§ 4.06.03. Landscaping Requirements for Vehicular Use Areas and Rights-of-Way

A.

Applicability. The provisions of this section shall apply to all new off-street parking or other vehicular use areas . Existing landscaping which does not comply with the provisions of this Code shall be brought into conformity to the maximum extent possible when: the vehicular use area is altered or expanded except for restriping of lots/drives, the building square footage is changed, or the structure has been vacant for a period of 1 year or more and a request for an occupational license to resume business is made. These provisions shall apply to all developments with the exception of single-family, two-family, mobile home dwelling unit, public utility ancillary system , and dwellings on individually platted lots . Any appeal from an administrative determination relating to these regulations shall be to the board of zoning appeals or equivalent. Prior to issuing occupancy permits for new construction, implementation and completion of landscaping requirements in off- street vehicular facilities shall be required. Where a conflict exists between the strict application on this division and the requirements for the number of off- street parking spaces or area of off-street loading facilities, the requirements of this section shall apply.

B.

Standards for landscaping in Vehicular Use Areas . For projects subject to architectural design standards, see LDC section 5.05.08 F. for related provisions.

1.

Landscaping required in interior of vehicular use areas. At least ten percent of the amount of vehicular use area onsite shall be devoted to interior landscaping areas. The width of all curbing shall be excluded from the required landscaped areas. All interior landscaped areas not dedicated to trees or to preservation of existing vegetation shall be landscaped with grass, ground cover, shrubs or other landscape treatment. One tree shall be provided for every 250 square feet of required interior landscaped area. Interior landscaped areas shall be a minimum of five feet in width and 150 square feet in area. The amount of required interior landscape area provided shall be shown on all preliminary and final landscape plans.

2.

All rows of parking spaces shall contain no more than ten parking spaces uninterrupted by a required landscaped island which shall measure inside the curb not less than eight feet in width and at least eight feet in length and at least 100 square feet in area. At least one tree shall be planted in each island. These islands shall not be used as retention areas or as swales. Landscape islands for compact car parking areas shall be at least seven feet in width and at least 100 square feet in area. These tree requirements shall be met with existing native trees whenever such trees are located within the parking area and may be feasibly incorporated into the landscaping. Where existing trees are retained in a landscape island the amount of parking spaces in that row may be increased to 15. A parking stall shall be no farther than 50 feet from a tree, measured to the tree trunk. Interior landscaping areas shall serve to divide and break up the expanse of paving at strategic points and to provide adequate shading of the paved area. Perimeter landscaping shall not be credited toward interior landscaping.

3.

All rows of parking spaces shall be bordered on each end by curbed landscape islands as shown in Figure 4.06.03 B - Terminal Landscape Islands. Each terminal island shall measure inside the curb not less than eight feet in width and extend the entire length of the single or double row of parking spaces bordered by the island. Type D or Type F curb per current FDOT Design Standards is required around all landscape islands. A terminal island for a single row of parking spaces shall be landscaped with at least one canopy tree. A terminal island for a double row of parking spaces shall contain not less than two canopy trees. The remainder of the terminal island shall be landscaped with sod, ground covers or shrubs or a combination of any of the above.

4.

Interior landscaping areas shall be provided within the interior of all vehicular use areas. Landscaped areas, wall structures , and walks shall require protection from vehicular encroachment through appropriate wheel stops or curbs or other structures.

5.

Required landscape islands and perimeter planting beds shall be graded to provide positive drainage. Curbing around landscape areas shall include curb cuts where necessary so as not to inhibit positive drainage.

6.

Interior landscaping areas shall meet the requirements of sections 4.06.05 G. and 4.06.05 J. Alternative designs may be approved that achieve equivalent results subject to approval by the County Manager or his designee.

7.

Vehicular overhang of landscape areas. See section 4.05.04, Exhibit A.

8.

Green space required in shopping centers and freestanding retail establishments with a floor area greater than 40,000 square feet. An area that is at least seven percent of the size of the vehicular use areas must be developed as green space within the front yard(s) or courtyards of shopping centers and retail establishments and must be in addition to the building perimeter planting area requirements. The courtyards must only be located in areas that are likely to be used by pedestrians visiting the shopping center and retail establishment. The seven percent green space area must be in addition to other landscaping requirements of this division, may be used to meet the open space requirements (section 4.02.01), and must be labeled "Green Space" on all subdivision and site plans. (Refer to section 5.05.08, Architectural and Site Design Standards and Guidelines for Commercial buildings and Projects.) The interior landscape requirements of these projects must be reduced to an amount equal to five percent of the vehicular use area on site. Green space must be considered areas designed for environmental, scenic or noncommercial recreation purposes and must be pedestrian-friendly and aesthetically appealing. Green space may only include the following: lawns, mulch, decorative plantings, nonprohibited exotic trees, walkways within the interior of the green space area not used for shopping, fountains, manmade watercourses (but not water retention areas), wooded areas, park benches, site lighting, sculptures, gazebos, and any other similar items that the planning service director deems appropriate. Green space must include: walkways within the interior of the green space area not used for shopping, a minimum of one foot of park bench per 1,000 square feet of building area. The green space area must use existing trees where possible and landscaping credits will be allowed as governed by table 4.06.04 D. The green space areas must be located in areas that are in close proximity to the retail shopping area. Benches may also be located in interior landscaped areas and 75 percent of the benches may be located adjacent to the building envelope along paths, walkways and within arcades or malls.

9.

Required landscaping for buildings over 20,000 square feet shall be pursuant to LDC section 5.05.08. The following requirements will be counted toward the required greenspace and open space requirements of this Chapter of this Code.

a.

Trees in vehicular use areas must be a minimum of 14 to 16 feet height with a six- to eight-foot spread and a three- to four-inch caliper and must have a clear trunk area to a height of six feet.

b.

The first row of landscape islands located closest to the building front and sides must be landscaped with trees, palms, shrubs and groundcovers and must have a clear trunk area to a height of seven feet.

C.

Landscaping standards for rights-of-way and median strips

1.

Median strips. Median strips which are part of the publicly dedicated or deeded right-of-way shall not be utilized for any purpose other than by the county or a public utility. When an applicant desires to beautify a public median strip in a subdivision he may do so in accordance with the guidelines established in this section 4.06.00 of this Code to allow placing of grass, shrubs and trees in general within the median strip under a right-of-way permit after submission and approval of landscaping plans. Selection of landscaping within the public or private median shall be based on accepted traffic safety standards and the prevention of interference with maintenance requirements of utilities within a median. Upon completion of the median improvements, the landscaping shall be maintained by a property owners' association, a condominium association, cooperative association, or other like or similar entity.

2.

Subdivision or land development entranceways. Subdivision or development entranceways consisting of habitable or unhabitable structures , walls, fences, gates, rock piles or the like are not permitted within the median strip of a publicly dedicated right-of-way . Decorative entranceways may be constructed upon property adjacent to a right-of-way in compliance with this Code and shall be placed so as to not interfere with any cross-corner or stopping sight distance or constitute a traffic hazard. Any improvements within private rights-of-way shall not be placed over any underground improvements without the prior written consent of the intended owner of the improvements. Upon completion of the entranceway, all improvements shall be maintained by the property owners' association, condominium association, cooperative association, or other similar entity.

(Ord. No. 04-72, § 3.O; Ord. No. 05-27, § 3.U; Ord. No. 08-63, § 3.P; Ord. No. 12-38, § 3.P; Ord. No. 16-22, § 3.J)