ARTICLE 2550 LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING FOR COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL AND MULTI- FAMILY HOUSING

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1 OF MONONGALIA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA Page 1 of 8 ARTICLE 2550 LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING FOR COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL AND MULTI- FAMILY HOUSING Purpose The purpose of this Article is to establish provisions for landscape buffering measures to assist in minimizing the potential visual impacts and conflicts between adjacent nonresidential and residential land uses to achieve a healthy, beautiful, and safe living environment. This Article establishes minimum standards for the provision, installation, and maintenance of landscape plantings. These regulations shall apply to new nonresidential and multi-family housing development only and does not apply to single-family residential lots Enforcement A. Wherever site plan review is required by this Ordinance, a Landscape and Screening Plan shall be a required part of such site plan. No permanent Certificate of Occupancy shall be issued without completion of all landscaping shown on an approved Landscape and Screening Plan. B. In the event that the season is not appropriate, a temporary Certificate of Occupancy may be issued for a period of one year when weather conditions do not permit landscape installation. C. Failure to implement an approved Landscape and Screening Plan, including preservation of existing features, or to maintain the landscaping as long as incompatibility of adjoining uses exists, shall be a violation of this Ordinance subject to the penalties outlined in Article 2300 of this Ordinance Landscaping and Screening Plan As a component of a required site plan, a Landscape and Screen Plan shall show the entire lot to scale (minimum 1 =50 ) contain the following elements: A. The name, address, and phone number of the owner, developer, and plan preparer as well as the date the plan was prepared, the scale of the drawings, and north arrow; B. The location, quantity, size, common name, and scientific name of all proposed planting materials; C. Planting and installation details as necessary to ensure conformance with all required standards and planting specifications; and D. If applicable, the design of fencing and other significant accessory structures used for screening Preservation of Existing Features A. Trees and shrubs already existing on land subject to the provisions of this Article should be preserved wherever feasible. B. Existing trees that are preserved will contribute to the required landscaping. For each tree that is preserved that is greater than 8-inch caliper and is found on the approved list, the amount of new trees to be installed shall be reduced by two trees.

2 OF MONONGALIA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA Page 2 of 8 C. Tree protection barriers shall be specified on the Landscape and Screening Plan and shall be placed at or beyond the drip line (see Article 2250 Definitions of this Ordinance for illustration) of trees to be protected. These barriers shall remain in place during heavy construction on the site, and no vehicle, machinery, tools, chemicals, construction materials, or temporary soil deposits may be permitted within the barriers, nor may any notice or other object be nailed, stapled, or posted on protected trees General Landscaping Requirements A. All land areas that are not covered with buildings and pavement or used for agricultural purposes shall be appropriately landscaped in accordance with the requirements of this section. Landscaping shall be provided in the areas specified and shall be of the minimum intensity specified below. B. The scale and nature of landscape materials shall be appropriate to the size of the structures and the available space. Materials shall be located to avoid interference with overhead and underground utilities and utility easements or vehicular or pedestrian movement and visibility. Growth characteristics should be considered carefully. C. All trash dumpsters, trash pads, loading, building service, and outside storage areas shall be screened from residential uses and public streets. Such screening may be achieved by using a minimum six-foot high, completely opaque fence or wall, a six-foot high berm, or a six-foot high evergreen screen. Height of screen shall be measured from the grade of the nearest street. D. Grass and other vegetative ground cover shall be used for all open space, including parking lot islands, except for: 1. Decorative mulch planting beds containing trees and/or shrubs. 2. Inert stabilization in areas subject to severe runoff, erosion, or ponding. E. Where stone or other inert materials are to be used for ground cover, they shall be specifically identified on the Landscape and Screening Plan. Any area not so designated shall be required to have grass or vegetative ground cover. F. All landscaping shall conform to the regulations established for site triangles to maintain safe sight distances at intersections and points of access as designated in Article 2600 Roads and Rights-of-Way of this Ordinance. G. All landscaped areas adjacent to off-street parking spaces shall be protected from encroachment or intrusion of vehicles (e.g. wheel stops). H. In no case may a tree or shrub be planted within a storm drainage, sewer, water, or utility easement. I. If the unit of measurement is any fraction of the unit specified in relation to the number of plantings to be provided, said fraction, if less than one-half or less than 0.5, the fraction shall be disregarded; however, if the fraction is more than one-half or more than 0.5, then the fraction shall be considered as being the next unit and shall be counted as requiring one planting Buffer Yard Landscaping Requirements A. New nonresidential and/or multi-family development adjacent to single-family residential property (existing or zoned) shall provide a landscape buffer yard ten (10) feet wide

3 OF MONONGALIA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA Page 3 of 8 planted with five medium to large trees and fifteen (15) shrubs per 100 linear feet of buffer yard between the nonresidential or multi-family uses and single-family residential uses (See Graphic ). Nothing shall be construed that this requirement shall dictate layout of landscaping material. Entire length shall be evaluated and required material provided. This requirement may supersede the minimum setback requirement for the zoning district. Graphic B. The use of natural landscaping shall remain the preferred method of buffering nonresidential and multi-family residential from single-family residential uses. However, where a natural buffer strip is considered to be impracticable or inappropriate, an opaque fence at least six (6) feet in height so as to continually restrict a clear view beyond said buffer yard may be substituted in whole or in part for a natural buffer provided its specifications are approved by the Planning Official. C. Non-residential or multi-family developments existing at the time of adoption of this Ordinance are exempt from this requirement. D. Undeveloped properties, expansions of more than 40 percent of existing floor area, and property subject to zoning map amendments are subject to the provisions of this section Parking Lot Landscaping Requirements The following landscape requirements applied to parking lots are intended to screen parking areas from the road, prevent large expanses of unbroken pavement, and provide shade to cool paved areas during the summer months. A. General Provisions 1. Parking lots with four (4) stalls or less are exempt from the requirements of this section. If only four (4) stalls are required by this Ordinance and the applicant chooses to provide additional parking, then the requirements of this section shall apply. 2. All remaining unpaved areas of the parking lot shall be grassed or planted in ground cover, unless otherwise specified. B. Development with Parking Located Between Building and Public Right-of-Way (R-O-W) / Private Street (See Graphic )

4 OF MONONGALIA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA Page 4 of 8 If any parking is located between the public R-O-W or private street and the building line, the following shall apply: Graphic A ten-foot wide buffer shall be provided for the length of any parking area abutting a public R- O-W or private street. The buffer strip shall contain at least one twoinch (2") caliper tree for every twenty (20) feet and at least three (3) shrubs of at least three (3) gallons in size clustered between each two trees. Seventy-five percent (75%) of required shrubs must be evergreen. 2. A six (6) foot side and rear yard buffer strip shall be provided and contain at least one two-inch (2") caliper tree for every twenty (20) feet and three (3) shrubs of at least three (3) gallons in size clustered between each two (2) trees. C. Development with No Parking Between Building Line and Public R-O-W or Private Street (See Graphic ) Graphic If there is no parking anywhere between the established building line and the public R-O-W or private street, the following shall apply: 1. A four (4) foot perimeter buffer shall be provided, along the side and rear yard of the property, that contains at least one two-inch (2") caliper tree every twenty (20) feet and at least three (3) shrubs of at least three (3) gallons in size clustered between each two trees. 2. If the proposed parking lot contains twenty (20) stalls or more, an additional five (5) percent of the parking lot area shall be reserved for interior landscaping. Planting beds running adjacent to and parallel with the building, perimeter landscaping, and buffer requirements shall not count towards this requirement. D. Design Standards for Interior Parking Area Landscaping 1. All interior landscaping required by this Ordinance shall be in addition to any perimeter buffer strips required in Sections and All rows of parking spaces, when a lot contains 20 or more parking stalls, shall provide a terminal island with concrete curbs and at least 130 square feet of area to protect parked vehicles, provide visibility, confine moving traffic to aisles and

5 OF MONONGALIA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA Page 5 of Plant List driveways, and provide space for landscaping. Island landscaping may count toward fulfilling the five (5) percent internal landscaping requirement. 3. Landscaped islands with concrete curbs and at least 130 square feet of area shall be provided every ten (10) spaces or less within a row of spaces for multi-family residential developments and every fifteen (15) spaces or less within a row of spaces for nonresidential developments. Planting islands should be evenly spaced throughout the parking lot to consistently shade paved areas. Islands shall be utilized where needed to control vehicular circulation and define major drives. Islands may count toward fulfilling the 5 percent internal landscaping requirement. To prevent cars from parking too close to trees or damaging shrubs, an extended curb or bumper must be provided. Planting islands parallel to parking spaces must be a minimum of five (5) feet wide to allow car doors to swing open. The following tree and shrub list are the approved species to be used for Landscape and Screening Plans. Plant materials used other than what is listed herein may be approved by the Planning Official. A. Streetscape Trees (suitable for planting along streets and sidewalks): Ginkgo biloba Ginkgo (Male) Gleditsia triacanthos inermis Thornless Honey Locust Fraxinus pennsylvania Green Ash Platanus occidentallis Sycamore Acer rubrum Red Maple Acer saccharum Sugar Maple Quercus borealis Red Oak Platanus acerifolia London Plane Tree Sophora japonica Japanese Pagoda Tree Tilia cordata Littleleaf Linden Tilia tomentosa Silver Linden Zelkova serrata Village Green Cladrastis lutea Yellowwood Cornus florida Dogwood Crataegus plaenopyrum Washington Hawthorn Prunus americana American Plum Pyrus calleryana Respire Pear Malus Flowering Crabapple Prunus Flowering Cherry Cercis canadensis Eastern Redbud B. Small Trees (suitable for planting under low overhead utility wires or restricted spaces): Alnus Alder Amelanchier canadensis Serviceberry Betula Birch Carpinus Celtis Hackberry Cercis canadensis Redbud Chionanthus Corylus Hazelnut Cotinus

6 OF MONONGALIA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA Page 6 of 8 Crataegus Hawthorne Halesia Silverbell Nyssa Black Gum Ostrya Oxydendron Sourwood Prunus accolade Accolade Flowering Cherry Stewartia Syringa reticulate Japanese lilac tree C. Medium to Large Trees (suitable for urban environments, but not under wires): Acer rubrum Red Maple Cornus spp. Dogwood Fraxinus americana White Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Green Ash Ginkgo biloba Male Ginkgo Species Gleditsia triacanthos inermis Thornless Honey Locust Liriodendron tulipifera Tulip Tree Platanus acerfolia London Planetree Quercus rubra Red Oak Quercus shumardii Shumard Oak Taxodium distichum Bald Cypress Tilia Linden D. Evergreen Trees Picea abies- Norway Spruce Picea omorika- Serbian Spruce Picea pungens species- Colorado Blue Spruce Pinus strobus- Eastern White Pine E. Shrubs Aronia arbutifolia Brilliantissima - Red Chokeberry Chaenomeles Species- Oriental Quince Cotoneaster spp.- Cotoneaster Species Cryptomeria Forsythia x intermedia- Showy Border Forsythia Hydrangea quercifolia- Oakleaf Hydrangea Ilex glabra Inkberry Ilex M. Blue Princess Blue Princess Holly Ilex verticillata- Winterberry Holly Juniperus chinensis- Chinese Juniper Kolkwitzia amabalis- Beauty Bush Myrica pensylvanica- Northern Bayberry Syringa patula Miss Kim - Miss Kim Lilac Syringa meyeri Paliban - Dwarf Korean Lilac Viburnum spp.- Viburnum Species

7 OF MONONGALIA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA Page 7 of Modifications A. Under conditions where a strict interpretation of requirements may be either physically impossible or create practical difficulties, an alternative compliance procedure may be used to maintain the spirit, rather than the letter, of the law. The proposed solution must equal or exceed standard landscaping requirements. The applicant, in making a request to the Planning Official for use of alternative landscaping schemes, must: 1. Provide a statement justifying which one or more of the following conditions apply: a. The site involves space limitations or unusually shaped parcels; b. Topography, soil, vegetation, or other site conditions are such that full compliance is impossible or impractical; c. Due to a change of use of an existing site, the required buffer yard is larger than can be provided; d. Existing utility lines or easements complicate the placement of required plant materials. 2. Provide a statement identifying which of the requirements established this Article will be met with modifications and how the proposed measures equal or exceed normal compliance. B. Where compliance is required as a result of change in use or expansion of an existing building and compliance with this section will necessitate removal of existing pavement, the Planning Official may approve a reduction of minimum planting areas, provided that proposed plantings, screens, and other landscape features are substantially equivalent to the minimum requirements in terms of landscaping. C. After initial approval of the Landscape and Screening Plan, the Planning Official may approve any substitute landscape proposal that he/she deems to be equivalent to the approved landscape. D. Occasionally, plant substitutions for species specified on approved Landscape and Screening Plans are required due to seasonal planting problems and a lack of plant availability. Minor revisions to Landscape and Screening Plans can be approved by the Planning Official if there is no reduction in the quantity of plant material, no significant change in size or location of plant materials, and if the substitute plants are of the same general category and have the same general design characteristics as the plants originally approved. Proposed materials must also be compatible with the microclimate of the site to ensure healthy plant growth Installation and Maintenance A. Plant materials shall conform to the requirements described in the latest edition of the American Standard for Nursery Stock, which is published by the American Association of Nurserymen. Plants shall be nursery grown. B. Plants shall conform to the measurements specified below: 1. Caliper measurements shall be taken six inches above grade for trees under four inches in caliper and 12 inches above grade for trees four inches or larger in caliper. 2. Minimum size for shade trees shall be 2 inches in caliper.

8 OF MONONGALIA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA Page 8 of 8 3. Minimum size for ornamental trees shall be 1.5 inches in caliper. 4. Minimum size for evergreen trees shall be 4 feet above grade. C. After cultivation, all plant materials shall be mulched with a two to three inch layer of shredded bark, peat moss, or another suitable material over the entire area of the bed. D. The owner of the premises shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of all landscaping materials on the premises at the owner s expense. All landscaped areas shall be kept free of refuse and debris. Fences, walls, and other barriers shall be maintained in good repair. It is the responsibility of each private property owner to remove any dead, diseased, or dangerous trees or shrubs, or parts thereof, which overhang or interfere with sight triangle, traffic control devices, public sidewalks, rights-of-way, or property owned by a unit of local government or governmental agency. The County shall have the authority to order the removal of any such trees or shrubs.