy Tree and Off-Street Parking Lot Requirements.
(a) All off-street parking areas for five or more vehicles shall provide and maintain one canopy tree for each 10 parking spaces, or fraction thereof, over the initial five spaces in accordance with the schedule under subsection (3)(b) of this section. Canopy trees shall be located in tree islands, or within 10 feet of the periphery of the parking area surface. The preservation of healthy and desirable existing trees is encouraged. At the sole discretion of the City Planning Department, existing canopy trees which are disease-free and have a minimum tree diameter (caliper), measured at least six inches above ground level, of two inches and are within 10 feet of the periphery of the parking lot surface may be applied toward the canopy standard. All newly planted canopy trees must also have a minimum tree diameter of two inches.
(b) Parking areas with more than 25 parking spaces or more than 7,500 square feet of parking and/or loading surface area shall be required to provide interior parking lot landscaping in tree islands. Rows of parking stalls shall be broken, separated or terminated by a tree island at a rate of one tree island for each linear row of 10 parking spaces for single row configuration, or for each 20 parking spaces in double row configurations. At the discretion of the City Planning Department, tree islands may be located at alternative locations on the site, or replaced with an equivalent amount and area of perimeter parking lot landscaping to ensure the aesthetic appeal of the development.
|
Number of Stalls |
Number of Trees Required |
|---|---|
|
1 – 4 |
0 trees |
|
5 – 14 |
1 tree |
|
15 – 24 |
2 trees |
|
25 – 34 |
3 trees |
|
35 – 44 |
4 trees |
|
45 – 54 |
5 trees |
|
55 + |
6 trees, plus 1 additional tree for each 10 spaces or fraction thereof |
(4) Screening Standards for Parking in or Adjacent to Residentially Zoned Parcels.
(a) There shall be an opaque site screening barrier for the purpose of obstructing light beams and muffling noise where:
1. An off-street parking area for five or more vehicles is adjacent to, or within 25 feet of, an adjoining Residential Zoning District or public right-of-way; or
2. An off-street parking area for five or more vehicles is located in a manner where nearby residentially zoned properties would be affected by headlight glare.
(b) The following standards shall be applied in considering whether or not a screening barrier is in compliance with this section:
1. Landscaping or screening shall effectively screen the parking area from public rights-of-way, public recreation sites and residentially zoned lands;
2. Where landscape materials are used for barrier screening, they must be of suitable size and density to accomplish the screening objective within three years from the date of planting or the date a final certificate of occupancy is issued by the City;
3. The above-grade height of the site screen shall not be less than four feet above the surface of the parking area, subject to MMC 16.350;
4. A barrier may consist of wood, masonry or chain link fencing, walls, berming, or the use of landscape material; and
5. Design of the barrier is subject to approval by the City Planning Department.
(5) Minimum Landscape Element Standards.
(a) In addition to the requirements for canopy trees under subsection (3) of this section and residential screening under subsection (4) of this section, all off-street parking areas for five or more vehicles in the following zoning districts shall be required to accumulate a minimum number of points in order to be approved and in compliance with MMC 15.370(2):
1. Parking lots located in a “B-1,” “B-2,” “B-3,” “B-4,” “C-1” or Residential Zoning District shall be required to accumulate 15 points per parking stall; or
2. Parking lots located in an “I-1” or “I-2” Zoning District shall be required to accumulate 10 points per parking stall. Parking areas for 100 or more vehicles shall be required to accumulate 10 points for each of the first 100 parking spaces, and five points for all parking spaces above 100.
(b) Points under subsection (5)(a) of this section are accumulated for each employee and visitor parking space in accordance with the point schedule detailed under subsection (5)(d) of this section. To qualify for points, the landscape materials must be located in the landscape area defined under subsection (2)(a) of this section, and in a manner which meets the landscaping objectives under subsection (1)(b) of this section. If compliance under subsection (2)(a) of this section is not practicable, an equivalent amount of landscaping may be located on site, subject to approval by the City Planning Department.
(c) Truck, trailer or heavy equipment vehicular storage and loading areas shall be required to provide either perimeter parking lot landscaping or, if not practicable, additional on-site landscaping equal to 10 percent of the gross storage and loading area.
(d) Point Schedule for Landscape Elements.
|
Landscape Element |
Minimum Planted Diameter or Height |
Points |
|---|---|---|
|
Canopy trees |
Over 2-1/2" |
50 pts. |
|
Canopy trees |
2" – 2-1/2" |
30 pts. |
|
Evergreen trees |
6' |
30 pts. |
|
Tall shrubs |
4' |
9 pts. |
|
Medium shrubs |
3' |
6 pts. |
|
Low shrubs |
2' |
|
Walls, decorative fences, earth berms, ground covers and shrubs with a mature height of less than two feet above grade do not accumulate any points, unless approved under subsection (5)(g) of this section.
(e) To qualify for the points under subsection (5)(d) of this section, trees and shrubs shall be of good nursery stock, disease-free and not less than the minimum required planting size.
(f) Trees used to meet the canopy standard under subsection (3) of this section, and landscape materials used to meet the screening standards under subsection (4) of this section, may be applied toward the minimum landscape requirements under subsection (5)(a) of this section.
(g) The project owner may request points for decorative fences, earth berms, ground covers, existing vegetation and shrubs of a mature height of not less than two feet above grade. It must be demonstrated by the project owner that these landscape materials will contribute to the overall landscape objectives. The number of points credited will be determined by the City Planning Department.
(6) Minimum Widths for Tree Islands and Planted Areas.
(a) All tree islands and landscape areas under subsection (2)(a) of this section with trees shall be a minimum width of five feet as measured from the inside of any curb or frame.
(b) All landscape areas under subsection (2)(a) of this section without trees, but planted with shrubs, shall be a minimum width of four feet as measured from the inside of any curb or frame.
(7) Unsuitable Species. Several shrubs and trees, which are not native to Wisconsin, have an established history of spreading to nearby parks and conservancy areas. These nonnative plants tend to become overly abundant and ultimately eliminate many desirable native species. The control and eradication of these unsuitable plants create a costly management problem. Therefore, all planting specifications shall first be reviewed and approved by the City Planning Department.
(8) Adjustments to Parking and Landscaping Requirements. The City Planning Department may authorize adjustments to the requirements where literal compliance with the specifications and standards under this section would make the parking lot landscaping ineffective or unnecessary. Existing land use conditions, topographic constraints, existing vegetation, traffic safety, or compliance with fire or other public safety requirements may necessitate adjustments.
If the City Planning Department determines that the location of landscape materials within the landscape area is not appropriate or feasible, the City Planning Department may require that at least an equivalent area of landscape treatment be added elsewhere on the site.
(9) Landscape/Planting Plan.
(a) Landscape Plan and Contents. The project owner shall have prepared a landscape plan drawn by a registered landscape architect or other professional acceptable to the City, for review and approval by the City Planning Department. Any plans submitted without the following information will be rejected. The contents of the plan shall include the following:
1. Scaled and fully dimensioned plot plan identifying all existing and proposed property lines, easements, buildings and other structures, vehicular use areas (including parking stalls, driveways, service areas, etc.);
2. Location of water outlets;
3. Identification of landscape materials (including botanical and common name, installation size, on-center planting dimensions where applicable, size and quantities for all plantings used, and specifications for proper soil preparation);
4. Location and identification of all existing landscape materials to remain and to be removed from the site, and proposed new landscape materials, including the height and crown width the plantings will achieve five years after plan implementation;
5. Location and identification of snow removal storage areas, described in sufficient detail to demonstrate that required landscape materials will not be killed or harmed;
6. Typical elevations and/or cross-sections of berms, fences, retaining walls, ponds, planters, etc., as may be required; and
7. Title blocks with the pertinent names, addresses, telephone and fax numbers (project owner, person drawing plan, and person installing landscape materials), scale, date and north arrow.
(10) Maintenance and Installation. The project owner, tenant and their respective agents shall be held jointly and severally responsible to maintain their property and landscape materials in a condition presenting a healthy, neat and orderly appearance, and free from weeds, refuse and debris. This requirement shall run with the property, and is binding upon all future property owners.
Landscape materials which are required by an approved site or landscape plan, and which have died, shall be replaced within three months of notification by the City. However, the time for compliance may be extended up to nine months by the City Planning Department in order to allow for seasonal or weather conditions.
(11) Outdoor Vehicle Display Areas. Outdoor vehicle display areas, defined herein as open areas, other than right-of-way or public parking area used for outdoor display, sale or rental of new and used vehicles including boats in operable condition and where no repair work is done, and storage lots including mobile or manufactured homes or camping trailers, shall be required to provide either perimeter landscaping or, if not practicable, on-site landscaping, equal to 10 percent of the gross display lot and loading area.
(12) Violations and Penalties. Failure to comply with the requirements under this section is subject to penalties under MMC 15.630.
[Prior code § 15.69]