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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-1-6911300 ORDINANCE NO. 2005-1-6911 AN ORDINANCE CREATING SECTION 83, OF CHAPTER 126, ZONING, OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PADUCAH, KENTUCKY BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF PADUCAH, KENTUCKY: SECTION 1. That Section 83, Landscape Regulations, of Chapter 126, Zoning, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Paducah, Kentucky, is hereby amended to read as follows: Section 126-83 Landscape Regulations (A) Purpose. The purpose and intent of this section is to improve the appearance of vehicular use areas (VUA's) and property abutting public rights of way; to require screening between incompatible land uses; and to protect, preserve and promote the aesthetic appeal, character and value of the surrounding neighborhoods; to promote public health and safety through the reduction of noise pollution and air pollution. (B) Landscape Review Procedure This section applies to all developments subject to Site Plan Review with the exception of single-family developments. The requirements stated in this section shall be addressed duringthe he applicable Site Plan review process. 1. New Sites Currently Undeveloped: No new site development, P' building, or structure shall be constructed or vehicular use area created unless landscaping is provided as required by the provisions of this section. 2. Existing Sites Currently Developed: Improvements to an existing site that include building additions or vehicular use area expansions shall be required to bring only the new improvements into compliance with this section. (C) General Requirements: 1. All landscaping materials shall be installed in a sound manner, and according to accepted good construction and planting, procedures. Any landscape material, which fails to meet the minimum requirements of this chapter at the time of installation, shall be removed and replaced with acceptable materials. The person in charge of or in control of the property whether as owner, lessee, tenant, occupant, or otherwise shall be responsible for the continued proper maintenance of all landscaping materials and shall keep them in a proper, neat, and orderly appearance free from refuse, debris, noxious weeds and unwanted grass at all times. All unhealthy or dead plant material shall be replaced within four (4) months or by the next planting season, whichever comes first; while other defective landscape material shall be replaced or repaired within (� two (2) months. Plant material shall not be severely pruned such that the _ natural growth pattern or characteristic form is significantly altered. Topping trees is prohibited. The severe cutting of limbs to stubs larger than three (3) inches in diameter is prohibited. Utility Companies are exempt from this requirement. 2. Paducah, Kentuckv is located within the Plant Hardiness Zone #6. 3. Existing trees shall be preserved where possible. 4. Surfaces denuded of vegetation shall be seeded or sodded to prevent soil erosion. 5. Sight Triangles: See Section 126-65 301 (D) Landscaping 1. All parking lots of more than four (4) parking spaces shall include planted trees in accordance with the schedule 1: Schedule 1 1 to 4 spaces No trees re wired 5 to 30 Maces 1 tree for each 6 s aces or fraction thereof u to 30 spaces 31 to 100 Maces 5 trees for the first 30 spaces, plus 1 tree for each additional 7 spaces or fraction thereof 101 to 196 spaces 15 trees for the first 100 spaces, plus 1 tree for each additional 8 spaces or fraction thereof 197 to 304 spaces 27 trees for the first 196 spaces, plus 1 tree for each additional 9 spaces or fraction thereof 305 to 504 spaces 39 trees for the first 305 spaces, plus 1 tree for each additional 10 spaces or fraction thereof 505 or more 59 trees for the first 505 Maces, plus 1 tree for each additional 11 spaces spaces or fraction thereof 1. Trees shall be at least one and one-half inches (1 1/2") in diameter at a point six inches (6") above the Around, when planted; tree type shall be approved by the Zoning Administrator and shall be protected from potential damage by vehicles. Thirty percent (30%) of required trees shall be placed within the perimeter of the actual DarkinLy surface area in those parking lots of over twenty (20) spaces. 2. Interior landscaping for Vehicular Use Areas (VUA's). Landscaping shall be provided for vehicular use areas in accordance with the following standards: a. A minimum of five (5) Dercent of the total VUA shall be landscaped and the landscaping shall be dispersed throughout the paved area. The VUA landscaping shall only be required for uses that have more than twenty_(20) parking spaces. This section shall not apply to parking lots that are used for the sole purpose of selling vehicles. b. The VUA landscaping shall contain a variety of trees and be dispersed in the form of planting islands or peninsulas throughout the VUA. The minimum size of DlantinR areas shall be eighty 80 square feet. c. Planting_ islands within the VUA shall be required at the end of every other parking row, when parking rows are provided in the interior portions of the parkin lot. ot. (Illustration #1) Illustration #1 d. All planting islands shall be planted with grass, low ground cover, shrubs, flowers, or any combination of these. Hard surfaces or gravel are not permitted. M, 302 e. All planting islands shall have a minimum of 6" curbs installed to protect the planting area from vehicular traffic. f. All plant material (other than grass, or ground cover) located within landscape islands where vehicle overhangs are needed shall be setback a minimum of 2'6" from the edge of pavement or face of curb. 3. Sign Landscaping. Landscaping shall be located around the base of free- standing signs. The landscaping shall be ornamental in nature with shrubs, flowers and other ornamental plant materials. Sign landscapin is s not required for free-standing signs permitted before the adoption of this ordinance. The amount of landscape area required shall be one square foot of landscape area per one square foot of sign area. At least fifty (50) percent of the required landscaping area shall be planted with trees and/or shrubs. 4. Building Landscaping. Anv blank facade or portion of a facade of a buildin that is not used for outdoor display, storage or loading/unloading shall be required to provide the following landscaping if the wall is visible from a public right-of-way. Blank facades shall be classified as any wall that does not have windows used for display or entry doors for employees or the general public. Buildings, which are 10,000 square feet or smaller shall be exempt, form the requirements of this section. a. Trees shall be provided on an average of at least one tree per 40 linear feet of blank fagade as defined above and shrubs shall be provided on an average of at least one shrub per ten (10) linear feet of blank fagade. This landscaping is not required to be placed in a linear design. but shall be reauired to be dispersed throughout the length of the building fagade. b. Facades that abut VUA's shall have a minimum eight (8) feet wide planting area. This planting area can be reduced by four 4) feet if sidewalks are installed. (E) Screening requirements. The necessity of screening and the type of screening required variesrg eatly with each particular situation. Therefore, it is the intent of this section to provide a discretionary measure in deciding the appropriate height, width and type of screening necessary, with the following provisions: 5. Required screening, height limits. Screening shall be required and adequately maintained in the following situations: a. Where a business zone abuts a residential zone, a screen will be required along the boundary of the business property adjacent to the residential property. b. Where an industrial zone abuts a residential zone a screen will be required along the boundary of the industrial property adjacent to the residential property. c. Where a business or industrial zone abuts a county residential zone, a screen will be required along the boundary of the adjacent residential zone. 1. Where on any lot, or portion thereof, automobiles, appliances and their component parts are under repair or reduction, a screen shall be required. 2. Off-street parking lots shall be screened when located adjacent to or in a residential zone. 3. Mobile home parks shall provide a screen along their property lines as required by section 126-69(5). 4. Fences in a residential zone, which may be placed along a bound f or the purpose of providing privacy or security to the resident, shall follow the following height limitations: (Illustration #2) 303 i. Front yard: Four feet. ii. Fences shall be of a decorative design, (chain link, barbed wire, stock wire, chicken wire and similar type fences are not permitted). iii. Side yard: Six feet. iv. Rear yard: Eight feet. Illustration #2 6. For the purpose of this section "fence" shall be interpreted to include any We of fence wall trellis or structure placed for the purpose of this section. All fences shall be constructed of durable materials and shall be installed to withstand the elements. Fences shall be maintained in good repair at all times. 8. Uses specified above as requiring screeningshall provide a visual obstruction from adjacent properties in conformance with the following standards: The screen mgy be composed of view -obscuring vegetation, wall fence or berm. The items may be used individually or in combination. Fences constructed of chain link, barbed wire, stock wire, chicken wire or other similar We fences are not permitted when used for screening. The result shall be semi-opaque (80%) screen, which obscures views from the ground to a height of the object being; screened; however, the screen is not required to exceed eight (8) feet. Plant materials shall be at least two (2) feet tall at the time of installation and reach the desired height within three (3) to five (5) years. When a combination of features is proposed, one fourth of the surface area of a walls fences or berms that face off-site must be covered with plant material within three (3) to five (5) years. Additionally, screen areas shall be sufficient to allow for the mature growth of plant materials when used. 9. Plan approval. The procedure to determine screening height, type and width is as follows: The developer shall submit his plat to the Planning and Zoning Administrator and City Engineer and shall show the type of screening to be located along the boundary of his property. (F) Enforcement 1. Inspections will be conducted by the City_of Paducah planning office after installation of landscaping to assure compliance with the submitted and approved Site Plan. 2. The removal or destruction of landscape material previously approved by the City shall constitute a violation of the Zoning Ordinance. Replacement of landscape material shall be of like size as that which was removed or destroyed. 3. Violation of this chapter shall be grounds for the refusal of a Certificate of Occupancy,quire replacement of landscape material, and/or will subject those in violation to established fines and penalties of the Zoning Ordinance. (G) Waiver of Requirements The Planning Commission shall have the authority to grant a waiver of any of the requirements in this Section upon written request, which outlines the rationale for the waiver. The Planning Commission shall review each written request and grant a waiver only: under unusual or extreme circumstances which cause an unreasonable hardship such as the size of the lot; or, when an innovative or alternative approach can be made which still meets the intent and per ose of this Section. SECTION 2. That if any section, paragraph or provision of this ordinance shall be found to be inoperative, ineffective or invalid for any cause, the deficiency or invalidity of such section, paragraph or provision shall not affect any other section, paragraph or provision hereof, it being the purpose and intent of this ordinance to make each and every section, paragraph, an provision hereof separable from all other sections, paragraphs and provisions. SECTION 3. This ordinance shall be read on two separate days and will become effective upon summary publication pursuant to KIR ATTEST: Tammara S. Brock, City Clerk Introduced by the Board of Commissioners, November 23, 2004 Adopted by the Board of Commissioners January 11, 2005 Recorded by Tammara S. Brock, City Clerk, January 11, 2005 Published by The Paducah Sun, January 18, 2005 \winword\ord\plan\zone\126-83 304