§ 7.1. General Requirements.

1.

Intent. The landscape standards outlined in this section are designed to meet the following set of goals.

(1)

To provide for healthy, long-lived street trees within all public ways to improve the appearance of streets and create a buffer between pedestrian and vehicular travel lanes.

(2)

To increase the compatibility of adjacent uses and minimize the adverse impacts created by adjoining or neighboring uses.

(3)

To promote the prudent use of water and energy resources by achieving and maintaining sustainable, functional landscapes.

(4)

To shade large expanses of pavement and reduce the urban heat island effect.

2.

Applicability. Landscaping, trees, and buffers shall be installed as detailed in this section.

(1)

General Compliance. Application of this section to existing uses shall occur with the following developments.

(a)

Any development of new or significant improvements to existing parking lots, loading facilities, and driveways. Significant improvements include new driveways, new spaces, new medians, new loading facilities, or complete reorganization of the parking and aisles.

(b)

Alteration to an existing principal or accessory structure that results in a change of 15% or more in the structure's gross floor area.

(c)

When compliance is triggered for existing parking lots, landscape improvements shall take precedence over parking requirements.

(2)

Buffers. Landscape buffers are required according to the provisions in this section with the following exceptions.

(a)

Points of Access. Buffering is not required at driveways or other points of access to a lot.

(3)

Temporary Uses. These provisions do not apply to temporary uses, unless determined otherwise by the Planning Department.