§ 8.5.8. Parking lot landscaping.

Parking lot landscaping reduces the heat island effect produced by large expanses of pavement. It also provides shade for vehicles and pedestrians and can buffer or screen views of parking lots from adjacent public areas, streets and development. Parking lot landscaping adds an aesthetic element to nonresidential areas and enhances the overall appearance of the site. All uses that require site plan approval (per section 8.6) must provide parking lot landscaping in compliance with this section.

A.

Parking lot perimeter landscape standards.

1.

At least 70 percent of the length of all sides of a parking lot must be buffered or screened according to subsection 8.5.5 or 8.5.6. The planning director or a designated representative may determine that the arrangement of existing structures, uses, or other factors make this amount of landscaping impractical or unnecessary.

2.

Areas within designated site triangles (as determined by the county engineer) shall not include plants with a mature height over 30 inches, or other elements that exceed 30 inches in height.

3.

Parking areas on side or rear lot lines must contain at least one shade or ornamental tree for every 40 lineal feet of parking area along the lot line, within three to ten feet of sidewalks. Trees must be at least 25 feet from street intersections; at least ten feet from fire hydrants, access points and at least 40 feet from streetlights. Where utility lines are present, trees shall be located outside of the utility easements.

4.

Trees must be arranged to allow for the maximum possible shading of parking areas.

B.

Parking lot interior landscape standards.

1.

Landscaped islands shall define parking lot entrances, the ends of all parking aisles and pedestrian staging areas to the maximum extent possible.

2.

Parking lots with more than ten parking spaces shall provide a landscape island after every tenth contiguous parking space. The planning director, or a designated representative, may allow landscape islands to be placed after every twelfth space in areas that are not visible from the public right-of-way or designated for public use.

3.

Landscaped island standards:

a)

Landscape islands shall be at least nine feet by 19 feet in size. Landscape islands on the perimeter of pedestrian staging areas must be a minimum of four feet in width per side.

b)

Landscape islands in areas not visible from public roads, sidewalks or open space may be reduced in size to a minimum of 25 square feet.

c)

Landscape islands shall have a minimum of one shade tree and two shrubs. Shrubs are not required for landscape islands that are 25 square feet in size. Organic mulch must be used around plants per the requirements in section 8.5.12. Ground covers, boulders and other decorative features may be used as optional decorative elements.

d)

Landscape islands shall include an automated sprinkler system.

e)

Landscape islands shall be contained within raised beds to minimize vehicle contact with planting areas. Where mulch is used in the islands, the interior level of the island must be constructed lower than the required curb to retain mulch and water.

4.

Parking lots with more than 100 spaces must be designed to provide areas for pedestrian staging and snow storage.

5.

Landscape areas in parking lots with a gravel or other permeable surfaces, may omit the raised bed requirement with county approval. Landscape areas must have clearly defined edges and designed in such a way to contain mulch within the landscape bed.

6.

Landscape areas in parking lots without raised beds must use wheel-stops to define the end of the parking area.

7.

Plantings must not interfere with driver vision or with vehicle and pedestrian circulation.

(Res. No. 07092013R005, Exh. A, 6-10-2013)