§ 62-4342. Landscape buffers.

The purpose of the vegetative buffering requirements set out in this section is to provide visual and physical screening and buffering between potentially incompatible uses and to reduce the effects of glare, noise and incompatible activities, to include commercial, institutional, public, and industrial uses when they abut existing residential uses.

(1)

Type A, compatibility buffer. Where a fence or wall is required by article VI of this chapter, the Type A buffer, as defined in this subsection, may be utilized in lieu of the required fence or wall. This buffer classification shall be used to separate commercial, institutional, public or industrial uses from residential uses. The Type A buffer shall be completely opaque from the ground up to a height of at least six feet, except where located within 25 feet of a road, where it shall be four feet in height. In conjunction with this buffer, a minimum 20-foot vegetated area shall be provided. There shall be no parking or structures other than permitted signage located within this vegetated area.

a.

The opaque buffer may utilize a masonry wall, wood fence, landscaped earth berm, planted or existing vegetation or any combination thereof that maintains a completely opaque buffer.

b.

Location of fences and walls. Where a fence or wall is used to fulfill the screening requirements within a vegetative buffer, it shall be located one foot inside of the property line that abuts the residential zoning. When an impediment such as a drainage easement, ditch or water body runs along a property line, an administrative waiver may be granted by the director to allow the masonry wall or fence to be placed along the edge of the ditch or water body instead of on the property line. Where there are existing trees within the buffer area, the fence or wall shall be located so as to preserve the trees.

(2)

Type B, roadway buffer. This buffer classification shall be required for all development excluding individual single-family homes not within platted subdivisions. This buffer shall be landscaped, be located adjacent to any public road and have a minimum width of 15 feet. There shall be no parking or structures other than permitted signage located within this vegetated area.

(3)

Planting requirements. The planting requirements for the vegetative buffer areas shall be consistent with Appendix B as amended, and shall be credited toward the overall landscaping requirements. Minimum buffering and landscaping of vehicular use areas shall be met regardless of other requirements.

(Ord. No. 06-55, § 13, 10-24-06; Ord. No. 08-01, § 11, 1-8-08; Ord. No. 09-24, § 9, 9-15-09)